The Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN)

The Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN) is a non-profit sub-regional network consisting of representatives of civil society and non-governmental organisations from Southern African countries, which coordinates regional efforts to offer rapid, practical and inclusive 24hr support to human rights defenders (HRDs) at high and immediate risk.

The SAHRDN seeks to contribute to a situation where human rights defenders in South Africa are recognized as legitimate actors for social change and to an environment where they can effectively exercise their rights to defend universally recognized human rights.

To this end, the SAHRDN is set to to launch the South Africa Human Rights Defenders Fund (HRDFund), which is a South Africa specific local  protection mechanism with a special focus on women human rights defenders and community based human rights defenders working to protect and promote indigenous rights, the right to adequate housing and shelter, and the right to a safe, clean and healthy environment in South Africa. SAHRDN is an equal opportunities employer and fights against all kind of discriminations.

With a view to expand its human capital and technical capacity , the SAHRDN is looking for a Protection Coordinator, who would work under the direct supervision of the SAHRDN Coordinator and working closely with the SAHRDN Program Manager, Protection Officer and Finance Officer. The position is based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

 

 

Job Title: Protection Coordinator
Location: Johannesburg

Key responsibilities:  

• Stay abreast of socio-economic, political and cultural developments in South Africa that have an impact on civic space and the protection of HRDs;
• Work closely with the Steering Committee of the HRDFund and coordinate efforts, to offer rapid, practical and inclusive 24hr support to HRDs at high and immediate risk in South Africa:
• Reguarly consult with the Steering Committee of the HRDFund to provide appropriate emergency grants to HRDs at high risk;
• Research applications for support from HRDs and make oral and written recommendations to the Steering Committee of the HRDFund on whether the Fund should provide support, and if so, what sort of support would be most appropriate in each case;
• Help design, implement and evaluate gender and diversity sensitive protection-related programming with partners;
• Forge strong partnerships with civil society organisations in South Africa including NGOs, CBOs, social movements, students movements, democracy activists, government entities and UN agencies, in aid of the HRDs protection objectives;
• Support local level networks of HRDs, build their protection capacity and defence of civic space;
• Referring protection cases where needed to appropriate service providers and or complimentary protection programmes;
• Devise and implement advocacy initiatives for HRDs in South Africa to be recognized as legitimate actors for social change entitled to defend and simultaneously enjoy universally recognized human rights in accordance with the UN Declaration on HRDs;
• Identify target groups/organizations/individual HRDs for capacity building, conduct needs assessments and develop training material and content aimed at building their capacity in security management and protection;
• Assist target groups/organizations/individual HRDs to develop, implement, review and, update security plans;
• Contribute to the compilation of the annual work plan and monitor progress of its implementation;
• Draft documents and periodic reports for strategic use by SAHRDN;
• Undertake research on civic space and issues related to improved security management and protection of HRDs and the extent to which the UN Declaration of HRDs is being implemented in South Africa and the region;
• Contribute to regular data analysis for the identification of lessons learnt and best practices in HRD and W/HRD protection in suitable formats and share within SAHRDN for internal learning and strategic use with external stakeholders;
• Contribute to improving or drafting SAHRDN policies and programmes;
• Contribute to the implementation of the communication and visibility plan of the SAHRDN including writing for the SAHRDN website;
• Liaise and cooperate with NGOs and international organizations working towards the protection of civic space and HRDs in South Africa and the region;
• Undertake advocacy activities at  local,  national, regional and international level towards the protection of civic space and HRDs in South Africa and the region;
• Contribute to the analysis of threats to civic space and HRDs in South Africa;
• Work as a team member and actively support the achievement of collective goals and professionalism in line with stated rules and specific global and individual achievements as stated in the work plan;
• Work in line with provisions stipulated in the SAHRDN’s human resource policy;
• Assist with the organizing of a Board Meetings of the SAHRDN and the Steering Committee meetings of the HRDFund;
• Undertake other duties as required from time to time.

Essential requirements:

• Minimum  3 years of relevant work experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation, protection of human rights defenders, advocacy work, training facilitation, communication and/or fundraising with strong focus on Human Rights Defenders;
• Experience in human rights work in South Africa;
• Excellent level in any of the South African local languages and English (written and spoken);
• Proven ability to write proposals, elaborate reports and budgets and to meet tight deadlines are an asset;
• Proven ability to project management and of organizational skills;
• Proven interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and a respect for diversity in the working environment;
• Flexibility and adaptability;
• University Degree in a relevant domain like Human Rights, Law, Psychology, Social  Science;
• Experience with  local human rights organisations will be an added advantage.

Selection Process:

Send your resume, contact details of 3 references and a motivation letter (English only) before 30 December 2019 to the following email: [email protected] with “Protection Coordinator” subject line.

The application should include:

• Motivation letter (in English, no longer than two pages, incl. salary expectations)
• Curriculum vitae (in English, no longer than 2 pages)
• 3 reference persons (short-listed candidates’ reference persons will be contacted)

To apply

Applications should be sent to: [email protected]

Application Deadline: