Head of Advocacy Unit

الوصف الوظيفي

Head of the Advocacy Unit
Posted 24 May 2015
Download the terms of reference (PDF)

1-BACKGROUND
Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (Addameer) is a Palestinian non-governmental human rights civil institution that focuses on political and civil rights issues in occupied Palestinian territory, especially those of prisoners. Established in Jerusalem in 1992 by a group of activists and human rights advocates, Addameer offers support to Palestinian prisoners and detainees, advocates for the rights of political prisoners, and works to end torture and arbitrary detention and to guarantee fair trials through monitoring, legal procedures and advocacy campaigns.

The Head of the Advocacy Unit leads Addameer’s Advocacy Unit, whose primary objective is to lobby domestic and international decision-makers to adopt policies that protect human rights as stipulated in international humanitarian and human rights law. The Advocacy Unit strives to achieve this role by raising awareness on the violation of human rights of Palestinian prisoners held in both Israeli and Palestinian detention. It is additionally tasked with implementing local and international campaigns that support issues related to the right of prisoners and detainees. The Advocacy Unit works through a number of local and international coalitions and committees.

The Head of the Advocacy Unit supervises the Advocacy Officer and Arabic Media and Communications Officer. She/he will liaise with the Legal Researcher, the Legal Unit and the Monitoring and Documentation Unit to develop and carry out Addameer’s international advocacy strategy on Palestinian political prisoners and detainees.

Closing date: 6 June 2015
Location: occupied Palestine- Ramallah

2-MAIN TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES
General Objectives:
-Draft and lead Addameer’s overall international advocacy strategy and contribute to the development of a local advocacy strategy;
-Plan, develop and coordinate international advocacy activities including awareness-raising campaigns by liaising with local and international human rights organizations and activist groups and lobbying foreign government officials and diplomats.
-Actively coordinate and liaise with all other units to implement Addameer’s international advocacy strategy;

Lobbying & Advocacy:
-Liaise with diplomatic missions in the OPT and Israel and regularly inform them of policy changes, individual violations of prisoner and detainee rights and systematic patterns of violations by drafting lobbying letters, giving presentations and briefings on topic-related issues, and organizing field visits to Israeli military courts;
-Lobby relevant UN bodies, including Human Rights Council special procedures, by submitting individual complaints and reports and representing Addameer at the UN, including within the Protection Cluster system in the oPt;
-Liaise with international and local human rights NGOs by submitting individual cases and responding to inquiries related to prisoners’ rights;
-Brief delegations and solidarity groups on the situation of Palestinian prisoners and expand Addameer’s networks for advocacy activities;
-Organize and undertake Addameer speaking tours as needed and represent Addameer at various conferences, meetings and workshops relevant to the Advocacy Unit’s work;
-Draft and produce English-language outreach and advocacy products including factsheets, legal position papers, brochures, and audio-visual projects;
-Supervise the Advocacy Officer in drafting all other advocacy material, including Addameer’s quarterly newsletter, press releases, prisoner profiles, and other campaign material;
-Assist in the design of Addameer’s advocacy and campaign materials.
Media Outreach:
-Define and implement Addameer’s media strategy; arrange and undertake media interviews and briefings; expand Addameer’s network of foreign correspondents; and respond to media inquiries.
Research:
-Identify research topics and draft research proposals in close consultation with the Legal Researcher, the Advocacy Officer, and the Documentation and Legal Units;
-Identify and analyze trends and policies affecting Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and the Palestinian Authority;
- Assist in editing of Addameer’s English-language publications, including annual and thematic reports.
Management:
-Supervise the work of the Advocacy Officer;
-Supervise the work of the Arabic Media and Communications Officer;
-Coordinate with the Advocacy Officer in managing legal and advocacy interns and Arabic-English translator.

3-COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS
Essential:
-Master’s Degree or equivalent in human rights, international law, international affairs, political science, development, or a related field;
-Minimum three years of relevant work experience in human rights advocacy, policy, or research;
-Excellent English speaking, writing and editing skills: ability to write clear, concise and well-structured reports on human rights issues in English;
-Excellent communications skills: ability to conduct advocacy and lobbying at regional and international levels and engage in public speaking;
-Excellent research and analytical skills;
-Excellent knowledge of international humanitarian and human rights law;
-Strong familiarity with UN human rights mechanisms;
-Strong interest and sound understanding of current international affairs; good understanding of international policies towards Israel/Palestine and the Middle East;
-Knowledge of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and an understanding of local and regional politics;
-Strong working knowledge of Arabic (reading & speaking);
-Strong commitment to human rights and social justice principles;
-Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;
-Good organizational skills; ability to work under pressure and as part of a team; willingness to work long hours if required;
-Ability to work in an intercultural and principally Arabic-speaking environment.

Desirable:
-Knowledge of Hebrew and other foreign languages, preferably French and/or Spanish;
-Knowledge of prisoners’ rights and issues related to detention;
-Good Arabic writing skills.

How to apply
Please send your CV, cover letter, a short unedited writing sample and contact information for three recommendations to: