Human Rights Officer (Tjo)
Organizational Context
This position is situated within the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Bogota, Colombia. The Human Rights Officer reports directly to the Representative, playing a key role in the organization's human rights initiatives in the region.
Job Purpose
The Human Rights Officer is responsible for planning, coordinating, and monitoring activities related to civic space and people's participation, ensuring alignment with international human rights instruments and recommendations. This role involves supporting treaty bodies and human rights mechanisms, preparing reports for international bodies, and collaborating with UN programs, national officials, and civil society organizations. The officer will integrate human rights, including gender dimensions, into various programs, design and implement human rights initiatives, and provide recommendations on actions to address human rights issues. Additionally, the role involves assisting in the development and implementation of human rights training for military and police, and potentially leading teams, coordinating work, and managing staff and budgets.
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities include planning and coordinating strategies for civic space and public participation, ensuring close collaboration within the office. The role involves reviewing and evaluating the implementation of international human rights instruments and recommendations from treaty bodies and the Human Rights Council, focusing on participation rights and fostering a safe environment for civil society and Human Rights Defenders (HRDs). Support will be provided to treaty bodies, extra-conventional mechanisms, and special procedures. The officer will prepare human rights sections for reports to the General Assembly and Human Rights Council, and track ratification status of human rights instruments. Regular engagement with peacekeeping teams, UN staff, national officials, state institutions, and civil society organizations is required for project planning and review. Integration of human rights, including gender perspectives, into UN and non-governmental programs will be a focus, alongside designing and implementing human rights programs and evaluations. The role also entails staying updated on human rights matters, making recommendations, liaising with various UN sectors, inter-American systems, civil society, and state institutions on policy and coordination, and briefing representatives. Assisting military and police in developing and implementing human rights, international humanitarian law, democracy, and rule of law training, with attention to gender, is also a duty. Finally, the officer may serve as a team leader, overseeing work coordination, administrative functions, staff, planning, and budget, and will train and supervise junior staff.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in human rights, political affairs, international relations, law, or a related field is required. Experience in human rights monitoring, analysis, advocacy, and reporting is desirable, as is experience working with human rights defenders.
Skills
Proficiency in human rights issues, including civic space and participation rights. Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies, and procedures. Ability to analyze and integrate information from diverse sources. Skills in evaluating human rights situations and proposing solutions. Experience in training civil authorities and advocacy groups. Ability to integrate gender perspectives into human rights work. Strong communication, listening, and interpersonal skills. Demonstrated accountability, efficiency, and results-orientation. Ability to work under pressure and maintain professionalism.