Upcoming Human Rights Events and Opportunities (May 4, 2012)
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Leitner Center events:
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Other Opportunities:
Upcoming Events
Internships
Fellowships (none)
Positions
Call for papers (none)
Panel Discussion: United Nations Reform, the Rule of Law, and Counter-Terrorism
Panelists:
George Andreopoulos – Professor of Political Science, City University of New York (CUNY) and Director, Center for International Human Rights, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Edward J. Flynn – Senior Human Rights Officer, UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate
Kim Prost – Ombudsperson for the Security Council Al Qaida/Taliban Sanctions Committee (to be confirmed)
Ana María Salinas de Frías – Book co-editor and Professor of Public International Law, Málaga University, Spain
Dr. Katja Samuel – Book co-editor and Project Co-Director, Nottingham University, UK
Concluding remarks will be made by a representative of the CTITF working group
Time: Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 5:15pm - 8:00pm
Location: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 899 10th Ave, Haaren Hall Room 630
Sponsor: The Center for International Human Rights & the Center on Terrorism, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, & the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force Working Group on Protecting Human Rights While Countering Terrorism (CTITF Working Group)
Internships
Human Rights First: Summer 2012 Law Student Internship – Refugee Protection Program
Job ID 530356
Duration
Location New York, NY 10001
Other Location
Description ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST
Human Rights First is an independent advocacy and action organization that challenges America to live up to its ideals. We believe American leadership is essential in the struggle for human rights so we press the U.S. government and private companies to respect human rights and the rule of law. When they don’t, we step in to demand reform, accountability and justice. Around the world, we work where we can best harness American influence to secure core freedoms.
We know that it is not enough to expose and protest injustice, so we create the political environment and policy solutions necessary to ensure consistent respect for human rights. Whether we are protecting refugees, combating torture, or defending persecuted minorities, we focus not on making a point, but on making a difference. For over 30 years, we’ve built bipartisan coalitions and teamed up with frontline activists and lawyers to tackle issues that demand American leadership.
Human Rights First welcomes law students to apply for a Summer 2012 internship in our Refugee Protection Program. We are looking for students who are currently enrolled in law school, have a strong interest in and commitment to human rights, are fluent in a relevant second language, and want to work on behalf of asylum-seekers. Interns will be based in HRF’s New York office and will be expected to work at least 35 hours per week for a 10-12 week period. This is an unpaid internship. Interns will be responsible for securing their own funding or arranging to receive course credit at their law schools.
The Refugee Protection Program works to provide indigent asylum seekers with quality legal representation in their asylum cases. The program also advocates for legal reform and policy change on issues affecting asylum seekers in the United States.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Assist staff in conducting intake interviews with potential asylum clients by taking notes, providing interpretation services (depending on foreign language ability), and writing interview-based reports with extensive country research;
Travel to the immigration detention centers in New Jersey to assist with intake interviews of potential asylum clients, as needed;
Assist staff with legal research, preparation for trainings, meetings, special projects, and other events;
Represent Human Rights First at various NGO-government liaison meetings and take detailed notes for HRF staff, as needed
Assist staff in identifying, analyzing, and responding to legal or procedural changes that affect asylum seekers, including statutory changes, proposed regulations, and decisions from federal courts or the Board of Immigration Appeals;
Other tasks as needed.
EDUCATION: Applicants MUST be law students who are currently enrolled in U.S.-based institutions and attending classes this spring semester.
START DATE: Summer 2012
TO APPLY: Applicants must send a cover letter, resume, references, and a writing sample to Ada...@HumanRightsFirst.org. The subject line of the email must be: “Summer 2012 Law Student Internship.”
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Open until filled. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls.
HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. WE CONSIDER APPLICANTS FOR ALL POSITIONS WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, CREED, GENDER, NATIONAL ORIGIN, AGE, DISABILITY, MARITAL OR VETERAN STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR ANY OTHER LEGALLY PROTECTED STATUS.
Required Skills
•Demonstrated interest in human rights, asylum, and immigration issues (experience in asylum and immigration issues preferred but not required);
•Excellent oral and written communication skills;
•Excellent research skills;
•Fluency in a second language (especially Spanish, Russian, French, or Mandarin);
•Ability to handle several tasks at once while working independently or as a member of a team;
•Compassion, empathy, and a sense of humor.
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CESR SEEKING GRADUATE-LEVEL RESEARCH INTERN: SUMMER 2012
The Center for Economic and Social Rights is now seeking a dynamic graduate-level research intern to assist the organization in its research projects through the summer of 2012. Applications will be received until May 10, 2012. Information on how to apply is provided below, followed by descriptions of CESR’s areas of work.
