Job Title: Human Rights and Governance Specialist
Organisation: Democracy International
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
About Organisation:
About Democracy International seeks to advance a more peaceful and democratic world. Democracy International works in four core areas in international development: Politics, Governance, Peace & Resilience, and Learning.
Job Summary: DI is seeking to hire a Human Rights and Governance Specialist for the anticipated one-year Consultancy to facilitate capacity development for the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) under GIZ’s Strengthening and Advancing Governance and Accountability Action (SAGA) project in Uganda. The Specialist will provide technical expertise to strengthen UHRC’s capacity to promote, protect, and advance human rights in line with Uganda’s constitutional mandate and international human rights standards.
Under the guidance of the Team Leader, the Human Rights and Governance Specialist will contribute to the institutional and individual capacity needs assessment, with a particular focus on human rights programming, access to justice, complaints handling, and engagement with constitutional and governance actors. The Specialist will support the development of UHRC’s Capacity Development Plan and the identification of priority interventions that enhance institutional responsiveness, accountability, and service delivery.
The Specialist will design and deliver targeted trainings, mentoring, and advisory support related to human rights frameworks, governance mechanisms, and institutional mandates. They will also contribute to the development or revision of policies, guidelines, and operational tools, and support validation workshops and reporting. This position requires strong familiarity with Uganda’s human rights architecture, constitutional bodies, and international human rights instruments. This position is contingent upon award and funding.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
The position’s responsibilities will include:
- Support the capacity needs assessment with a focus on human rights mandates, access to justice, complaints handling, and governance mechanisms.
- Provide technical expertise on Uganda’s human rights framework and international human rights standards.
- Contribute to the development of UHRC’s Capacity Development Plan, ensuring alignment with constitutional and institutional mandates.
- Design and deliver trainings, mentoring, and advisory support on human rights, governance, and accountability.
- Support the development or revision of policies, guidelines, and institutional tools related to human rights protection and service delivery.
- Participate in stakeholder consultations, validation workshops, and internal reviews.
- Contribute to training reports, implementation documentation, and the final consultancy report.
Secondary Job Duties:
- Contribute to ongoing Democracy International business development efforts, in Uganda and around the world.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- Master’s degree in law, Human Rights Law, Human Rights, Governance, Public Administration, or a related field.
- Full professional proficiency in English.
- 8 years of experience in human rights programming, training, legal aid systems, dispute resolution mechanisms or access to justice initiatives.
- In-depth knowledge of Uganda’s human rights framework and international human rights instruments with 8 years’ experience working with constitutional bodies or national human rights institutions.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- Strong initiative and ability to work independently.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong socio-cultural and intercultural competence.
- Efficient, partner- and client-focused approach to work.
- Ability to think and collaborate across disciplines.
Reporting:
This position reports to DI’s Uganda Project Team Leader.
How to Apply:
Interested applicants MUST submit a CV. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position will be filled as soon as a qualified candidate is identified. DI will only contact candidates of interest.
NB: Democracy International maintains the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.
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Level of Education: postgraduate degree
Work Hours: 8
Experience in Months: 96