Human Rights Monitoring Associate - Escazu

Volunteering Legal Security

Overview

Join the UN's team to monitor and analyze human rights issues related to the Escazu Agreement.

You have:

• Minimum 3 months of demonstrated interest and/or experience in protecting or promoting human rights and related areas is required, ideally one year.
• Strong understanding of local governance and human rights in Mexico or Latin America is desirable.
• Knowledge of environmental matters and skills in research and analysis are an asset.
• Previous experience as a volunteer or in another culture is highly regarded.

Contract

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

The UN Youth Volunteer will be part of the Gender and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Unit, which currently consists of a coordinator and two staff members. The Gender and ESCR Unit personally gives legal orientation to victims, particularly human rights defenders who defend the environment. The Gender and ESCR Unit also participates in field missions to follow up on cases of alleged human rights abuses, meeting with victims, family members of victims, local NGOs, and government authorities. The Gender and ESCR Unit members collaborate in the activities of the task forces created in the Office around the main issues, such as torture, disappearances, and the right of indigenous people to prior consultation, among others. In addition, the Gender and ESCR Unit prepares mission reports and reports for UN Special Procedures, treaty bodies, and headquarters in Geneva.

The Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (Escazu Agreement) is the first to include provisions for human rights defenders in environmental matters, including measures to prevent, investigate, and punish attacks, threats or intimidations against them, but also to guarantee the rights of access to environmental information, public participation in the environmental decision-making process and access to justice in environmental matters.

The agreement entered into force in Mexico in 2021 and OHCHR-Mexico is monitoring cases and actions related to the established rights and providing technical assistance to multiple stakeholders to advance their effective implementation in linkage with other interdependent rights such as economic, social and cultural rights, the rights of indigenous peoples and displaced persons.

According to OHCHR Mexico's register of killings and disappeared human rights defenders between 2019 and 2023, the defenders who suffer the most aggression are those who defend the environment and territory. In its latest report, the Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA) reported that aggressions against people and communities defending the environment and territories increased 144.5% between 2021 and 2022, mainly in the sectors of megaprojects and mines. At the same time, civil society organizations, particularly of women defenders, have pointed out challenges to implementing the agreement, such as the weakening of key institutions and the absence of specific strategies to address the lack of information, participation, and environmental justice for women.

Under the direct supervision of the Coordinator of the Gender and ESCR Unit, the UN Youth Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Contribute to research and collect information pertaining to human rights issues, particularly related to the Escazu Agreement and environmental topics, through monitoring human rights situations at the field level and from a variety of data sources (e.g. communications, publications, the press) to keep abreast of issues/events and provide up to date information; • Participate in interviews with human rights victims, particularly human rights defenders in environmental matters, relevant authorities and civil society organizations as part of the documentation of cases; • Assist in the analysis of information regarding substantive matters in the field of human rights, particularly related to journalists and human rights defenders in environmental matters, the rights of access to environmental information, public participation in the environmental decision-making process, access to justice in environmental matters, and recommend actions to be taken; • Assist in drafting inputs for reports, communications for UN reports and correspondence relating to human rights matters, particularly related to human rights defenders in environmental matters; • Contribute with inputs for meetings with relevant authorities to assist in strengthening their capacity for the protection and promotion of environmental human rights and the implementation of the Escazu Agreement; • Support in other tasks as required.

Results/expected outputs

• Provision of monitoring and analysis of human rights situations and individual cases of human rights violations. • Analytical mission reports for all field missions. • Accurate new and updated cases in the human rights database. • Contribution to communications on cases or human rights situations. • The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counterparts, including Implementing Partners (IPs). • 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.

Accountability Adaptability and Flexibility Commitment to Continuous Learning Communication Ethics and Values Judgement and Decision-making Planning and Organizing Professionalism Respect for Diversity Working in Teams

protecting or promoting human rights and related areas is desirable. Demonstrated interest and/or experience of at least 3 months is required (ideally one year)

• A strong understanding of local governance and human rights in Mexico, the Latin America region and/or similar global contexts is desirable. •Both knowledge of environmental matters and skills in research and analysis would be an asset. •Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.

Mexico City is the capital of the United Mexican States. It is located in the center of the country, at an altitude of 2,300 meters above sea level. It covers a total area of 1,485 square kilometers and its population is approximately 8.8 million people. Climate: Daily high temperature is around 26°C throughout the year, exceeding 29°C or dropping below 22°C. Daily low temperatures range from 9°C to 11°C, falling below 6°C or exceeding 13°C. Carrying a light sweater is strongly recommended. Local currency: The national currency is the Mexican peso ($). The exchange rate against the United States dollar fluctuates around 18.00 pesos. The current exchange rate can be found here: www.banxico.org.mx/portal-mercado-cambiario/index.html. Money may be exchanged in hotels, the airport, banks and bureaux of change. Banking hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. In banks you MUST present your passport. Credit and debit cards are accepted in most commercial establishments; however, it is recommended that you carry some cash, as there are small establishments that do not accept credit cards. Local time: Mexico City’s time zone is UTC/GMT-6 Electricity: 110 volts, 60 hertz (similar to the United States), and wall sockets may be for two- or three-pin plugs. Visitors wishing to use devices not designed for use in North America should bring an adapter with a voltage transformer. Water: Drinking tap water is not recommended; visitors are advised to consume only boiled or bottled water. Sales tax and tipping: Value added tax of 16% is levied on most products and services. In restaurants it is customary to leave a tip of between 10% and 15% of the total bill. Altitude: Mexico City stands at 2,239 metres above sea level, and visitors may experience some discomfort.

Mexico City is a family duty station A. It has very good infrastructure (health, housing, banking transportation, telecommunications, and recreational facilities)

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Potential interview questions

Added 2 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unv.org