ORGANIZATION’S MISSION AND ACTIVITIES
Formed in 1993, the Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR) is an international NGO that works for the recognition and enforcement of economic, social and cultural rights as a tool for promoting social justice and human dignity. The Center works for social justice through human rights research, advocacy, capacity-building and networking. We seek to influence policy through an interdisciplinary approach to monitoring economic and social rights violations, integrating socio-economic analysis in advocacy efforts to make the international human rights legal framework operational. We work closely in collaboration with local and international NGOs, social scientists, legal and development experts, UN agencies, policy makers and human rights practitioners to provide tools for strengthening human rights analysis and advocacy at the local, national and international levels.
The Center’s current work seeks to address the gaps between the legal recognition of economic and social rights and the widespread lack of compliance with them in practice and contributes to address the gaps between development and human rights in practice. Our areas of work are:
- Human rights responses to the financial and economic crisis: challenging complacency about the ongoing impacts of the crisis, questioning the causes of the crisis, and integrating human rights into the core of crisis responses;
- Human Rights in Development: building convergence between human rights and development, especially in the post-2015 MDG review process;
- Bridging Enforcement gaps: utilizing various judicial and non-judicial accountability mechanisms to ensure the implementation and enforcement of ESCR rights in practice;
- Rights monitoring: arming social justice advocates with new methods and practical tools for exposing economic and social rights violations and demanding accountability for denials and violations of economic and social rights.
CESR’s research and advocacy work seeks to bring about concrete policy changes to improve social and economic rights in multiple contexts - both local and international. By combining the strengths of traditional human rights monitoring methodologies and advocacy strategies with those of rigorous socio-economic research, CESR intends to contribution to advocates’ ability to hold governments accountable for violations of economic and social rights.
INTERNSHIP SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
The research carried out by the graduate-level research intern will contribute substantively to the Center’s work in some mix of the areas mentioned above, depending on the interest and expertise of the candidate selected.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
- Completed, or in pursuit of a law or graduate degree in a related field, especially human rights law or international development;
- Consistent attention to detail;
- Capacity to read, write and communicate in English;
- Strong writing and communication skills, including an ability to clearly explain complex technical issues in an accessible language and synthesize and evaluate data;
- Knowledge of human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights;
- Experience in conducting research, both quantitative and qualitative;
- Capacity to work independently.
Highly Desirable:
- Capacity to read, write and communicate in Spanish, or other languages such as French, Portuguese, and Arabic;
- Background knowledge on human rights monitoring methodologies;
- Background knowledge of applied macroeconomics and statistics;
- Experience developing online resources and/or familiarity with interactive web-based or other technologies for use in social justice advocacy, such as wikis, video and audio podcasts, social networking sites, etc.
- Familiarity with online resource centers and databases, especially on socio-economic and development data from various international agencies and trusted sources, such as UNSTAT, the World Bank, WHO, regional and NGO databases, Demographic and Health surveys, among others;
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
If you are interested, please send your resume and a cover letter explaining your interest and specific qualifications to inter...@cesr.org. Please indicate the areas of work in which you are interested in working. Please send your application at the soonest availability, but certainly before May10, 2012. We will accept applications on a rolling basis until positions are filled. Only top applicants will be contacted for interviews.
HOURS AND LOCATION:
Internships with CESR generally require a minimum of two to three days per week (20 hours per week), though we would welcome a full-time internship through the summer months. Although we are eager to negotiate a relatively consistent schedule, the days and hours of work are flexible. We can only accept candidates which already count on their own funding. The intern will be based at CESR’s New York office (162 Montague Street, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201).
For more information on this internship opening, see: http://www.cesr.org/article.php?id=56
Fellowships
Positions
Soros Foundation Moldova's Justice Program seeks Two International Consultants
Soros Foundation Moldova's Justice Program seeks Two International Consultants for its on-going project: "Improving the observance of the Right to Liberty and Security of Person in Moldova"
Application deadline: 14 May 2012, 6 pm EET
The project aims to establish coherent and sustainable public watch mechanisms over the judiciary through active involvement of NGOs and media representatives. The project also advocates for the development of internal accountability mechanisms for judges.
Consultancy 1: A THREE-DAY TRAINING ON HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (DURING PRETRIAL STAGE)
Consultancy 2: DEVELOPMENT OF A POCKET GUIDE FOR MOLDOVAN INVESTIGATIVE JUDGES
Please see attached the Terms of Reference for both consultancies. Deadline for submitting applications - May 14th, 2012 at 18:00 Eastern European Time (Chisinau).
