Organization: Avocats Sans Frontières
Country: Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru
Closing date: 04 Dec 2016
The Volunteer Legal Advisors are called upon to perform various legal tasks related to human rights. While some volunteers contribute especially to the documentation, the analysis of issues related to human rights and the drafting of thematic reports, others participate in the proposition of legal reforms, analyse jurisprudence or are implicated in cases of strategic litigation that are brought before national and international tribunals and bodies.
More practically, the volunteers can be required to complete the following tasks:
Carry out research and analysis, and participate in the drafting of legal documents on the issues of human rights, children’s rights, international criminal law, transitional justice, international humanitarian law, gender justice or sexual violence;
Contribute to the preparation of necessary documentation required for the participation to thematic hearings before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights;
Analyze jurisprudence and systematize it accordingly;
Organise training workshops destined to civil society as well as public officials;
Coordinate the collection, analysis and triangulation of information for the preparation of documents;
Participate in advocacy activities with the authorities;
Carry out legal research related to specific cases of serious human rights violations;
Analyse issues and participate in the development of legal strategies and arguments;
Participate in the documentation and systematization of cases, including in the organization and the classification of the evidence;
Take part in meetings with various stakeholders involved in identified cases (lawyers, public prosecutors, victims, etc.);
Attend hearings of identified cases;
Participate in the drafting of documents submitted to national courts or international bodies;
Write articles on the legal work performed (mainly for the LWBC website);
Support the strengthening of organisational capacities, through work organisation, information management, communications, etc.
Qualifications
University degree in law;
Good knowledge of international criminal law and/or human rights law and/or international humanitarian law and/or gender justice and sexual violence and/or transitional justice;
Good knowledge of the Inter-American human rights system;
Interest in promoting and defending human rights as well as enforcing the members of civil society;
Skills in written composition and legal research;
Ability to quickly assimilate domestic law concepts in order to harmonize them with knowledge of national or international law;
Fluency in spoken and written Spanish;
Ability to adapt to the sometimes difficult working conditions and situations (restrictive security measures, limited resources, logistical difficulties, work under pressure etc.);
Ability to work as a member of a team;
Ability to integrate various work environments;
Willingness to travel within the country of deployment;
Basic computer skills (Word, Excel, Outlook);
Absolute respect for confidentiality.
Assets
Masters or doctorate degree in law;
Previous experience in similar functions;
Proficiency in English and/or French;
Previous experience with communities or vulnerable groups;
Previous work experience in Latin America, or knowledge of the social, economic and legal contexts in developing countries or those in post conflict situations.
Eligibility requirements
Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
Be covered by the health care insurance plan provided by a province or by a private plan;
Be available to attend the pre-departure training sessions the week of January 9, 2017.
How to apply:
Interested candidates should submit their application (cover letter and curriculum vitae) in Spanish, by email, before Sunday, December 4th, 2016 at 23:59.
E-mail : recrutement.pcv@asfcanada.ca – Please indicate as the subject « Volunteer Legal Advisor – PRODEF 2017 ». In your cover letter, do not hesitate to mention which countries and/ or which thematic axes interest you particularly.
We thank every candidate for their interest. However, we will only be contacting the candidates selected for the interviews.
