IHRDA is seeking to recruit an Advocacy Officer to lead IHRDA’s work on mainstreaming advocacy into implementation of decisions of African human rights protection mechanisms as well as other advocacy-related activities within IHRDA’s three-fold mandate of ‘Defend’, ‘Educate’ and ‘Inform.’
About IHRDA:
IHRDA is a Pan-African human rights organization, based in Banjul, The Gambia, promoting the use and effectiveness of African human rights instruments and mechanisms to protect rights in Africa. Our work entails offering pro bono legal counsel for victims of human rights abuses; conducting capacity building initiatives with actors in the promotion of human rights on the use of regional human rights instruments and mechanisms; and disseminating information to support the work of actors in the African human rights system.
Overall purpose of job:
IHRDA has been a trail-blazer in litigation before the protection mechanisms of the African human rights system, having obtained a number of decisions in favour of victims, some of which have been ground-breaking. IHRDA remains the only institution with cases before all the major human rights protection mechanisms in Africa. In spite of this jurisprudential record, these successes are being negated by the persistent failure of respondent States to comply with the decisions of the mechanisms. The non-implementation of decisions not only affects victims directly, but also undermines the existence of and confidence that victims repose in these mechanisms. Consequently, to address this challenge, IHRDA has developed an internal strategy for implementation. Among others, the strategy aims to facilitate the mainstreaming of implementation into the case-development process from its beginning and sustained engagement with the relevant local partners and State institutions to ensure full implementation of decisions obtained. However, IHRDA recognizes that its effective implementation requires a more vigorous approach to its roll-out by enhancing its human resource capacity in advocacy beyond its current legal expertise.
Accordingly, the Advocacy Officer will lead IHRDA’s work in mainstreaming advocacy on implementation from the identification and development of cases through to post-decision phases of the litigation process. Further, the Advocacy Officer will lead IHRDA’s work on other advocacy-related activities within its three-fold mandate of ‘Defend’, ‘Educate’ and ‘Inform’.
Minimum requirements:
- A Masters’ Degree in law, international affairs, social science or other related field;
- A minimum of five years’ professional or working experience involving advocacy and policy work, with proven record of successful implementation of advocacy strategy and campaign;
- A very good knowledge of the African human rights system and the key institutions of the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs);
- Strong communication skills;
- Strong organizational skills, including an ability to work independently and take initiative;
- Demonstrable ability to be flexible and a highly-motivated self-starter;
- Strong research skills necessary to track and stay up-to-date on developments relevant to human rights at national, regional and global levels;
- Very good analytical skills and attention to details;
- Strong networking skills;
- Fluency in written and spoken English and/or French; besides English and French, proficiency in another AU language is an advantage;
- Computer and information communication technology skills.
How to apply: Please send (in English or French) a Curriculum Vitae, a motivation letter, and a list of three references with their full contact details via email to recruitment@IHRDA.org, with the subject line, “Advocacy Officer at IHRDA”. Closing date for applications is 21 November 2020. ONLY SHORTLISTED APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED.
Women are strongly encouraged to apply.
