Human Rights Associate

UpdateThe UN Rwanda, through the Senior Human Rights Advisor’s Unit (SHRA), ensures the integration of human rights into its activities, particularly in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By employing a Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) to development, the strategy prioritizes inclusive, participatory mechanisms aligned with the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) principle. Key interventions include Supporting the implementation of international human rights treaties and mechanisms; Providing technical assistance to Rwandan institutions on human rights; Developing human rights-compliant legislation; Promoting public awareness of human rights; Embedding HRBA in development work; Mainstreaming human rights in UNSDCF and SDGs execution. In 2020, the UN Country Team (UNCT) established the “One-UN Rwanda Human Rights Task Force” (HRTF), chaired by the Senior Human Rights Advisor, to enhance human rights programming and institutional capacity. The HRTF advises the UNCT and national partners, focusing on implementing recommendations from the Human Rights Council's 2021 Universal Periodic Review (UPR). These recommendations strengthen cooperation between the UN and Rwanda in advancing human rights.

The Human Rights Associate will support the integration of human rights across the UN Rwanda’s work under the UNSDCF. This includes promoting the HRBA, coordinating the One UN Human Rights Task Force (HRTF), monitoring the implementation of UPR recommendations, and contributing to the capacity development of UN agencies, national institutions, and CSOs. The Associate will also support the implementation of projects aimed at strengthening national human rights mechanisms—an opportunity to actively engage in multi-stakeholder efforts to advance human rights and sustainable development in Rwanda.
In addition, she/he will contribute to ongoing transitional justice and reconciliation initiatives, and work closely with and provide technical support to the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) to ensure the alignment of human rights, transitional justice, and reconciliation efforts with the overall coordination and strategic priorities of the UN system in Rwanda.

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Human Rights Advisor (SHRA), the United Nations Volunteer will carry out the following tasks:
• Support the SHRA Unit in developing project proposals and mobilizing resources to strengthen its operational capacity.
• Support inclusive dialogue, and institutional reforms that ensure accountability, repara-tions, and non-recurrence of human rights violations.
• Ensure the alignment of human rights, transitional justice, and reconciliation efforts with the overall coordination and strategic priorities of the UN system in Rwanda
• Collaborate with the Results Groups (RGs), which are part of the One UN manage-ment structure, to mainstream human rights and gender equality into the activities of the UNCT.
• Support the SHRA Unit in integrating human rights into national policies and legal frameworks.
• Assist in mainstreaming human rights and gender perspectives during the review of the UNSDCF and the Common Country Analysis (CCA).
• Contribute to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of human rights training and promotion activities in partnership with government entities, national institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the UNCT.
• Support the coordination and functioning of the HRTF.
• Assist in organizing training workshops, observances of international human rights days, and other advocacy events.
• Support the implementation of both the Government’s UPR roadmap and the UN’s in-ternal roadmap for supporting UPR recommendations.
• Assist the Government in drafting and submitting reports to UN Treaty Bodies.
• Follow up on requests for country visits from UN Special Rapporteurs.
• Support the implementation of the OHCHR–SDC project to strengthen the capacities of the NCHR and CSOs in Rwanda.
• Contribute to human rights monitoring, analysis, and reporting.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the SHRA