Human Rights Online Philippines

Vacancy Announcement

Human Rights Lawyer

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), and the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), are currently seeking to recruit a Human Rights Lawyer for their joint Civil Society United Against Torture Project in Asia. The Human Rights Lawyer will be coordinating two regional Working Groups: the Litigators Working Group and the Violence against Women Working Group.

The Litigators Working Group composed of litigators from different countries in Asia will empower, mobilize, and mentor lawyers and partner organizations to use litigation more frequently and effectively to achieve accountability for torture victims. Members of the group will be able to learn from experiences form other anti-torture litigators in the region, facing comparable experiences and challenges.

The Violence against Women Working Group will consist of civil society experts from different countries in Asia and will produce a regional study setting out authoritative data on needs of women in terms of prevention and protection from violence, and defining policy a legal recommendations addressed to the national, regional and global levels. The study will further set out effective strategies on how to integrate a gender perspective into the anti-torture movement.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Regarding the Litigators Working Group

Establishing, coordinating and mentoring a group of 15 litigators from different countries in Asia who litigate torture cases before national and international courts and bodies
Organize and conduct a one-week seminar covering the scope of universal anti-torture standards, legal interpretations, progressive concepts of documentation and investigation to secure success in litigation domestically and internationally, effective strategies of victim and witness protection and how to pursue remedies internationally
Mentor and support the litigators with their case files, in particular with drafting legal briefs, reviewing court submissions, advise on litigation strategies, developing advocacy plans and strategies surrounding individual case submissions, and provide expertise on international human rights standards

Regarding the Violence against Women Working Group

Establish and coordinate a working group of 9 civil society experts on violence against women from 9 different countries in Asia
Organize and conduct a 2-day meeting of the civil society experts on violence against women
Oversee the drafting of the violence against women report by providing feedback, revise and editing draft chapters
Coordinate and support the drafting and editing consultants, the civil society experts and academic advisors
Organize the launching of the report at the domestic, regional and international level

PROFILE

· University degree in law. A related master or post graduate degree in human rights is an asset;

· Demonstrated experience in litigating criminal or public law cases before domestic courts;

· Experience representing torture victims before domestic or international bodies

· Knowledge of international human rights law, and demonstrated knowledge of the UN procedures and regional mechanisms for the protection of human rights, preferably in the context of torture or other ill-treatment, including enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killing, prison conditions, summary execution;

· Excellent legal drafting and editing skills,

· Experience or interest in working on violence against women

· Experience working with civil society organisations an asset;

· Experience providing legal trainings an asset;

· Experience in mentorship and project management an asset;

· Ability to work under pressure to deadlines and to adapt to multidisciplinary work in the 
environment of a multicultural team;

· Good interpersonal and communication skills;

· Excellent oral and written English.

OTHER DETAILS

Location: Secretariat office of PAHRA in Quezon City, Philippines

Dates and duration: 1 July 2018 to 30 December 2020.

This position is a full time (100%) position.

Applications for this position should be sent (by email only) to Rosemarie Trajano, Secretary General, PAHRA at pahra@philippinehumanrights.org by June 15, 2018. For consideration, please send a résumé, cover letter and the contact details of two professional references, indicating “HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER” as your message subject. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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