Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) office in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Based on the global mandate of OHCHR, the office monitors the human rights situation, and engages with and support relevant authorities and other stakeholders, to advance the promotion and protection of human rights in the country. The office also supports the United Nations country team to integrate human rights across the work of the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under the supervision of the Deputy Head of Office, the incumbent is responsible for implementing the activities of the office in the area of anti-discrimination. The Human Rights Officer monitors and analyses relevant developments, supports engagement with authorities and other stakeholders as well as advocacy, contributes to reporting, and provides technical advice.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Associate Human Rights Officer will be responsible for the following duties: - Monitor the implementation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and support follow-up on recommendations from human rights mechanisms, including treaty bodies, the Universal Periodic Review, special procedures and investigative mechanisms, to advance compliance and accountability. - Collect, document and analyse evidence-based information on civil, cultural, economic, social and political rights, including the right to development, within assigned thematic or geographic areas to support in-depth analysis, early warning, accountability, and informed decision-making, ensuring that human rights data is discoverable, interoperable and appropriately shared, including from gender and leave-no-one-behind perspectives. - Conduct human rights monitoring and field verification missions, including assessments and early-warning exercises, in line with UN standards and methodologies, and draft substantive analytical reports containing findings, trends and actionable recommendations.Draft, review and contribute to human rights reports, briefings, legal and policy analyses and other communications, and prepare analytical papers that inform strategies, policies, programmes and decision-making, with integration of gender and leave-no-one-behind considerations. - Draft, review and contribute to human rights reports, briefings, legal and policy analyses and other communications, and prepare analytical papers that inform strategies, policies, programmes and decision-making, with integration of gender and leave-no-one-behind considerations. - Collect, verify and analyse multi-source information on thematic and country-specific human rights situations, ensuring data quality, methodological compliance and gender-responsive analysis. - Prepare analytical products, including lessons learned and trend analyses, to inform targeted human rights strategies, crisis prevention and response, and policy and programme development. - Provide technical research and substantive support to advisory processes with national counterparts, including reviewing draft legislation, policies and security-sector reforms to ensure alignment with international human rights standards. - Provide substantive professional support to national and regional counterparts in strengthening human rights systems, institutions and frameworks, including complaints mechanisms, victim and witness support services, engagement with international human rights mechanisms, and implementation of recommendations. - Contribute to the design and delivery of human rights capacity-building activities for State institutions, security forces, NHRIs, civil society and other stakeholders, including training on human rights-based approaches that integrate gender and leave-no-one-behind perspectives. - Support the integration of international human rights norms and standards into political, peace and security, humanitarian, development and economic frameworks and processes, contributing to efforts to address impunity and structural human rights challenges. - Provide professional support to authorities and non-State actors in integrating human rights standards into development and economic policies and programmes, including national development plans and Voluntary National and Local Reviews. - Engage with UN entities, UN Country Teams, regional coordination mechanisms and development and economic actors to integrate human rights, including gender dimensions, into policies, programmes and cooperation frameworks. - Provide research, coordination and follow-up support to treaty bodies, special procedures, the Universal Periodic Review and commissions of inquiry. - Provide professional research, analysis and policy advisory support on human rights issues related to economic policy and sustainable development, including poverty, inequality and development financing, contributing inputs to UN analytical and cooperation frameworks. - Engage with youth networks to support advocacy for youth rights and meaningful participation in civic, political and decision-making processes. - Support effective communication and public information efforts by contributing drafting, technical and coordination inputs to amplify human rights messaging. - Contribute to the collection and analysis of data as well as identification of trends or patterns and provide draft insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. - Support the delivery of training programmes and workshops across multiple platforms for different audiences by providing technical content, facilitation support and logistical coordination.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of international human rights law, norms, and standards. Knowledge of regional and international human rights mechanisms. Analytical thinking skills. Ability to mobilize support from a wide range of partners and stakeholders. Skills in designing, delivering, and evaluating capacity-building and training programmes. Knowledge of sustainable development and its intersection with economic, environmental, social and other human rights, with a particular focus on combating poverty and inequality. Knowledge of sustainable development and its intersection with economic, environmental, social and other human rights, with a particular focus on combating poverty and inequality. Knowledge of the application of the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights, including within the context of addressing inequalities. Knowledge of human rights monitoring, documentation, analysis, research and reporting methodologies, including planning, coordinating and conducting field missions. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. COMMUNICATION. Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in human rights, law, political science, international relations, social sciences, economics, public policy, sustainable development, humanitarian affairs or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in human rights or related areas is required. Relevant experience may include, but is not limited to political affairs, public affairs, international relations, law, social sciences, economics, development, humanitarian affairs, or other related areas. Knowledge of international human rights law, norms, and standards is required. Knowledge of regional and international human rights mechanisms is required. Analytical thinking skills is desirable. Ability to mobilize support from a wide range of partners and stakeholders is desirable. Skills in designing, delivering, and evaluating capacity-building and training programmes is desirable. Knowledge of sustainable development and its intersection with economic, environmental, social and other human rights, with a particular focus on combating poverty and inequality is desirable. Knowledge of the application of the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights, including within the context of addressing inequalities is desirable. Knowledge of human rights monitoring, documentation, analysis, research and reporting methodologies, including planning, coordinating and conducting field missions is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Either Bosnian or Croatian or Serbian is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).

Required Languages

Language	Reading	Writing	Listening	Speaking
English	UN Level III	UN Level III	UN Level III	UN Level III
Bosnian	UN Level III	UN Level III	UN Level III	UN Level III
Croatian	UN Level III	UN Level III	UN Level III	UN Level III
Serbian	UN Level III	UN Level III	UN Level III	UN Level III

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds. Candidates for the National Professional Officer category shall be of the nationality of the country where this position is located. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places 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. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section ‎2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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