All prospective consultants should send a cover letter and a CV/resume to the following e-mail: rda...@soros.md
For further information please contact Mr. Radu Danii at rda...@soros.md or Mr. Victor Munteanu at vmun...@soros.md or (373 22) 270031.
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The Center for Human Rights & Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law (Center) seeks a dynamic Outreach Coordinator with proven experience conducting human rights research and monitoring on the ground and managing innovative outreach. The Outreach Coordinator will be responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of
the new Anti-Torture Follow-Up and Impact Initiative (FUII) with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Juan Mendez (SRT), which will be run through the Center in collaboration with the SRT. The FUII is a two-year, grant-funded, independent project of the Center and is not a position of employment with or representing the United Nations.
The project goals are: (1) to create a replicable model for implementation of the recommendations of the SRT through a coordinated approach to follow-up and impact on the ground; and (2) to expand the impact of the SRT's research, reports and recommendations on torture and CIDT through a professionalized outreach mechanism.
The Outreach Coordinator will expand strategies used by the SRT to support implementation of recommendations in-country, to monitor and assess implementation efforts, and to provide a model for effective in-country follow-up on SRT visits and recommendations. In addition, the
Outreach Coordinator will support an outreach strategy-utilizing website development, social media, traditional media, blogging, and other tools-to raise the profile of the SRT's work and recommendations. The Outreach Coordinator will be supervised by the Center Executive Director and will work in close collaboration with the SRT and other project staff.
Requirements:
This position requires at least five (5) years of solid experience in human rights research and writing, with significant on the ground experience. The ideal candidate will have thorough knowledge of and commitment to international human rights law and, in particular, the UN
system. A university degree is required, JD or master's degree strongly preferred. S/he will work well with partner organizations and will be able to manage complex projects effectively. Ability and willingness to travel internationally to developing countries is required. Fluent
written English is required, additional languages a plus. Mastery of basic office software, such as Microsoft Word and Excel, is essential, as is a thorough understanding of and demonstrated success with social media, including Facebook and Twitter. The successful candidate will be
a gifted manager of time and people, prepared to successfully handle multiple high-stakes areas of work simultaneously and comfortable working as part of a larger team. Good humor and flexibility are essential. The position is based in Washington, DC at American University Washington College of Law and is a two-year grant-funded position, renewable pending additional funds. It is not a position of employment or affiliation with the United Nations.
This position is in Washington DC. No relocation funds are available. To
apply, please go to <http://www.american.edu/hr/staff-openings.cfm>
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RESEARCHER ON THE INTERNET AND HUMAN RIGHTS
FULL-TIME JOB VACANCY
RESEARCHER
Business and Human Rights Division
(Based in Washington, DC, flexible)
Application Deadline: May 18, 2012
Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) is seeking a Researcher for its Business and Human Rights Division (“BHR”) to lead its work on the internet and human rights globally. The Researcher will work to research the activities of governments, companies, and other entities that impact the ability of individuals to exercise their rights online in order to improve awareness and accountability for human rights online and in order to keep the internet open. This position reports to the Director of the Business and Human Rights Division.
Responsibilities:
1. Research, monitor and document human rights abuses by collecting and analyzing information from a wide variety of sources including governments, companies, local media, NGOs, victims, witnesses, journalists, diplomats, security forces and others in the field;
2. Write and publicize reports, briefing papers, letters, news releases, op-eds, and submissions to international bodies based on the findings; collect supporting documents and materials such as photographs and videos;
3. Assist in the development and implementation of local, regional, and international strategies to change abusive laws, policies, and practices in the public and private sector;
4. Respond promptly to queries from the media, public, and colleagues in the human rights community and take initiative to project concerns in public debate;
5. Place abuses within the broader political, social and economic contexts and present human rights concerns to government officials, opinion leaders, inter-governmental agencies, company representatives, multistakeholder initiatives, and the media;
6. Assist the Director of the Division and HRW’s Development and Outreach Department in conducting fundraising;
7. Work closely with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local human rights organizations to ensure that HRW’s work complements and enhances their own work;
8. Liaise effectively with HRW staff located in multiple locations throughout the world to ensure effective coordination and delivery of activities;
9. Be prepared and willing to work flexible hours to accommodate developing and urgent events;
10. Travel domestically and overseas, as required, to conduct fact-finding missions and advocacy;
11. Deliver outputs in a timely manner and be consistent with the agreed strategy and priorities of the Division; and
12. Carry out any other duties as required.
Qualifications:
Education: An advanced (graduate) degree in international relations, technology, journalism, law, social sciences, or equivalent experience is required.
