LAW is an independent, non-profit organisation comprised of human rights lawyers working in fragile and conflict affected areas in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. We have a particular focus on gender equality and sexual and gender-based violence, natural resource exploitation, rule of law and accountability, and transformative justice, working to bring justice to those who need it most.

LAW’s ground-breaking work has been included in a number of UN and Member State government reports and has received international media coverage, including in the New York Times, the Times of London, the Guardian, Voice of America, BBC News, Sky News, Al Jazeera, Huffington Post and Foreign Policy.

Rohingya Programme

The use of brutal sexual violence, including rape, gang-rape, mass gang rape, sexual slavery, forced nudity and sexualised torture against the Rohingya has consistently been identified as a hallmark of conduct of the Myanmar army (Tatmadaw) during ‘clearance operations’ following 25 August 2017, and a factor leading to the displacement of more than 700,000 Rohingya from northern Rakhine state into neighbouring Bangladesh. LAW works to empower Rohingya women and men to address sexual and gender based violence in their community.

Some of the key highlights of the programme include victims submission to the International Criminal Court; supporting Rohingya survivors to attend the Hague for the Gambia v Myanmar International Court of Justice Case. The presence of the refugees in the court room was explicitly highlighted by the Gambian legal team during proceedings. LAW supports Shanti Mohila - a network of more than 400 Rohingya women and girls located in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, having been displaced from northern Rakhine state in Myanmar during 2017 ‘clearance operations’ by the Myanmar military and has supported the participation of a representative of Shanti Mohila in the March 2019 Human Rights Council in Geneva. LAW works closely with male survivors of sexual violence and transgender Rohingya groups.

If you are ready for the challenge then join our highly committed team and have an amazing opportunity to work with the Rohingya Community, advocate with them and for them and support international justice processes, working with leading legal professionals. We are looking for a passionate and committed human-rights lawyer to head our LAW’s Rohingya programme. The position will be based in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh with travel. You will work closely with LAW’s Executive Director, LAW’s administrative and financial staff and with LAW’s programme partners. You will take the lead on exciting legal projects and be given a large degree of autonomy, room for creativity and space to develop the projects.

The role will combine a technical legal focus with programme management and fundraising. We are therefore looking for a human rights lawyer with an international law background, primarily international criminal law. Women lawyers with experience representing at-risk clients are particularly encouraged to apply.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Reports to: LAW Executive Director

Duration: 12 Months subject to funding and probably extension.

Location: Cox Bazar, Bangladesh

Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week

Functions/Key Deliverables Expected:

The International lawyer – Programme Manager will perform duties and responsibilities in accordance with the responsibilities outlined below:

Programmatic:

· Leading on LAW’s work on international justice mechanisms addressing the Rohingya Crisis;**

· Develop and maintain strong work relationships with Shanti Mohila (‘Peace Women’) and Male Survivor Advocates; **

· Oversee the capacity building and upskilling and expansion of these groups, as well as their activities in the camps;**

· Build and develop LAW’s relationship with the Hijra Rohingya community, including through chairing regular meetings of the ‘Hijra working group’ in Cox’s Bazar;

· Develop and lead on LAW’s work with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, ensuring that survivors identified are promptly interviewed and supported in accessing relevant services, in line with their wishes and view;

· Develop work supporting Bangladeshi host community and Bangladeshi diaspora overseas (including in other countries where LAW operates);

· Represent LAW at key meetings within Cox Bazaar and Dhaka;**

Develop and maintain key actors, including government and partnerships with Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka based actors including, local and national civil society, INGOs and UN actors by attendance and contribution to relevant humanitarian working groups, sub-sectors and clusters;

· Document lessons learned, best practices, success stories, most significant changes, case studies and other useful changes during project implementation;

· Working collaboratively and closely with LAW’s offices in London and Geneva, to coordinate research, legal advocacy efforts and identify strategic cases and other creative legal interventions.

Programme Management:

· Ensuring project activities, outcomes and donor deadlines are achieved;

· Oversight of programme and project monitoring and evaluation;

· Oversight of relevant project expenditure and the overall LAW Bangladesh budget

· Coordination with LAW’s Senior Management Team, and other programme managers as needed.

Fundraising and Advocacy**:**

· Contributing to the design of projects and proposals, building on previous project proposals, to develop high quality proposals in consultation with the Bangladesh team;

· Regularly monitoring donor websites and identify donor opportunities matching the vision and mandate of LAW including key funding priorities and funding sources;

· Maintain a database of key donors for Bangladesh/ The Rohingya Crisis;

· Ensure website and social media content related to the LAW Bangladesh programme is up-to-date and engaging audiences;

· Maintain and contribute to LAW advocacy tools, including factsheets and the LAW Annual Report;

· Support LAW Executive Director in developing and implementing high-level advocacy, including at government and UN level.

Any other task relevant to the position as requested by the Executive Director.

Experience, Skills and Qualifications Required:

· Qualified international lawyer with demonstrated 3 years’ post-qualification experience in, human rights law, criminal law, refugee law;

· Excellent understanding of international criminal law and human rights lawyer;

· Experience representing vulnerable individuals is essential, with experience in cases of sexual and gender-based violence preferred;

· Observation, active listening and analytical skills with ability to make sound judgment;

· Excellent research and drafting skills;

· Experience managing a large and variable workload, meeting tight deadlines and accurate completion of assigned work;

· Flexibility: someone who is familiar with the unpredictable nature of working in humanitarian environments;

· Ability to recognise and work effectively with diverse backgrounds and cultures;

· Good relationship management skills and the ability to communicate and work closely with local partners, community members, and other stakeholders;

Preference / desired requirements:

· Understanding of protection and displacement issues in the South Asia/ Southeast Asia context;

· Demonstrated experience in fundraising for international donor funded legal projects in complex or conflict affected environment and liaising with donors preferred;

· Demonstrated experience working within humanitarian response;

· Demonstrated experience in programme management, including budget management;

Benefits Package

This is a project funded position for which a full and attractive package commensurate within the nature of the position will be offered including; 25 days annual leave per annum, public holidays plus 2 days R&R (rest and recuperation), return flight home once a year, and medical cover. In addition, great travelling and training opportunities to enhance your professional development. The contract will be renewable on the basis of performance and availability of funds.

This vacancy is archived.

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