Associate in Human Rights

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

The historical Peace Agreement signed in November 2016, by the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) has provided OHCHR with additional responsibilities on a wide range of human rights related components. This includes to monitor and report on public policies for the dismantling of criminal organizations and protecting human rights defenders, security for FARC members as they transition from ex combatants to fully fledged political party members, case review of detained FARC members, and accompanying victims in their search for truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Coordinator of the field presence and the overall coordination of the OHCHR Deputy Representative, the UN Volunteer contributes to the following tasks:

• Facilitate the implementation of human rights mandate in the designated area of responsibility (AOR); • Assist in monitoring, reporting and analysis on the human rights situation from a given thematic priority and geographical responsibility; • In close coordination with the field office coordinator, prepare and support fact-finding field missions including the timely drafting of reports and follow-up; • Support follow-up on individual cases and issues with authorities with the aim of stopping or preventing human rights violations or seeking remedial action by the authorities to prevent similar violations occurring in the future; • Support in establishing and maintaining good relationships with key stakeholders such as government representatives, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations, human rights defenders, UN agencies and other partners operating in the AOR; •Assist in the preparation of and conducting human rights capacity-building activities and in developing and implementing h human rights training programmes; •Contribute to and/or draft various reports, communications, briefing notes, statements or other products; • Ensure the timely entry of accurate and verified human rights cases into the established database; conduct quality control and deliver statistics and trend reports as required; • Integrating gender and ethnic perspectives, with specific attention to issues related to women and girls, including conflict related sexual violence, within all assigned human rights activities; • Help with occasional basic administrative tasks when needed; • Perform other related duties as required.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day). • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc. • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers. • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs

As an active OHCHR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly, and high-quality support rendered to OHCHR and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:

• Contribution is made towards improving the human rights situation; • An overview of the human rights situation within the area of responsibility (AOR) is maintained; • Accurate analytical reports on the human rights situation are produced and submitted on time and the database is updated; • Good relationships are developed and effective advocacy conducted with local authorities; • Contact with a variety of stakeholders is established, maintained and expanded; • Human rights awareness and training programmes relevant to the human rights issues in the AOR are conducted; • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment; • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to OHCHR; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to OHCHR procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and OHCHR in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards OHCHR’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

a field related to human rights. • Experience in human rights monitoring, analysis and reporting is required. • Excellent knowledge of international human rights instruments and tools for the promotion and protection of human rights is required. • Experience in women rights and/or collective rights is desirable. • Experience working in Latin America is an asset. • Experience working in a conflict or post-conflict setting is an asset. • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;

Conditions of living in Medellín are generally good. Medellín is one of the main cities of Colombia, with a variety of activities from sightseeing to theatres, cinemas, cultural and sports activities, and restaurants that offer typical local and regional food as well as international cuisine. Weather in Medellin is generally warm and with a significant rainfall. The average temperature in Medellín is between 16°C y 26°C. It is the capital of the Department of Antioquia, where there are populations suffering from violence linked to the internal armed conflict and by other non-state armed groups.

Medical services in main cities (private clinics and hospitals) are available. Visitors are advised that some clinics request a down payment before they admit a patient, even in emergency situations. Visitors should take medical precautions and advice should be sought before travel. Travelers to some areas in Colombia must have yellow fever vaccination. Travel to some areas of Colombia require preventive malaria medications.

Conditions of Service The initial contract is issued upon arrival for the period indicated above. The contract can be extended depending on continuation of mandate, availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectancy of renewal of the assignment.

The Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) is paid at the end of each month to cover housing, utilities, transportation, communications and other basic needs. The VLA can be calculated using by applying the Post-Adjustment Multiplier (PAM) to the VLA base rate US$ 2168.26 . The VLA base rate is a global rate across the world, while the PAM is duty station/country-specific and fluctuates on a monthly basis according to cost of living. This method ensures that international UN Volunteers have comparable purchasing power at all duty stations irrespective of varying costs of living. The PAM is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and is published at the beginning of every month on the ICSC website - http://icsc.un.org.