Experience: Minimum of three years directly related post-graduate experience working on human rights and the internet is required.
Related Skills and Knowledge:
1. Ability to identify, research, analyze and effectively communicate important human rights developments in the area of specialty is required.
2. Ability and sensitivity to conduct interviews with a wide range of people, including victims and witnesses are required.
3. Ability to efficiently distil information about internet and human rights issues so as to focus time and effort on issues of greatest importance or issues that are most capable of being influenced is required.
4. Ability to identify and advise the Director in developing and implementing advocacy strategies in order to seize advocacy opportunities is required.
5. Knowledge of and experience working in international human rights and familiarity with international human rights law is required.
6. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required; proficiency in other languages is highly desirable
7. Strong initiative and follow-through, the capacity to think creatively and strategically, excellent writing and editing skills, and a dynamic public speaking ability are required.
8. Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within HRW, as well as with external partners, are required.
9. Ability to multi-task effectively, including having good planning and organizing skills and ability to work under pressure are required.
10. Ability to make sound decisions consistent with functions is required.
11. Demonstrated ability to think strategically about the global and local media environments and how to use the media and electronic media to further advocacy goals is desirable.
Other: S/he must be willing to travel frequently and be prepared to spend extensive periods in the field.
Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits. HRW will pay reasonable relocation expenses and will assist employees in obtaining necessary work authorization, if required; citizens of all nationalities are encouraged to apply.
Contact: Please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, salary requirements, a brief writing sample (unedited by others), and contact information for three references to busi...@hrw.org. Please use “Researcher Ref BHR-12-1021-A” as the subject of your email.
Only complete applications will be reviewed and only qualified candidates will be contacted.
Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices and, in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.
Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.
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Director, Education and Research Programs
The American Society of International Law (ASIL), the leading society of international lawyers and scholars in the United States, is dedicated to promoting greater understanding of international law. It pursues this mission through training, education, and research programs serving judges, lawyers, law students, policy makers, the media, and the general public.
ASIL seeks an experienced international law professional to direct its Education and Research Programs. Managing a small staff, several consultants and pro bono fellows, ASIL member volunteers, and partner organizations, and working closely with the Executive Director and other senior staff, the Director will oversee and implement all aspects of the Education and Research Programs. Responsibilities include the development and presentation of educational curricula, publications, and resources for diverse constituencies, including through innovative new formats and media; development and administration of a research agenda, including oversight of ASIL task forces and working groups on a variety of international law topics and commission of and editorial responsibility for ASIL discussion papers; budgeting; grant writing; staff management; and oversight of the Society's growing Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program. The Director will be the Society's primary liaison to relevant advisory boards and ASIL committees, including the Society's Judicial Advisory Board. The Director will also participate in the ASIL senior management team and contribute to the overall management of the organization.
Required: BA/BS and JD or equivalent graduate degree and 7-10 years' relevant experience, reflecting increasing program management responsibility and solid grounding in international law. Strongly preferred: Experience in international law teaching and administration, oversight of CLE and/or judicial education programs; program management of think tank research activity; and grant writing or other donor relations. Language skills and experience working in international, multicultural environment a plus. Generous benefits and salary commensurate with experience. Candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and three references to jo...@asil.org, with "Director, Education and Research Programs" in the subject line. No calls please.
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ASIL International Law Fellow Positions
The American Society of International Law (ASIL) invites its Academic and Law Firm Partners to refer applicants for three International Law Fellow positions at the ASIL headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Fellows will be responsible for implementing a number of the Society's research, education, and outreach programs. The positions are full-time, unpaid, and of a 6- to 12- month duration. They are intended for recent law graduates in the early stages of an international legal career and in particular for those deferring the start-date of permanent employment due to the economic downturn.
International Law Fellow Responsibilities
International Law Fellows will work under the direct supervision of the ASIL Executive Director and will be responsible for the implementation of a number of ASIL research, education, and outreach programs. Responsibilities may include development and implementation of continuing legal education programs for Society members; support for ASIL’s judicial outreach program, including coordination of judicial training programs and the development and revision of educational materials on international law for the judiciary; the development of a new website providing resources for international law teaching; support for ASIL’s careers in international law program; organization of regular Tillar House briefings on current issues in international law; and general research and editorial support for ASIL publications, including ASIL Insights, International Law in Brief, the American Journal of International Law, International Legal Materials, ASIL Studies in Transnational Legal Policy, and the ASIL Discussion Paper series.
