Minorities Affairs Officer

UNDP works with the Government and people of Pakistan to develop local solutions to development challenges. In an evolving development context, we support Pakistan’s efforts to build a more equitable, prosperous, peaceful and resilient society, and to achieve its SDGs and COP25 targets. UNDP promotes transformational change by fostering strategic partnerships with national counterparts in the federal, provincial and regional governments, civil society, the private sector and the local and international community. UNDP supports transformational change by providing technical assistance focusing on developing capacity within national and local authorities, providing solutions with strong monitoring and evaluation tools, and delivering programmes with maximum efficiency, transparency and accountability.

UNDP’s ultimate goal is to improve the lives of the people of Pakistan through keeping people out of poverty; governance for peaceful, just and inclusive societies; crisis prevention and increased resilience; nature-based solutions for development; clean affordable energy; and women's empowerment and gender equality.

of the project
UNDP works to improve the lives of vulnerable communities, with the overarching objective of preventing loss of development gains, promoting human rights, and finding sustainable pathways to development. UNDP projects under the democratic governance portfolio aims to strengthen state institutions, support democratic development and the rule of law, ensure crisis prevention, support policy development, and integrate gender equality into all areas of work. UNDP works to support the human rights ecosystem by strengthening human rights institutions to promote and protect human rights for all.

This UNV assignment is part of UNDP Pakistan’s Decentralization, Human Rights and Local Governance (DHL) project. The DHL project is a multi-sector project aimed at strengthening rights-based development, community stabilization, gender equality, and social inclusion across all regions and provinces of Pakistan. The core objective of the project is to ensure inclusive and equitable service delivery by providing technical assistance and capacity development support to relevant federal ministries, provincial line departments, statutory bodies, civil society, and private sector organizations. A key aim is to support the creation of an enabling environment for accelerated access to rights, people-centered justice, and people-centered security. The project focuses on institution building while connecting with vulnerable and at-risk communities to build trust between rights holders and duty bearers for inclusive, expeditious, and transparent access to rights and services.

Under its human rights programme, UNDP-DHL is extending institutional support to the Government of Punjab through the Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Department (HRMA) to strengthen inclusive governance and advance the rights of religious and ethnic minorities. In line with Pakistan’s broader vision for interfaith harmony, the DHL project promotes rights-based development, equitable service delivery, and peacebuilding at all levels of government. The DHL project places a strong emphasis on strengthening provincial systems to address community grievances, promote peaceful co-existence, and support the holistic development of vulnerable and conflict-affected populations. This includes providing technical assistance, improving grievance redress mechanisms, and enabling a supportive environment for the inclusion of minorities in governance and service delivery. Particular focus is placed on responding to rising intolerance—especially fueled by digital spaces—and strengthening social cohesion through community-based dialogue and advocacy. In recognition of the Human Rights & Minorities Affairs Department’s (HRMA) critical role in addressing the complex challenges faced by minority communities in Punjab, this collaboration seeks to position the Department as a key actor in strengthening inclusion, preventing discrimination, and ensuring equitable access to rights and services.

To support this mandate, UNDP is supporting the placement of two Minorities Affairs Officers within Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Department (HRMA), Government of Punjab. The incumbent UNVs will play a critical role in facilitating strategic coordination, stakeholder engagement, public outreach, and knowledge generation to support the Ministry’s leadership on minority inclusion and interfaith harmony.

Support the implementation of the mandate of the Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Department

• Support the HRMA in the effective implementation of its mandate on minority inclusion, interfaith harmony, and peacebuilding across Punjab.
• Draft high-quality briefing notes, talking points, speeches, and policy memos for the Department’s officials to use in legislative sessions, inter-ministerial dialogues, media engagements, and community events.
• Support the implementation of HRMA Strategic Plan 2024–2029, including activities related to digital inclusion, grievance redressal, legal reform, and interfaith harmony.
• Contribute to the operationalization of strategic objectives such as expanding access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for minority communities.
• Contribute to strengthening protection mechanisms against discrimination, promoting interfaith harmony, and ensuing coordination with development partners.
• Coordinate Department’s reporting for GSP+ and human rights monitoring, treaty implementation, and international cooperation on human rights.
• Record and maintain accurate documentation of meetings, consultations, and high-level events chaired or attended by the HRMA leadership.
• Liaise with HRMA staff to ensure follow-up on action items.
• Ensure effective coordination between HRMA and UNDP-DHL project team, supporting technical cooperation and knowledge exchange.
• Facilitate the HRMA inputs into UNDP-supported activities for the promotion and protection of minority rights and ensure alignment with provincial priorities and policy frameworks.

Stakeholder Coordination and Engagement

• Identify and map key stakeholders working on minority rights and interfaith harmony in Punjab, including community-based organizations, government departments, legal aid providers, private sector, academia, and religious leaders.
• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with provincial departments such as Education, Health, Social Welfare, and Law to advance cross-sectoral initiatives on inclusion.
• Facilitate consultations and dialogues between the HRMA and civil society actors, minority representatives, private enterprises, and community peacebuilders, ensuring grassroots voices are reflected in provincial strategies.
• Engage the private sector in promoting human rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplaces, and explore opportunities for engagement in minority-focused initiatives.
• Serve as a liaison between the HRMA and national human rights institutions such as the NCHR and relevant provincial institutions to explore joint advocacy and programming opportunities.
• Facilitate coordination between the HRMA and the Provincial Task Force on Human Rights, as well as district committees.

Communications, Advocacy, and Awareness

• Support the development and implementation of the HRMA Communication Policy to engage with the key stakeholders on human rights monitoring and implementation, including with relevant Federal Government Departments, Ministry of Commerce, and Multilateral organizations.
• Develop and disseminate materials to raise awareness of minority rights, interfaith harmony, and peaceful coexistence.
• Contribute to the development of advocacy messages, campaign materials, and knowledge products focused on minority inclusion, community peacebuilding, and interfaith engagement.
• Organize thematic workshops, policy roundtables, public awareness campaigns, and commemorative events (e.g., National Minorities Day, International Day for Tolerance) in coordination with partners.
• Coordinate the HRMA’s communication strategy to raise awareness of its work and highlight positive narratives of coexistence.

Facilitate Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing

• Design and support strategic communication campaigns aligned with the HRMA strategic plan.
• Support the planning and implementation of capacity-building initiatives for HRMA officials and civil society actors on topics such as grievance redressal, rights-based service delivery, digital safety, and inclusion.
• Promote academic collaboration, including policy dialogues, fellowships, curriculum development, and research on minority issues.
• Coordinate the development and roll-out of training materials for Provincial Task Force and District Committee members on minority rights and strategic priorities.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Documentation

• Maintain a comprehensive record of the HRMA activities related to minority inclusion, interfaith harmony, and peacebuilding.
• Prepare regular progress reports and summaries for the Minister for Minorities Affairs, Secretary HRMA, UNDP, and other stakeholders, highlighting successes, challenges, and recommendations for course correction.
• Monitor ongoing initiatives and provide analysis of impact, implementation gaps, and emerging risks, with a focus on gender-sensitive and community-based approaches.
• Document outcomes of stakeholder engagements, capacity-building activities, and community consultations for reporting and knowledge-sharing purposes.
• Contribute to donor reporting and inputs to provincial/national policy forums through strategic data, lessons learned, and case studies.