Project Officer

Position: Project Officer

Location: Geneva / home based

Period: 2 years (with possibility of extension)

Reporting to: Clara Sandoval (Director of Programmes)

Occupation rate: Full time position – 40h per week

Remuneration: 6’500 CHF/month

Start: As soon as possible

Application deadline: 26 November 2021

Background

The Global Survivors Fund is an innovative, survivor-centric mechanism whose mission is to enhance access to reparations and other forms of redress for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) globally. It raises and allocates resources for reparation programs and other forms of redress, including where the states or other parties responsible for the violence are unwilling or unable to provide reparations. It addresses a gap long identified by survivors and is not a substitute for existing efforts to prevent sexual violence, and provide justice and holistic care, but is a complement to these efforts.

The Fund is a purpose driven public/private partnership between multiple stakeholders who assume a shared responsibility to achieve transformative change for CRSV survivors. The founders of the Fund – Dr. Denis Mukwege and Ms. Nadia Murad believe this initiative will achieve its intended impact and build long lasting solutions for the deeply embedded challenges in communities afflicted by conflict-related sexual violence.

The Fund’s unique survivor-centric approach is the cornerstone of its work and serves as the foundation for its operating principles. The Fund’s strategy is shaped by survivors from around the globe, united by SEMA, an initiative established and supported by the Mukwege Foundation. SEMA is a Global Network of Victims and Survivors to End Wartime Sexual Violence. SEMA literally means “Speak Out” in Swahili. Over 2000 survivors of wartime rape from 21 countries in Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Europe are represented by the SEMA Network.

The Global Survivors Fund is looking for an enthusiastic project officer to work on four fronts:

1) Technical Assistance: helping to provide technical assistance to relevant stakeholders, including States, on reparations for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, including through the design and delivery of trainings particularly in Spanish speaking countries such as Colombia, Guatemala, and El Salvador

2) Global Reparations Study focus on Latin America: Review and comment on various country studies particularly those from Latin America to ensure that their content is fully accurate, that they are ready for publication, recommendations and action points are in line with the Fund’s action plan 2022-2023;

3) Advocacy focus on Latin America: Help to produce various outputs (amicus, policy briefings, infographics, podcasts, guidelines, handbooks, etc), on key areas of work of the Fund including on thematics such as children born out of rape, survivor-centric approaches and survivors’ participation, reparations for conflict-related reproductive rights violations and complex victimhood, under the supervision of the Director of Programmes and the Head of Advocacy;

4) Repository: Help to create and populate the repository on reparations for conflict related sexual violence.

Key Responsibilities

· Read, Review and edit country reports as part of the Global Reparations Study, in particular those of Spanish speaking countries such as Colombia, Guatemala and El Salvador;

· Conduct factual research about the nature, scope and impacts of CRSV;

· Conduct legal research about frameworks relevant for CRSV and reparations;

· Serve as focal point for specific countries, particularly those that are Spanish speaking countries, and liaise with the Fund’s national and international partners as well as consultants involved in the Study or in any other of the GSF activities;

· Engage with local organisations and survivors’ groups as appropriate;

· Organise opportunities to share experiences and expertise on specific thematic issues between national partners and survivors’ groups in different countries in Latin America;

· Contribute to the drafting of relevant parts of the Study as required in English and Spanish;

· Take the lead on the drafting of relevant documents (technical or advocacy) on key themes of relevance for the Fund such as children born out of rape, survivors- centric approaches, the costing of reparations, complex victimhood, and reparations for conflict related reproductive violence, etc.

· Attend meetings and calls and act as note-taker when required;

· Assist the Director of Programmes and the Head of Advocacy in reviewing project proposals from partners, draw necessary paperwork to document partnerships and help materialise new partnerships;

· Design training for relevant stakeholders on reparations for conflict-related sexual violence and deliver such trainings, in particular but not limited to Spanish speaking countries;

· Help to design and populate the repository on reparations for conflict related sexual violence;

· Travel, as required, to carry out the work of the GSF including with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence;

· Perform other duties as required.

Key skills and competencies

· 4 to 5 years of experience working on international human rights issues, including gender and women’s rights in conflict situations.

· Field experience working in Global South contexts, including countries such as Colombia, Guatemala and El Salvador with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and accomplishing results to advance the right to reparation of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence

· Strong knowledge of the transitional justice and reparations framework in Latin America and in particular Colombia and of the key networks in Colombia on these areas.

· Strong knowledge of international human rights law, transitional justice, conflict-related sexual violence, survivor-centric approaches and reparations in particular in Latin America.

· Excellent research, writing and editing skills.

· Excellent legal skills and previous experience working as part of litigation or advocacy teams.

· Proven ability researching, writing, and finalizing key outputs in the fields of work of the GSF such as key publications (advocacy or academic).

· Professional demeanour and first-class verbal communication skills.

· Robust planning and organisation skills, ability to identify priorities and adjust plans and actions as necessary.

· Attention to detail and ability to work independently, sometimes under tight deadlines.

· Strong work ethics, eagerness to learn and willingness to take initiative

· Enthusiastic and positive attitude.

· Proficiency in MS Word and Excel, SharePoint and NVivo Platforms.

Education

An UG degree in law or related discipline (international relations) and a master’s degree in international human rights law or transitional justice.

Languages

English is the working language of the Global Survivors Fund. For this position, fluent English and fluent Spanish are required.

Arabic, French or another language is desirable.