Qualifications
Successful applicants will have a graduate degree in law (J.D. or LL.M.), strong writing and editorial skills, experience working in a professional environment and on program implementation, and a demonstrated interest in international law. Experience working on a journal and coursework or work experience in international law are strongly preferred. Positions require the ability, initiative, and judgment to work independently and to successfully implement projects from beginning to end.
About the American Society of International Law
SIL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational membership organization. It was founded in 1906, chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1950, and has held Category II Consultative Status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since 1993. ASIL’s mission is to foster the study of international law and to promote the establishment and maintenance of international relations on the basis of law and justice. It does so through its premier conferences, training programs, research, and publications, including the American Journal of International Law. The Society’s 4,000 members from nearly 100 countries comprise attorneys, academics, corporate counsel, judges, representatives of governments and nongovernmental organizations, international civil servants, students, and others interested in international law. For more information, visit www.asil.org.
Application Requirements
To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, unedited writing sample (no more than a 10-page excerpt), and references to jo...@asil.org, with “Law Fellow” in the subject line
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CHRGJ Program Officer, NYU School of Law
(Start date July 1, 2012)
The Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ) at NYU School of Law is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Program Officer. The Program Officer will play a key role in: developing new avenues for donor support; strategically elevating the visibility and reach of the Center’s scholarship; and conducting outreach to the human rights community, both at the law school and beyond. The Program Officer will work closely with the Center’s Faculty Directors, Executive Director, and Research Director. The annual salary for this position is $70,000, and it comes with a generous vacation and benefits package. The position will be active as of July 1, 2012.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop new strategies for fundraising and donor relations to enhance the Center’s capacity to host conferences, produce publications, and convene high level meetings between different stakeholders in the human rights community.
Coordinate with University departments, faculty, and student groups whose goals are similar to the Center’s, in order to foster stronger connections and collaborations among relevant programs, groups, and actors.
Work to raise the Center’s visibility and capacity for outreach by developing new media, enhancing its website presentation and content, and engaging a wide range of social media tools.
Work closely with the Research Director to conceptualize new platforms and forums for enhancing the visibility of the Center, both in the NYU law community and in the broader human rights community through engaging with new social media tools, strategic outreach, conference attendance, collaboration with other organizations, development of specialized events, engagement with the media and other avenues for outreach to academic and non-academic organizations locally, nationally, and internationally.
Help develop an annual, high-profile conference centered on the annual, overarching theme guiding the Center’s work (in 2012, “Fact-finding and Evidence in Human Rights”).
Manage the development of other specialized symposiums, meetings, and conferences, through all stages, from inception to execution, including through developing themes, speakers, and panels for major conferences; strategic planning, outreach, logistical planning, budget management, and other tasks related to convening and planning major conferences and meetings. The Program Officer will work closely with other members of the Center’s administrative staff on logistics and planning, as well as with the Center’s Research Director on developing publications that emerge from these conferences and meetings.
Conduct outreach and planning to build the Center’s new Global Fellows program, a competitive international fellowship program that will bring three fellows to the Center annually to partake in the Center’s mission to produce cutting-edge scholarship. This will involve developing strong international partnerships and exchanges with other academic institutions; managing the selection process; and assisting in meeting the logistical needs of the fellowship program by interfacing with relevant departments at NYU.
Qualifications
JD or Master’s Degree in a relevant field.
Demonstrated administrative and organizational expertise, including but not limited to: donor relations, academic planning, budget management, and public outreach.
A preparedness for successful fundraising.
Solid working knowledge of the international human rights system and insight into current issues in human rights discourse and practice.
Comfort working with multi-media platforms to engage in online social networking, website content, and other forms of relevant information sharing and profile-raising activities.
A proven dedication to human rights issues, as evidenced through previous education and employment, activism, or scholarship.
Skills and Abilities
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including a facility for public speaking. Knowledge of a second language is an asset.
Ability to think creatively and take leadership in expanding and advancing programming that produces cutting-edge scholarship and creates new relationships for the Center at every level of its engagement with the human rights community.
Ability to work with, develop new relationships with, and convene a wide variety of actors both inside and outside of academia, including international human rights experts, law students, alumni, faculty, administrators, donors, and legal practitioners.
Ability to work under pressure, balance competing priorities, work as a team with colleagues and partners, as well as take the lead on projects and initiatives
To apply, please send a cover letter, CV, three references, and two writing samples to Audrey Watne at wat...@exchange.law.nyu.edu by May 25, 2012. Only the most qualified candidates will be selected for an interview.
Call for Papers