The Ugandan Jobline

 

Job Title:    Legal
Officer

Organization: ALIGHT
(American Refugee Committee)

Duty Station:
Uganda

Reports to: Program Manager

 

About US:

ALIGHT, formerly the
American Refugee Committee (ARC), is an international nonprofit, nonsectarian
organization that has provided humanitarian assistance and training to millions
of beneficiaries over the last 40 years. In 2011, Alight helped nearly 2.5
million people get essential services to regain their health and take back
control of their lives. Alight works with its partners and constituencies to
provide opportunities and expertise to communities of refugees and internally
displaced persons in seven countries in Africa, Asia and Europe, including
Iraq, Kosovo, and in the Darfur region of Sudan and is currently providing for
emergency relief and recovery in Haiti. Alight provides shelter, clean water
and sanitation, health care, skills training, microcredit education, protection
to help survivors of war and natural disasters to rebuild their lives with
dignity, health care, security and self-sufficiency.

 

Job Summary:  Under the supervision of Program Manager,
she/he will identify legal needs in the field; provide counseling, information
and legal options. The Legal Officer will be responsible for conducting legal
information sessions, legal case management and follow ups, detention facility
visits, awareness creation on rights and obligations of refugees under Ugandan
Laws. She/he will work with communities particularly Paralegals to ensure
access to legal assistance is accessible by all. You will be part of an
integrated protection team, working on issues on general protection and sexual
and gender based violence issues

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  

·       
Monitor
prisons within or around the Refugee settlement monthly in partnership with
other agencies and stakeholders to interview imprisoned asylum seekers and/or
refugees to establish reasons for their imprisonment and offer legal
counseling. A report shall be submitted to UNHCR Mbarara on all imprisoned
asylum seekers and/or refugees;

·       
Liaise
closely with other implementing partners and ALIGHT / ARC program Services
staff on reported cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) to ensure
these incidents have been reported to the police in the settlement, and they
have been followed up with district police, and actions have been taken to led
to prosecution;

·       
Conduct
training and provide legal advice to refugees and asylum seekers in
Rwamwanja  in liaison with relevant local
authorities as necessary on their rights and obligations in Uganda, importance
of obtaining documentations from relevant national authorities such as birth
certificates for the newly born children, marriage certificates, death certificate,
and custody documentations; liaise with relevant local authorities as necessary
to facilitate the issuance of these documents to the UNHCR’s persons of
concern.

·       
Prepare
a weekly, monthly, bi annual, annual protection report and any other reports
based on a UNHCR and ALIGHT / ARC formulated themes.

·       
Provide
stationery, police forms and facilitate community policing by police.

·       
Follow
up on charges filed either by the State authorities or the victims against the
SGBV perpetrators – as per UNHCR Mbarara Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs)
for victims of SGBV;

·       
In
liaison with OPM, UNHCR and other stakeholders; conduct peace building sessions
between the refugees and host communities to enhance peaceful co-existence.

·       
Monitor
and support Community Paralegals in alternative dispute resolution activities
and legal case management.

·       
Together
with Protection Officers support community leadership structures, especially
the Neighborhood watch committees in their crime prevention and response
functions.

·       
Undertake
regular monitoring and visits of detention and prison facilities

·       
Provide
legal counseling, information and available legal options to refugees and other
persons of concern.

·       
Conduct
legal information sessions on human rights and key Laws relating to protection
of refugees and other persons of concern.

·       
Conduct
case management and follow up on legal cases with relevant authorities.

·       
Closely
work with Police to provide necessary assistance to survivors and witnesses.

·       
Submit
daily and weekly data, including narrative of high risk cases to inform
appropriate actions.

·       
Participate
in legal trainings for state and none state actors as directed by the Senior
Legal Officer

·       
Support
Senior Legal Officer to analyze data, highlight trends and legal protection
needs of refugees and other persons of concern.

·       
Work on
budgets and raise PRs to support procurement processes.

·       
Participate
in external meetings aimed at promoting access to justice for refugees and
legal assistance such as district coordination committee meetings, Zonal
meetings involving UNHCR, OPM and partners.

·       
Work
closely with the Protection Officers to ensure linkages and referrals are done
in a safe, effective and timely manner.

·       
Perform
any other duties assigned to you.

 

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

·       
The
applicant must hold a University degree in Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or a Diploma
in Law with a minimum of 3 years’ experience working with IDPs, Asylum seekers,
refugees and stateless persons on legal matters.

·       
Ability
to conduct comprehensive interviews and provide accurate assessments.

·       
Excellent
oral and written communication skills

·       
Ability
to write clear and concise reports

·       
Must be
fluent in written and spoken English

·       
Fluency
in Swahili and ability to ride with a valid license (Class A) is an added advantage.

·       
Prior
experience working at the community level, with thorough understanding of how
to communicate clearly

·       
Understanding
of human rights and issues relating to gender equality

·       
Ability
to work individually and within a team.

·       
Ability
to write clear, detailed, and concise reports on computer and consistently able
to meet deadlines.

·       
Willingness
to travel throughout communities and work in a participatory manner with a
variety of populations.

·       
Strong
knowledge of the local population and language.

·       
Ability to
handle stressful working conditions with limited supervision

 

How to Apply:

All candidates
should send their applications online at the link below.

 

Click
Here

 

Deadline: 15^th September 2020

 

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