Job Title: Legal Assistant
Organisation: Humanitarian
Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA)
Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA)
Funding Source: UNHCR
Duty Station: Uganda
Reports to: Legal Officer
About US:
Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA) is an international
African humanitarian and development organization that positively contributes
towards improving the living standards and conditions of those adversely
affected by disasters and conflict in the Horn, East & Central Africa by
implementing WASH, Health, Education, Livelihoods, Community service &
development and Protection programs in the region for a period of more than 20
years.
African humanitarian and development organization that positively contributes
towards improving the living standards and conditions of those adversely
affected by disasters and conflict in the Horn, East & Central Africa by
implementing WASH, Health, Education, Livelihoods, Community service &
development and Protection programs in the region for a period of more than 20
years.
About UNHCR Project:
HIJRA with funding from the UNHCR in Uganda is implementing a
multi-sectoral Program for refugees in Oruchinga settlement (Isingiro
district), Nakivale settlement (Isingiro district) and Nyakabande Transit
Center (Kisoro district).
multi-sectoral Program for refugees in Oruchinga settlement (Isingiro
district), Nakivale settlement (Isingiro district) and Nyakabande Transit
Center (Kisoro district).
Job Summary: The Legal
Assistant primarily provides specific legal assistance to the assigned Legal
officer and office in the provision of direct legal support to victims of
forced migration and in carrying out policy advocacy on forced migration. The
Legal Assistant has regular interaction with clients, conducting sensitization
on national and international laws regarding refugees, providing legal counsel,
and collaborates with the Judiciary, Police and other stakeholders to ensure
refugee protection.
Assistant primarily provides specific legal assistance to the assigned Legal
officer and office in the provision of direct legal support to victims of
forced migration and in carrying out policy advocacy on forced migration. The
Legal Assistant has regular interaction with clients, conducting sensitization
on national and international laws regarding refugees, providing legal counsel,
and collaborates with the Judiciary, Police and other stakeholders to ensure
refugee protection.
Key Duties and
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities:
·
The incumbent will work closely with the Legal
protection to ensure the protection of populations of concern is met through
the application of the relevant UN/UNHCR protection standards and IASC
principles
The incumbent will work closely with the Legal
protection to ensure the protection of populations of concern is met through
the application of the relevant UN/UNHCR protection standards and IASC
principles
·
Ensure that protection incidents are immediately
identified and addressed.
Ensure that protection incidents are immediately
identified and addressed.
·
Ensure the people of concern have access to
legal and fair hearing in court through court follow ups, prison monitoring
etc.
Ensure the people of concern have access to
legal and fair hearing in court through court follow ups, prison monitoring
etc.
·
Sensitize the Community and Local authorities on
Refugee law and Human Rights relating to refugees and others persons of concern
to UNHCR, in order to ensure that national legislation is in compliance with
International Legal Standards.
Sensitize the Community and Local authorities on
Refugee law and Human Rights relating to refugees and others persons of concern
to UNHCR, in order to ensure that national legislation is in compliance with
International Legal Standards.
·
Analytical reports of Legal protection related
trends and issues are produced on a monthly and ad hoc basis
Analytical reports of Legal protection related
trends and issues are produced on a monthly and ad hoc basis
·
Keep abreast of political, social, economic and
cultural developments that have an impact on Legal protection related issues
Keep abreast of political, social, economic and
cultural developments that have an impact on Legal protection related issues
·
Actively promote International and National Law
and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct
Actively promote International and National Law
and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct
·
Assists in dealing with police concerning asylum-seekers
and refugees to provide them protection to remain safely in country of asylum.
Assists in dealing with police concerning asylum-seekers
and refugees to provide them protection to remain safely in country of asylum.
·
Provide follow up to court cases involving
asylum seekers/refugees, visits judges, public prosecutors, and explains IC’s
refugee status. If necessary arranges for a lawyer.
Provide follow up to court cases involving
asylum seekers/refugees, visits judges, public prosecutors, and explains IC’s
refugee status. If necessary arranges for a lawyer.
·
Guides on domestic legal issues including
immigration and alien laws regarding asylum seekers/refugees.
Guides on domestic legal issues including
immigration and alien laws regarding asylum seekers/refugees.
·
Provide counseling to asylum seekers/refugees on
their legal problems. Explain legislation and their status in order to act
accordingly.
Provide counseling to asylum seekers/refugees on
their legal problems. Explain legislation and their status in order to act
accordingly.
·
Advocate for legal aid services from the
different legal aid service providers and Pro bono services from legal
practitioners for the purpose of disposing of refugee cases at court
Advocate for legal aid services from the
different legal aid service providers and Pro bono services from legal
practitioners for the purpose of disposing of refugee cases at court
·
Assists in assessing welfare and providing
assistance to the refugee caseload in prisons.
Assists in assessing welfare and providing
assistance to the refugee caseload in prisons.
·
Compiles monthly statistics of refugees in
various prisons in the region.
Compiles monthly statistics of refugees in
various prisons in the region.
·
Contribute to the design, implementation and
evaluation of legal related activities within the newly established protection
response framework
Contribute to the design, implementation and
evaluation of legal related activities within the newly established protection
response framework
·
Providing capacity building to RWCs and
community members.
Providing capacity building to RWCs and
community members.
·
Carry out any other duty assigned by the
supervisor.
Carry out any other duty assigned by the
supervisor.
Qualifications, Skills and
Experience:
Experience:
·
The ideal candidate for the HIJRA Legal
Assistant job placement must hold a degree in Law (with specialization in
criminal or human rights or any other related comparable line of specialization
in law)
The ideal candidate for the HIJRA Legal
Assistant job placement must hold a degree in Law (with specialization in
criminal or human rights or any other related comparable line of specialization
in law)
·
A minimum of two years’ experience in the same
field of development and humanitarian work and NGOs’.
A minimum of two years’ experience in the same
field of development and humanitarian work and NGOs’.
·
Ability to produce high-quality legal
documentation.
Ability to produce high-quality legal
documentation.
·
Excellent presentation and communication skills
and the ability to interact with a number of different partners and contacts,
including governmental authorities, UNHCR, victims and their families etc.
Excellent presentation and communication skills
and the ability to interact with a number of different partners and contacts,
including governmental authorities, UNHCR, victims and their families etc.
·
Excellent communication and mediation skills
Excellent communication and mediation skills
·
Strong judgments skills are also a necessity
Strong judgments skills are also a necessity
·
Ability to act ethically and make moral
decisions
Ability to act ethically and make moral
decisions
·
Sociable and open minded
Sociable and open minded
·
A person who can keep confidential information
A person who can keep confidential information
·
Broad working knowledge of the local law and be
able to grasp new concepts with ease and accuracy
Broad working knowledge of the local law and be
able to grasp new concepts with ease and accuracy
·
Good time management skills
Good time management skills
·
Ability to speak more than one indigenous
language would be desirable
Ability to speak more than one indigenous
language would be desirable
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and interested candidates should send an
application letter and Curriculum Vitae including telephone and email contacts
of three referees including your current/most recent employer.
application letter and Curriculum Vitae including telephone and email contacts
of three referees including your current/most recent employer.
Application should be addressed to the:
Country Program Manager,
Humanitarian Initiative Just Relief Aid (HIJRA),
P.O. Box 37703, Kampala, Uganda.
Email to: [email protected]. The subject line should read:
“Legal Assistant.”
“Legal Assistant.”
Deadline: 27th
October 2017
October 2017
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