Program Associate Kenya At Physicians for Human Rights

Location: This position is usually located in our Nairobi, Kenya office, but is remote while offices remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Classification: This is a temporary consultancy for 6 a fixed period of months.

Work Authorization: Applicants must be authorized to work in Kenya.

Organization Description

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a preeminent international advocacy and research organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. For more than 30 years, PHR has mobilized a community of clinicians and human rights professionals to advance human rights, public health, and social justice across the globe. In this time, it has become a trailblazer in its field, leading landmark investigations into crimes against humanity, and earning a 1997 Nobel Prize for its investigation of the health impact of land mines in Cambodia. PHR has also exposed the use of chemical weapons against civilians in Iraq, exhumed mass graves in Bosnia and Rwanda for international tribunals and provided evidence for criminal investigations into torture and extrajudicial executions.

Today, PHR is on the front lines of the most pressing human rights crises of our time, from the coup in Myanmar, to U.S. police violence, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The last year has only highlighted the critical importance of using science-based approaches to safeguard human rights, most particularly those of women and children, immigrants, refugees, detainees, and other populations at risk.

Recent highlights of PHR’s work include:

• Advocating for an Evidence-based Response to the Pandemic: Since the start of the coronavirus crisis, PHR has sounded the alarm over the grave risks posed by COVID-19 to populations in areas where health systems are underdeveloped, decimated by armed conflict, or virtually nonexistent. PHR is elevating the voices of local health providers about the extreme dangers of COVID-19 to their communities and supporting partners around the world in advocating for a concerted, collaborative, science- and rights- based worldwide response.
• Documenting Police Violence: Following President Trump’s July 26, 2020 order to deploy federal agents to protest sites around the country, PHR sent an expert team to Portland, Oregon to investigate reports of the extreme force police and federal agents were using against protestors and first responders.
• Highlighting Violence Against the Rohingya: PHR has produced numerous reports documenting serious human rights violations against the Rohingya people of Myanmar. Its latest research sheds new light on the patterns of extreme injuries, specifically related to sexual violence, that survivors suffered through rape, gang rape, mutilation, forced witnessing of sexual assault, and other forms of sexual violence.

PHR’s vital work is sustained by a dynamic and deeply committed team of approximately 45 based in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is also supported by a prominent Board and an annual operating budget of nearly $8-9M.

Role Description

PHR is excited to bring on board a dynamic, curious, and collaborative Program Associate in the Kenya Office who will be a member of the Program on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones (SVCZ). The Program Associate will offer support and work closely with the program team based in Kenya. The Program Associate will be fully responsible for providing day -to day overall assistance to the SVCZ Program team in implementation of the various projects. The Program Associate will equally play a pivotal role in ensuring that the projects implemented are well documented and reported in a results-based manner. The ideal candidate will be an excellent team player, action oriented, and detail oriented. The successful candidate will be expected to work independently, and collaboratively with colleagues across the organization.

Reports to: Head of Kenya Office

Responsibilities

• In partnership with the Program Officer, develop workplans and ensure effective and timely implementation of projects including planning/logistics, preparing meeting agendas and reports, under the SVCZ Program;
• Support the Programs Team in conducting conduct research when required including drafting of the research questions, summary of the findings, and data management in line with PHR’s strategic objectives;
• Develop and prepare background research, and meeting concept notes and other relevant materials for convenings;
• Prepare reports, give presentations, share lessons with the Programmatic Team on the progress of the project implementation;
• Represent PHR at relevant forums, and meetings to advance SVCZ objectives, and stay abreast with developments to address impunity for sexual violence in Kenya ;
• Contribute to the organization’s resource mobilisation efforts, including preparation of project proposals;
• Support the Program & Operations Associate in organizing meetings, workshops and training events including handling of logistics;
• Work with program team to assist with monitoring and evaluation;

· Contribute to and participate in the Organization’s strategic and annual planning processes;

• Carry out other duties/functions as requested by the Head of Kenya Office; and
• Cultivate and reinforce a culture of kindness, respect, goodwill, non-discrimination, transparency, collaboration, and mentorship at the organization.

Qualifications and Skills

The Program Associate should possess the following:

· A minimum of an undergraduate degree in Law, Public Health, Gender Studies, Human Rights, social sciences or any other related disciplines;

· Demonstrated understanding of human rights or related work including capacity

development and training, reporting, and advocacy;

· A minimum of 2 years’ experience in project conceptualization, design, implementation and reporting;

· Proficiency in written and spoken English, and Swahili;

· Excellent cross-cultural communication skills;

· Demonstrated ability to work successfully in a fast-paced, multi-faceted environment which requires multitasking;

• Outstanding organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through is a must; and
• Passion and commitment to human rights and a demonstrated passion for PHR’s mission, and goals.

· Ability, and willingness to travel domestically.

More information about Physicians for Human Rights can be found at www.phr.org.