Human Rights Fellow

Overview

Support HRLU to engage with UN human rights mechanisms and standards.

You have:

• Field of expertise in Law, Human Rights, or Political Science.
• Required language: English.
• Desirable language: Other UN language.
• No minimum years of work experience requirement listed.

Deadline for Applications

March 5, 2026Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

H (no hardship)Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

FamilyStaff Member / Affiliate Type

FellowTarget Start Date

2026-06-15Terms of Reference

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ENGAGED INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT HOLDER

The fellow will work under the supervision of the Senior Legal Officer/ Head of the HRLU to support the work of the HRLU and UNHCR’s broader human rights work.

General Background of Project or Assignment, Operational Context:

Given the importance of international human rights law to the protection of forcibly displaced and stateless persons, the Human Rights Liaison Unit regular cooperates with the various counterparts and secretariat colleagues within the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and monitors the work of the Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Bodies, the Human Rights Council, including the Universal Periodic Review and its Special Procedures, and contributes, if and when relevant, to ensure that the rights and needs of forcibly displaced persons are systematically considered in the discussions, country visits and other activities and reflected in the respective reports, decisions, conclusions and recommendations. The HRLU provides guidance and support to UNHCR colleagues globally, at all levels, to engage with and best utilize the human rights mechanisms to promote the protection of and solutions for forcibly displaced and stateless people. The HRLU also acts, along with OHCHR, as the co-secretariat of the Platform of Independent Experts on Refugee Rights (PIERR).

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations

To view occupational safety and health considerations for specific duty stations, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Specific Occupational Safety and Health Considerations to this assignment (if applicable): Not applicable

Purpose and Scope of Assignment:

Under the supervision of the Senior Legal Officer, the Fellow would be expected to engage with supporting the HRLU in carrying out some of the following activities and services, including some unique projects within these areas:

General information and advice:

• Provide guidance and advice to staff on how to effectively and strategically use the UN human rights mechanisms and standards.
• Keep colleagues informed about developments in the area of human rights of relevance to UNHCR. New international and human rights instruments are promptly shared and analyzed as to their potential value for the work of UNHCR.

Contribution to standard-setting exercises:

• With the support of, and in consultation with thematic and country-specific focal points, provide input into new legal instruments in the area of human rights during the drafting process, including Human Rights Council resolutions, Treaty Body General Comments/Recommendations, Special Procedures reports and OHCHR guides and studies.
• Provide legal and doctrinal advice on human rights standards.
• Prepare papers, statements and speeches, as well as other contributions into global and regional human rights processes which promote UNHCR’s position.

Cooperation with Treaty Monitoring Bodies:

• Assist colleagues in the preparation and finalization of Confidential Comments for submission to the human rights treaty monitoring bodies.
• As possible, monitor and provide feedback to colleagues from treaty body sessions, highlighting concluding observations and recommendations of particular relevance to UNHCR’s mandate and advising on how these can be used as protection advocacy tools.
• Review findings and recommendations of Treaty Monitoring Bodies as to their standard setting, promotional or COI value and systematically disseminate for use in UNHCR’s protection and promotion efforts.
• Engage with the Petitions Section colleagues on areas of collaboration regarding individual case petitions.

Contribution to the Universal Periodic Reviews:

• Assist colleagues in the preparation and finalization of contributions to the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism, in the form of written contributions the OHCHR Compilation Reports or in the context of reports prepared by UN country teams.
• As needed, engage with particular Permanent Missions to provide confidential input in advance of UPR working group reviews to promote inclusion of relevant recommendations and insights.
• Monitor UPR sessions and provide feedback to colleagues on adopted recommendations of particular relevance to UNHCR’s mandate, including advice on how these can be used in the context of protection strategies and as advocacy tools.

Cooperation with the Human Rights Council:

• Monitor regular and special sessions of the Human Rights Council, and inform colleagues about discussions, reports, decisions and resolutions of particular interest to UNHCR, which can complement or reinforce UNHCR’s positions and protection strategies.
• Occasionally support with preparing and/or providing statements at the Council sessions on behalf of UNHCR.

Cooperation with the UN Special Procedures:

• Provide input into thematic, country-specific and mission reports and studies by relevant Special Procedures mandate holders, in collaboration with field-based colleagues and thematic and country-specific UNHCR focal points.
• Inform colleagues about relevant recommendations by Special Procedures and how these can be used as protection advocacy tools.
• Engage regularly with SPMH teams to identify areas of joint concern and coordination.

Platform of Independent Experts on Refugee Rights (PIERR):

• Provide co-secretariat support, along with OHCHR's special procedures branch, to the PIERR members. Manage communications, agendas and logistics for meetings, draft and disseminate statements, maintain the PIERR website, and consider and support PIERR engagement in events, activities (including HR Council side events), and visits as relevant.

CANDIDATE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, SELECTION CRITERIA

Required qualifications, language(s) and work experience:

Field of expertise, competencies: Law, Human Rights, Political Science

Minimum years of work experience (NOTE: candidates with less years of experience cannot be short-listed or recommended): n/a

Language: Required: English Desirable: Other UN language

EVALUATION, MONITORING, SUPERVISION

Monitoring and Progress Controls:

Periodic feedback discussions.Standard Job Description

Required Languages

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Desired Languages

English,

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Additional Qualifications

Skills

Education

Certifications

Work Experience

Other information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance Remote

No

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Potential interview questions

Added 4 months ago - Updated 4 months ago - Source: unhcr.org