Human Rights Associate – Women, Peace & Security, Mexico City

## Human Rights Associate – Women, Peace & Security, Mexico City - Organization:OHCHR - Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Description of assignment title:Human Rights Associate – Women, Peace & Security Assignment country:Mexico Duty stations:Mexico City Work location:On UN premises Expected start date:02/01/2027 Duration:12 monthsLong-term benefits and allowances Sustainable Development Goal:16. Peace, justice and strong institutions Volunteer category:Associate UCoS from Apr2026 Work schedule:Full-time Number of Assignments:1 Mission and objectives: - OHCHR’s office in Mexico works to ensure that institutions, Government authorities, and the United Nations Country Team have adequate information, understanding, and skills to identify human rights concerns and to develop measures to address them effectively. OHCHR-Mexico also works to ensure that civil society and human rights victims have increased awareness of human rights standards and mechanisms. - Main activities are focused on technical cooperation and legal advice on harmonization of legislation, development of indicators on human rights, support the elaboration of public policies with human rights based approach, follow-up the international recommendations, gender and human rights, amongst other issues, and monitoring of human rights situation throughout the country, with emphasis on grave human rights violations (such as enforced disappearances and torture) as well as the situation of human rights defenders and journalists and the right of indigenous peoples to prior consultation. - OHCHR-Mexico is divided into several functional units: Administration, Grave Human Rights Violations, Gender and ESCR, Democratic Space, Vulnerable Groups, Indicators and Public Communications. The UNV would be part of the Democratic Space Unit, which currently consists of a coordinator (international staff) and an international UNV. The Democratic Space Unit personally receives complaints of alleged human rights violations and gives legal orientation to victims, particularly human rights defenders, and journalists. The Democratic Space Unit also participates in field missions to follow up cases of alleged human rights violations, meeting with victims, family members of victims, local NGO´s and government authorities - Mexico continues to face serious human rights challenges related to disappearances, violence, insecurity, and impunity, with one of the highest rates of disappearances in the world. - Women searching for disappeared relatives (“mujeres buscadoras”) have become central actors in efforts to advance truth, justice, and accountability. Across the country, women-led collectives play a critical role in locating clandestine graves, promoting searches, documenting cases, and advocating for effective investigations, prevention, protection and institutional responses. At the same time, they frequently face insecurity, psychosocial impacts, and barriers to meaningful participation in search and criminal investigation processes. - Within this context, OHCHR-Mexico works on monitoring, technical cooperation, advocacy, and engagement related to disappearances, accountability, victims’ rights, protection, and access to justice, with a particular focus on women, peace and security. The Office accompanies and engages with women-led search collectives, judicial authorities, prosecutors’ offices, search commissions, public human rights institutions, and civil society organizations to strengthen institutional responses and promote participation, protection, and gender-sensitive approaches in line with international human rights standards. - The overall objective of this UN Volunteer assignment is to support OHCHR’s work on disappearances, accountability, and access to justice through research, monitoring, analysis, and technical cooperation. The assignment will provide exposure to OHCHR’s work on women, peace and security, victims’ participation, and the application of international human rights standards in search and criminal investigation processes. - Under the direct supervision of the Coordinator of the Justice and Security Unit, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: - • Support monitoring and analysis related to disappearances, victims’ rights, and access to justice, with particular attention to the participation and protection of women searchers and women-led collectives. - • Conduct legal and policy research related to international human rights standards applica-ble to search processes, criminal investigations, victims’ participation, gender, and ac-countability. - • Assist in drafting background notes, analytical documents, talking points, and summaries related to disappearances, women, peace and security, and justice sector issues. - • Support engagement and dialogue with search commissions, prosecutors’ offices, judicial authorities, women-led search collectives, civil society organizations, and public human rights institutions. - • Monitor recommendations, reports, and jurisprudence from UN and regional human rights mechanisms related to disappearances, women’s rights, accountability, and access to justice. - • Support the organization of workshops, consultations, technical meetings, and activities aimed at strengthening institutional capacities and promoting meaningful participation of victims and women searchers in search and investigation processes. - During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon work plan. The work plan should outline key objectives and activities and include regular check ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance feedback. - Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment. Additional eligibility criteria: - This assignment is funded by the Government of Switzerland. Only candidates who have been pre-selected by Switzerland (cinfo) are eligible to apply. Assignment requirements - English, Level: Fluent, Required - Spanish, Level: Fluent, Required Required education level: - Master's degree in law, political science, or international relations, preferably with a specialization in human rights and/or international humanitarian law. Competencies and values: - • Adaptability and Flexibility - • Commitment and Motivation - • Respect for Diversity Skills and experience: - Demonstrated interest and/or experience (ideally one year) in: - • Human rights monitoring and reporting. - • Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies, and guidelines related to human rights. - • Exposure to a range of human rights issues, including sensitivity to addressing com-plex or sensitive situations. - • Research, basic analysis, discussion, and drafting of human rights–related docu-ments. - • Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded; - • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; - • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet - • Familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; Area(s) of expertise: - Community development, Legal affairs, Safety and security