Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Human Rights Service of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The Human Rights Officer will be based in Mazar-e-Sharif, an “E” hardship and a non-family duty station, and will serve as Human Rights Officer/Team Leader under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Human Rights Officer and overall direction of the Chief, Human Rights Service.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Human Rights Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Leads the management and implementation of the human rights work in the assigned area, in accordance with the UNAMA Human Rights Service workplan, and management of Team members.

Plans, coordinates and leads activities related to the UNAMA’s human rights mandate, including from a gender perspective, inter alia protection of civilians, right to life, liberty and integrity; issues related to the rights of women, children, persons deprived of their liberty; human rights defenders, media workers and other vulnerable groups; and monitoring of the economic, social and cultural rights situation of the region of assignment.

Devises advocacy strategies, advocates and advises relevant de facto authorities, civil society, the UN Country Team (UNCT) on strategies to better protect and promote human rights and mechanisms to stop impunity and redress human rights violations in the mission area.

Establishes and maintains contact with de facto authorities, armed groups, civil society, UN Agencies, Funds, and Programmes with complementary mandates, and other relevant partners to inform on the human rights situation in the mission area and advise on strategic and policy issues to better protect and promote human rights.

Support a human-rights based approach in the design and implementation of UNAMA’s preventive diplomacy, good offices, national dialogue, mediation initiatives, and other matters, as appropriate.

Drafts, reviews and coordinates the timely delivery of a variety of reports, briefings and other type of communications in compliance with established standards, including with regard to public human rights reports.

Contributes to the integration of human rights in humanitarian action, through participating or coordinating emergency preparedness and response activities including in the work of the Protection Cluster, as appropriate.

Works directly with other components of the UN peace operation to integrate human rights considerations into the planning and review of their programs and operations, including through developing procedures and policies, as appropriate.

Designs, delivers, coordinates and evaluates human rights awareness-raising initiatives for national and subnational stakeholders.

Ensures, coordinates and supervises the timely entry of accurate and verified human rights cases into an established database; conducts quality control; and delivers statistics and trend reports, as required.

Contributes to the integration of gender perspectives/considerations and specific women/girls’ rights issues in all activities, programmes and strategies.

Assists in the coordination and implementation of the Human Rights Service work plan; evaluates or assists in the evaluation of its progress, and suggests adjustments as needed.

Represent the UNAMA Human Rights Service at meetings and thematic events related to the UNAMA human rights mandate in the region of assignment.

Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism:
Good knowledge of human rights issues and ability to identify related problems in their political, ethnic, racial, gender equality and socio-economic dimensions in a humanitarian and conflict setting. Good knowledge of international human rights law standards and international humanitarian law. Good knowledge of the human rights-based approach to human rights field work. Good knowledge of operational methods of work on: protection of civilians; right to life, liberty and physical integrity; protection of women and children, victims of torture and ill-treatment, and human rights defenders; and monitoring of economic, social and cultural rights. Good research and analytical skills, including ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact on the human rights situation in the area of assignment, and ability to identify and participate in the resolution of human rights issues. Ability to identify sources for data collection, research and analyze information, and draft human rights reports. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Teamwork:
Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Planning and Organizing:
Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

Managing Performance:
Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority; Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member; Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills; Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines; Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff; Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative; Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff; Appraises performance fairly.

Judgement/Decision-making:
Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in law, human rights, political science, international relations, social sciences, humanities or a related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in human rights issues and relevant professional experience is required, particularly on issues of protection of civilians, right to life, liberty and integrity, gender, violence against women, child protection, prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, human rights defenders, and on economic, social and cultural rights.

Experience in leading and conducting human rights investigations or fact-finding missions in a UN peace operation, UN human rights presence or equivalent international organisation – outside the country of origin – is required.

Experience in leading, managing and supervising a multicultural team is required.

Experience in human rights case/data management and analytics, human rights analysis and public reporting, and legal drafting, is desirable.

Experience working in Afghanistan is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of Pashto and Dari is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

The appointment or assignment and renewal thereof is subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.