Human Rights Officer in Abkhazia, Georgia

 

Reference Number: 00/OHCHR/031/GEORGIA
Deadline for Application: 13 June 2000
Post Title and Level: Human Rights Officer, P-2/P-3 (Based on the recruitment standards of the UN Secretariat, the successful candidate may be granted either a P-2 or P-3 level)
Duty Station: Abkhazia, Georgia
Organizational Unit: DPKO/HROAG

The objectives of the Human Rights Office in Abkhazia, Georgia ("HROAG") are to promote respect for human rights, protect the human rights of the population of Abkhazia, Georgia in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, contribute to a safe and dignified return of refugees and internally displaced persons and report on human rights developments in conformity with UN and OSCE practises.

Summary of Assigned Duties:

The Human Rights Field Officer shall be responsible to assist the Chief of the Office in the running of the human rights programme in Abkhazia, Georgia. He or she shall employ the following means to fulfil the objectives of the Human Rights Programme in Abkhazia, Georgia: assist in the monitoring of the human rights situation in Abkhazia, Georgia through the collection, checking, analysis and reporting on human rights, and take appropriate action in consultation with the Chief and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights ("OHCHR") to prevent and remedy possible human rights violations; establish and maintain contacts so as to assist the Chief in advising competent authorities on how best to improve the human rights situation; assist in reporting by the Chief to the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who will keep all concerned individuals, organizations and Governments duly informed on the human rights situation. Assist the Chief with the organization of activities for the promotion of international human rights standards through human rights education and the fostering of local capacities of human rights protection, e.g., through the training for local administrative officials, police, judges, prison officers and NGOs, and other activities (such as publications) detailed in the relevant UN project document for technical cooperation. Assist the Chief in providing on-going advisory services to the local population and officials, as necessary. Assist the Chief in reporting regularly on the activities of the human rights programme of monitoring, technical cooperation and advisory services.

Distribution of duties:

The incumbent, under the direction of the Chief will be responsible for (with approximate percentage of time devoted to each duty):

Decision making responsibilities and impact:

Decisions will be made only on the basis of directives received from the Chief of the Human Rights Office in Abkhazia, Georgia, under the authority of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The responsibilities of the human rights field officer require decision making which will include careful analysis of the character and extent of information and international human rights standards to advise the Chief to determine whether they constitute human rights violations and where such violations occur, how they can most effectively be stopped and deterred in future. The action on the part of the human rights field officer in monitoring, and working towards the deterrence of human rights violations requires the establishment and maintenance of a cooperative relationship with local authorities and diplomatic, NGO, international and other relevant representatives, under the guidance of the Chief. A lack of such contacts or an insufficient measure of reliability and sensitivity in these relationships risks undermining the credibility of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as neutral, impartial and independent actors capable of working productively towards the better realization of human rights protection and promotion in the region.

The duty to report on human rights, regarding both violations and redress, requires thoroughness and careful judgement in gathering, checking, documentation, legal analysis and follow up of cases. An insufficient standard of care paid to reporting on human rights risks the proliferation of misunderstandings and may increase the spread of unwarranted allegations or disinformation.

The duty to promote human rights through activities of technical cooperation requires thorough consideration as to how best to help public authorities and NGOs, primarily those in positions responsible for the maintenance and promotion of law and order and human rights, in order to bring their professional practises into greater conformity with international human rights standards and develop sustainable capacity in human rights promotion and protection. Inadequate achievement of these objectives may render the efforts of the United Nations and more specifically, of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights transitory, unless public authorities and NGOs foster abiding respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Type of recommendations to be made:

The human rights field officer shall assist the Chief in the formulation of recommendations of what specific actions in the area of protection and promotion of human rights in Abkhazia, Georgia should be taken to enhance observance of international human rights norms. The human rights field officer shall assist the Chief in preparation of recommendations as to the contents of reports to be made by the Secretary-General and High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia.

Goals and Objectives of the post:

To ensure the effective observance of international human rights norms in Abkhazia, Georgia, thereby helping to achieve the Mission of the OHCHR and the goals provided for under the United Nations Charter relative to the protection and promotion of human rights for all.

Extent of Supervision:

The human rights field officer works under the direction of the Chief of HROAG. Circumstances will demand independent action and responsibility, but only under the authority of the Chief and line of authority of the United Nations.

Qualifications:

Education: Advanced university degree in law, political science, social sciences or international relations. Specialized study of human rights preferred.

Experience: A minimum of five years international experience, including at least one year working directly on human rights. Specialization in monitoring and reporting on human rights and experience in advisory services and the organization of human rights training activities in field operations highly desirable.

Languages: Fluency in Russian and English required.

External candidates are requested to send a detailed curriculum vitae or to complete a United Nations Personal History form (P-11), available at UN offices. All internal candidates and only those external candidates under serious consideration will be acknowledged by the substantive office of the OHCHR. Please note that applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.

All applications for this post should be sent, by mail or fax ONLY, to : M. Jose Aguirre, Administrative Officer, OHCHR-Palais des Nations, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix, CH-1211, Gen�ve 10. Fax no. (41.22)917.90.24. Preference will be given to equally qualified women candidates.

Last updated:    June 2000

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