NCHR Coordinator

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.

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 has supported the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) to build its technical capacity at the federal and provincial levels for the fulfilment of its mandate as an autonomous national human rights institution and watchdog body. This support contributed to the NCHR's accreditation as a national human rights institution (NHRI) through the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) accreditation process. UNDP-DHL's support has included, for example, technical support for addressing human rights complaints, planning, legal review, grievance redressal mechanisms, international reporting obligations, and knowledge production. This has also included support to increase NCHR's visibility, awareness, and reach, establishing linkages with civil society organizations and regional and international NHRIs for the exchange of information and best practices. In May 2024, the NCHR was awarded ‘A status’ accreditation by GANHRI. This accreditation signifies the Commission's independence, authority, and status in the international human rights system. Achieving ‘A status’ also means the NCHR has a greater role in promoting and protecting human rights in Pakistan and requires ongoing support to strengthen its ability to fulfil its mandate and maintain its accreditation, particularly in its provincial offices.

The incumbent UNV will be stationed at the NCHR Balochistan Office in Quetta and will be responsible for supporting the Commission by strengthening its ability to fulfil its mandate in the province.

•Support the NCHR Balochistan Office in the effective implementation of its mandate.
• Lead coordination with the NCHR Balochistan on UNDP’s rights-based development initiatives in the province.
• Lead coordination with the federal NCHR office to ensure cohesive and coordinated efforts in line with strategic priorities
• Prepare substantive briefs for the NCHR Member Balochistan on key human rights issues in the province.
• Provide timely reports on NCHR Balochistan’s activities to the federal NCHR office to ensure close coordination and reporting on the Commission’s provincial activities.
• Record meeting minutes for NCHR Member Balochistan

•Establish partnerships and open channels of communication in the province.
• Identify and map key human rights stakeholders in Balochistan, including those from civil society, NGOs, international agencies, government, private sector, etc.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with provincial human rights institutions and government departments including the Balochistan Commission on the Status of Women and the Balochistan member of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child; the Social Welfare Department and the Department for Inter provincial Coordination, Government of Balochistan; the Government of Balochistan’s provincial line departments on minority affairs, education, health, environment, and other relevant areas
• Develop and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with civil society organizations (CSOs), human rights defenders, community leaders, and other relevant stakeholders in Balochistan
• Develop and maintain strong relationships and strategic linkages with higher education institutions in Pakistan to promote human rights education.
• Prepare substantive briefs for NCHR Balochistan office on possible areas of cooperation and opportunities for joint initiatives with identified stakeholders to strengthen their engagement with the Commission.
• Ensure the regular consultation of NCHR Balochistan Office with relevant CSOs and strengthen the Commission’s linkages with grassroots actors.

•Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s).
• Organize trainings, workshops, events, report launches, etc with NCHR Balochistan in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders from the government, private sector, CSOs, academia and other relevant partners. Ensure that these activities specifically address key human rights concerns in Balochistan.
• Participate in knowledge networks and consultations with international organizations and CSOs in Balochistan.
• Support the NCHR by organizing activities promoting human rights education in the province.
• Collaborate with relevant partners, stakeholders, and UNDP to raise awareness, engage in policy dialogues, and advocate for meaningful change.
• Map key international days, focused on those related to human rights, and develop key messages on those themes for the NCHR Balochistan office

•Monitor and report on progress in investigating violations of human rights in the province.
• Provide investigation support to the NCHR Member Balochistan and prepare investigation reports into human rights violations for the Commission’s record.
• Maintain a record of NCHR Balochistan’s activities in the province, including those pertaining to investigating violations of human rights.
• Submit regular reports to the relevant focal person at the NCHR Federal Office for inclusion of activities in Balochistan to the NCHR Annual Report.