UNV Human Rights Officer - Erbil, Iraq

UN Entity: AMI

Assignment Context:
* Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including civil society organizations, grassroots community members,
religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels;
* Excellent verbal and written communications skills;
* Experience of working in a conflict or post conflict environment;
* Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;
* Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;
* Sound security awareness;

Task description:
Within the delegated authority and under the overall supervision of the Chief, UNAMI Human Rights Office or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the International UN Volunteer Human Rights Officer will:

• Conduct proactive outreach and relationship-building through individual meetings and focus groups with demonstrators and activists of different ages and genders; members of organizing
committees; representatives of political and civil society organizations involved in the protests as well activists with no such affiliation; journalists, doctors and others actively involved in either participating in demonstrations or promoting the goals of the protesters particularly through social media;
• Conduct human rights monitoring interviews with victims of arbitrary and incommunicado detention, abduction, torture and enforced disappearance;
• Undertake monitoring visits to places of detention;
• Proactively monitor all forms of traditional and new media, including social media, in order to monitor threats and intimidation against those participating in or supporting protests;
• Through individual and group meetings with community leaders, victims’ representatives and civil society organizations develop and deepen existing information gathering networks within the
communities affected by disappearances;
• Support OHCHR/UNAMI engagement with relevant United Nations Treaty Body mechanisms and Special Procedures mandate holders, including facilitating the submission of Urgent Appeals and Urgent Actions on behalf of victims of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and torture;
• Engage with government and non-governmental organizations to support the submission of state reports and stakeholder reports to UN human rights mechanisms and treaty bodies dealing with torture and enforced disappearance
• Draft, review as appropriate, and ensure timely delivery of a variety of reports, briefings, analysis and other types of communications in compliance with established standards;
• Ensure the timely entry of accurate and verified human rights cases into an established database in compliance with established standards;
• Performs other duties as required.

Languages
English, Level: Fluent, Required
Arabic, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable
Kurdish, Level: Fluent, Desirable

Inclusivity statement:
United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements
Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy

Living conditions and remarks
UN personnel in Iraq operate in a volatile security environment. In Erbil, personnel work in a secured compound with limited access outside of the city, which usually can only be done with stringent clearances and depending on the destination, a military escort. Erbil is a non-family duty station and is classified as a security risk moderate. UN personnel in Erbil live in Minimum Operational Security Standards (MOSS) compliant residences outside of the UN compound.

International personnel operating in Iraq must take online security awareness in the field training prior to arrival in Iraq and undertake a mandatory Security Induction Awareness Training (SAIT) immediately upon arrival. The Rest and Recuperation (R&R) cycle in Erbil is 8 weeks, with the designated place of R&R being Amman, Jordan. Currently, there are UN flights (UN-AMI and UNHAS) to and from Iraq, covering Iraq, Kuwait, and Jordan. There are many international flights to Erbil, Baghdad, and Basrah.

As this is an international UN Volunteer specialist assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.
International UN Volunteers receive a volunteer living allowance to sustain a basic, adequate, and safe lifestyle.
This allowance varies from one location to another depending on local living costs, but all International UN Volunteers specialists in the same location receive the same allowance.
Below is a summary of the Conditions of Service.

Allowances
The purpose of allowances for international UN Volunteers specialists is to enable the international UN Volunteers to sustain a modest and secure standard of living at the duty station. The allowances are in no way to be understood as compensation, reward, or salary in exchange for volunteer work.
Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA): All international UN Volunteers specialists are entitled to a monthly volunteer living allowance of USD 3,896.383 The purpose of this allowance is to cover the basic living costs of the international UN Volunteer. The allowance is to ensure that the volunteer can sustain a basic, adequate, and safe lifestyle. The monthly allowance rate is a fixed rate for the duty station as established by UNV headquarters.
Iraq is a unique country and UNITAD is a unique operation. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.