Required qualifications: 
● University degree in human rights law, public international law or equivalent, with admission to practice as a lawyer in an African jurisdiction an advantage;
● Minimum 5 years of experience working in the field of human rights law, policy or advocacy;
● Knowledge of international legal and policy matters relating to human rights, particularly the promotion and protection of human rights defenders;
● Strong knowledge of regional human rights mechanisms in Africa, especially the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
● Knowledge of the national legal frameworks in Africa;
● Experience in carrying out and/or using legal research, ideally in a human rights context;
● Experience working on issues affecting civic space and human rights defenders in Africa, including restrictive legislation;
● Experience developing, organising and delivering trainings and consultation workshops;
● Attention to detail and ability to easily communicate legal and technical information orally and in writing;
● Ability to work cooperatively internally and externally with different stakeholders and people from diverse backgrounds;
● Excellent ability to represent ISHR externally, including in a diplomatic context, in governmental and other discussions;
● Ability to plan and prioritise work, including when under pressure, and to ensure that deadlines are met;
● Project management experience;
● Ability to effectively work remotely and independently;
● Excellent level of written, spoken and legal proficiency in English and French;
● A strong commitment to, and passion for, the principles and practice of human rights;
● A commitment to contributing to ISHR’s work on transparency and rule of law, including through solidarity and support to defenders working to promote transparency, to combat corruption, and to safeguard and strengthen laws and institutions that protect defenders and promote democracy, accountability and the rule of law;
● A strong interest and relevant experience in another core ISHR programme area – Equality, dignity and non-discrimination; Environmental justice and sustainability; and International accountability.

Desirable qualifications: 
● Fluency in a language spoken in Africa other than French or English such as Portuguese, Arabic, Swahili etc.

Remuneration

The monthly remuneration for this position ranges from EUR 3’000.00 to EUR 3’500.00 (depending on qualifications, experience and location in Africa).

Equal opportunity

ISHR is firmly committed to having a diverse team and to the principle of equal employment opportunity. ISHR’s policy is to practice fair and non-discriminatory recruitment and selection procedures and strive for diverse, international and multicultural personnel. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction including on grounds of race, colour, national origin, age, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or sex characteristics, pregnancy, genetic information, protected veteran status, socio-economic status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We particularly welcome applications from systematically, historically and/or traditionally discriminated against groups, including Africans and persons of African descent, women, persons of colour, LGBTIQ+ persons, persons with disabilities and other groups.

To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact ISHR’s Human Resources department at hr@ishr.ch.

How to apply

Please submit your application by filling out this form and attaching a cover letter, a CV (no profile picture please) and one writing sample. All applications will be handled in accordance with ISHR’s Privacy Policy.

Applications will close on 02.03.2025 (midnight Geneva time).

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please note that due to the high volume of applications, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.