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Job Description
**Responsibilities**
Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Office, the Officer’s main tasks and responsibilities will be to: ensure the liaison, coordination and follow-up of all human rights activities of the Regional Office for Western Africa with the concerned Governments, national institutions, regional organizations, NGOs, UN agencies and programmes in respect of various project activities in the sub-region; organizes regional training and information activities for United Nations staff and for Government officials, law enforcement officials, military, lawyers and judges, member of parliament, educators, media and NGOs; develops joint human rights initiatives with UNICEF, UNDP, OCHA and other UN programmes and agencies, and coordinates OHCHR technical cooperation activities with them and other multi-and bi-lateral actors, including donor Governments and NGOs; participates as a resource person in human rights seminars, workshops and other fora organized in the region; provide backstopping support for the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of national technical cooperation projects in the sub-region, including budgetary and administrative aspects of project management; provide information on UN human rights standards and their domestic application to the Governments in the sub-region and other various partners in relation to technical cooperation; represents, as appropriate, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in various meetings, consultations, negotiations with the Governments in the sub-region; assists the Regional Representative in reporting on the activities of the Office, and in other assignments as required; undertakes travel in the region as required. Monitoring progress and reporting to the Regional Representative, taking action to minimize delays, identifying and drawing management attention to potential cost overruns and under spends.
**Competencies**
Professionalism - Good knowledge of and exposure to a range of human rights issues, to include approaches and techniques to address sensitive problems. Sound knowledge and understanding of UN human rights instruments and procedures essential. Good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines related to human y to identify problems, i.e., political, ethnic, racial, gender, social, economic, etc., causing civil unrest in a country or geographic area; Good analytical and research skills, including ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact on the human rights situation in assigned region/country.
Communication - Strong communication (spoken, written and presentational) skills, including the ability to produce a variety of written reports in a clear, concise style, to deliver training presentations to external audiences, to build/maintain effective partnerships, to manage information and public information activities.
Planning and Organising - Ability to establish priorities and to plan work assignments, juggle competing demands and work under pressure of frequent and tight deadlines;
Technology Awareness -Good computer skills, including proficiency in word processing, spreadsheets, other and relevant software packages;
Teamwork - Proven interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
**QUALIFICATIONS**
Education
Advanced university degree, preferably in law, political science, international relations or other disciplines related to human rights. A combination of relevant academic qualifications and extensive experience may be accepted in lieu of advanced university degree.
Work Experience
A minimum of 5 years of proven progressively responsible professional experience. Knowledge and working experience with human rights issues in a fragile, conflict-prone or post-conflict society is desirable. Experience of advocacy in the field will be an asset. Experience of building the capacity of NGOs and other civil society actors and of working with donor agencies is highly desirable.
Languages
Proficiency in French and English; Knowledge of any other language spoken in the sub-region is an asset.
Other Skills
Substantive and pratical experience in the use of programming and planning tools and frameworks, such as the CCA/UNDAF and CAP/CHAP, desirable, so as field experience.
The United Nations shall place 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. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
**How to apply**
All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement. Because applications submitted by United Nations (UN) staff members are considered first, provided the eligibility requirements set out in ST/AI/2002/4 are met and the application is submitted in a timely fashion, staff members should apply within 15-day or 30-day mark.
Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please go to “My UN” page and check the status of your application by clicking on “View Application History”, and resubmit the application, if necessary.
1. To start the application process, applicants are required to register by opening a “My UN” account. Go to Login, and Register as a User. Fill in the form and choose a User Name and Password.
2. After opening the account, applicants may apply for vacancies using the Personal History Profile (PHP) provided. Once the PHP has been completed for a particular vacancy, it can be saved and used for future applications. The PHP may be up-dated, when necessary, for future applications.
3. In completing the PHP, please note that all fields marked with an asterisk must be completed.
4. UN staff members must submit scanned copies of their two latest Performance Appraisal System (PAS) reports at the time of application to the appropriate Human Resources Office (HRO)/Personnel Office (PO) to the email address below, clearly indicating the vacancy announcement number. In case you have no access to the digitizing equipment, please submit hard copies of the two latest PAS reposts to the relevant HRO/PO via fax.
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