Human Rights Assistant – Ukraine
For over 30 years, and through our work in more than 100 countries, the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) has sought to strengthen legal institutions, support legal professionals, foster respect for human rights, and advance public understanding of the law and citizen rights. In collaboration with government agencies, the judiciary, lawyers, bar associations, legislatures, and civil society, we design programs that are responsive to local needs and that prioritize sustainable solutions to pressing rule of law challenges.
To learn more about our work in Ukraine, please visit https://www.americanbar.org/advocacy/rule_of_law/where_we_work/europe_eurasia/ukraine/
Job Summary
This is a full-time position based in Kyiv, Ukraine.
ABA ROLI is looking to hire a local Ukrainian expert to serve as the Human Rights Assistant for the new five-year “Healing & Accountability through Human Rights Activity” funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The purpose of this new activity is to help Ukrainians use human-rights-based approaches to achieve justice and address social divisions resulting from Russia’s full-scale invasion. The program will support processes aimed at accountability for war crimes, and foster dialogue on difficult questions related to post-conflict recovery.
Reporting to the Human Rights Lead, the Human Rights Assistant will support one of the program’s three objectives, specifically “Objective 2: Increase acceptance of and adherence to human rights values.” The Assistant will help develop and implement programming aimed at promoting a greater awareness of human rights among citizens, civil society organizations, and the Government of Ukraine. This three-tiered work will begin by supporting local human rights groups (with subgrants as needed), primarily in target oblasts, to conduct educational campaigns targeting local citizens on fundamental human rights in their communities. By fostering awareness of fundamental human rights, these campaigns will empower individuals and communities to advocate for their rights and participate more actively in democratic processes, even during war. Importantly, activities will support citizens to understand the connection between the universally accepted goal of European integration and the strengthening of human rights protections.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensure adherence of Objective 2 program activities to USAID’s articulated program strategy.
• Aid in the design and implementation of relevant programmatic activities under Objective 3, in collaboration with USAID, ABA colleagues, partner organizations and other key stakeholders. This includes but is not limited to:
  • Strengthening domestic human rights networks, such as an annual celebration of Human Rights Week, panel discussions, workshops, seminars, film screenings, art exhibits, and community events aimed at promoting human rights advocacy and mobilizing support for human rights causes.
  • Providing capacity building for CSO coalitions and individual NGOs on organizational strengthening, sustainability, and substantive human rights advocacy issues.
  • Providing technical input to Government of Ukraine laws and policies impacting human rights, including potential legislation on amnesty, lustration/vetting, collaboration, conflict-related sexual violence and related matters.
  • Delivering an overall needs assessment of Government of Ukraine (Go U) partners that will guide specific programmatic interventions, potential in-kind support, and targeted training, in order to increase compliance of Go U institutions with human rights obligations.
  • Providing assistance to the Ombudsman’s various initiatives to enhance its institutional role as a leading voice for human rights protection.
  • Coordinating and communicating on a regular basis with key governmental partners and stakeholders
  • Providing direct legal assistance to victims and witnesses in war crimes cases.
  • Providing technical support by way of international and local experts in the development and implementation of relevant state policies.
• Help identify and develop small grant activities, and support subsequent monitoring of implementation of the small grants’ activities implemented under Objective 2.
• Use Monitoring & Evaluation tools and processes to assess and report on the status and efficacy of Objective 2 initiatives.
• Contribute to quarterly and annual programmatic reports on the activities implemented under Objective 2.
• Contribute to annual workplans for the activities under Objective 2.
• Conduct monitoring and analysis of relevant legislative, political, social and other developments.
• Perform other duties and activities as required by the Human Rights Lead, Chief of Party, and Deputy Chief of Party for successful implementation of the USAID program.

Required Qualifications:

• Excellent oral and written English language communication skills required.
• Minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in international project implementation, preferably with USG-funded programs, or small grants programs.
• Minimum of two (2) years professional experience in political transition, human rights advocacy, social cohesion, protection and support to vulnerable groups or with transitional justice programming.
• Relevant experience working with NGOs, grassroots organizations, and/or local communities.
• Undergraduate degree (or higher) with minimum of two (2) years of experience showing increased responsibility in the areas of law, political science, social sciences, psychology, or other relevant fields.
• Ability to work under difficult conditions while maintaining security awareness.

Please apply by August 29, 2024.

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