Human Rights Officer at South African Human Rights Commission

Job Purpose:

Increase the visibility and reach of the Commission; through monitoring, undertaking and providing support to advocacy; and legal services within the province

Key Responsibilities:

Monitoring and research

• Contribute to the development of community monitoring tools and administer same in identified communities
• Assist with the collection and compilation of relevant data.
• Monitor and report identified places of detention
• Monitor and report on facilities housing older persons and persons with disabilities and children
• Compile, write and submit basic reports for approval.

Increase visibility and accessibility of the Commission at identified community sites

• Provide support to implement plans to increase visibility and accessibility of the Commission through public outreach project e.g. by establishing a presence at specific sites
• Support advocacy interventions in respect of public outreach clinics, campaigns and special projects in communities.
• Contribute to the maintenance of a network of key stakeholder relationships in the identified communities, including community based organizations, other chapter 9 institutions, local authorities and community leaders
• Conduct sensitization interventions about human rights and the mandate of the Commission. Assist with human rights training
• Distribute appropriate promotional material at identified sites
• Record and report on trends and the environment
• Support the Advocacy and Research Officer with communications interventions in respect of media engagements and related work
• Provide monthly reports of activities at each site
• Coordinate and support special projects and or visits to the sites

Complaints / Legal Support

• Record complaints from the identified communities for the attention of the Commission, conduct consultations with complainants and attend to once-off enquiries
• Maintain a record of all complaints per site, ensure complaints are registered at the provincial office, update Flowcentric
• Assist with legal research and drafting; serving and filing
• Monitor progress of complaints, facilitate communications between the provincial office and complainants, provide accurate feedback to complainants at respective sites and maintain records of complaint support provided
• Support the provincial office in the finalization of cases from sites through basic research, delivery of correspondence, and inspections as well as attending to once-off enquiries

General

• Provide support to projects within the Provincial Office
• Comply with policies, procedures, protocols and values of the Commission
• Develop and submit high quality basic reports as requested to scope
• Provide any additional support and assistance to the Provincial Office, as requested by the Provincial Manager.
• Travel within the communities in the province is required, including work outside of working hours from time to time, as determined by project needs

Skills/ Knowledge/ Behaviour:

Key competencies  (This field requires a list of all skills, behaviour and attitude requirements)

• Either LL.B or BA (Social Sciences) / (Development Studies)
• Basic Project management; including basic monitoring and evaluation
• Good understanding of human rights law
• Minimum of 2 years of advocacy and / or legal work, including facilitation and training
• Basic Research skills
• Problem solving and analysis
• Advanced writing skills
• Excellent communication skills and is able to use collaborative and facilitative approaches
• Able to work with a busy and diverse team
• Computer literate
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Honesty and integrity
• Creative
• Client oriented and customer focus
• Excellent time management and organization skills
• Flexible and proactive
• Must be fluent in the language predominantly spoken in the province they apply for
• Knowledge and education (This field requires a list of all knowledge requirements relevant to this post e.g. Knowledge of the Public Service Act.)
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, policies and procedures
• Knowledge and understanding of socio economic rights, customary law; rural dynamics; and the South African human rights legal framework
• Applied knowledge of research, and advocacy
• Knowledge and understanding of communications and stakeholder management requirements and processes
• Basic Knowledge and understanding of performance and project management systems and processes

Experience
(Please list all relevant experience required for the post)

• Dependent on level of qualification, but with at least 1 year of experience conducting field work
• Must be an experienced driver with an unendorsed license (and be willing to travel and drive)