The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) announced a call for applications for the position of Deputy High Commissioner with the deadline of October 15, 2012.
The OHCHR, led by High Commissioner Navi Pillay since July 2008, is the main UN entity responsible for creating policies and programs to promote and protect human rights. The OHCHR works with governments, national human rights institutions, and civil society organizations to promote respect for international human rights law and also supports other UN agencies and international organizations like UNICEF and the World Bank to mainstream human rights policies. The OHCHR has identified five thematic areas of concentration in its 2012-2013 Management Plan: Discrimination; Impunity; Rule of Law and Democratic Society; Migration; Violence and Insecurity; and Human Rights Mechanisms.
The Deputy High Commissioner assists the High Commissioner in various ways, including managing the UN’s human rights program; creating and implementing programs to promote and protect human rights; and building relationships with UN member states, other UN agencies, and international organizations. UN OHCHR, Vacancy Announcement. The Deputy also represents the High Commissioner at meetings and makes statements on the High Commissioner’s behalf. The current Deputy, Kyung-wha Kang, has served since 2007.
Applicants for the Deputy High Commissioner position should have “[a]t least 20 years of experience in senior leadership positions in human rights or a related field” and have a background in project planning and budgeting. UN OHCHR, Vacancy Announcement. Applicants must send their CV and a statement of interest by October 15, 2012 to [email protected]. Additional information is available online.