RESEARCHER/ADVOCATE ON DISABILITY RIGHTS

RESEARCHER/ADVOCATE ON DISABILITY RIGHTS

Full-Time Position Available:
Researcher/Advocate on Disability Rights
Health and Human Rights Program
Deadline for applications: July 31, 2009

Human Rights Watch ("HRW") is seeking highly-qualified applicants for the position of Researcher/Advocate on Disability Rights.

Description: The Researcher/Advocate on Disability Rights will be the primary spokesperson, and will spearhead the organization's efforts, on disability rights. This position will report to the Director of the Health and Human Rights Program at HRW and may be based in New York, Washington, DC, Brussels, Geneva, Paris or London. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• monitoring legal and policy developments applicable to persons with disabilities;
• carrying out field research to monitor, investigate and document human rights abuses against persons with disabilities, and collecting and analyzing information on relevant human rights developments from a wide variety of sources;
• acting as an advocate and spokesperson on disability rights issues, including on specific country situations: drafting press releases, op-eds, and short articles; speaking with the media;
  
• representing HRW before international institutions, relevant UN agencies, the European Union and the European Commission and other major regional intergovernmental fora, as well as influential governments;
  
• working within HRW on human rights standards relating to persons with disabilities, including reviewing documents to ensure that they conform to relevant international standards;
• building alliances and networks with other NGOs and advocacy groups working to further the rights of persons with disabilities; and
• other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have significant understanding of disability issues and at least five years of experience working on disability rights. An advanced degree in international relations, law or a related field is required. S/he will be a dynamic, creative, self-motivated, strategic and original thinker with senior-level advocacy experience and a demonstrated commitment to disability rights. The successful applicant will have a demonstrated ability to advocate effectively at all levels with regard to a wide range of topics and regions; proven analytical and strategic planning skills of the highest quality; sound knowledge of all international law applicable to monitoring and defending the rights of disabled persons, including but not limited to international human rights law; and familiarity with the policies, operating procedures, and standards applicable to international, intergovernmental, and non-governmental agencies. S/he will possess sound judgment; excellent research, interviewing and advocacy skills; the ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure and to collaborate effectively with others; and a demonstrated commitment to international human rights. In keeping with HRW's standard practice, reasonable accommodations to known disabilities will be made to allow qualified candidates to perform the essential functions of the position.

Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and generous employer-paid benefits. HRW will pay reasonable relocation expenses and will assist employees in obtaining necessary work authorization, if required; citizens of all nationalities are encouraged to apply.

PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY by emailing in a single submission: a letter of interest describing your experience, your resume, names or letters of references, salary requirements, and a brief writing sample (unedited by others) no later than July 31, 2009 to lamiam@hrw.org. Please use "Disability Rights Researcher/Advocate Ref HHR-09-1024-A" as the subject of your email. Only complete applications will be reviewed. It is preferred that all materials be submitted via email. If emailing is not possible, send materials (please do not split a submission between email and regular post and/or fax) to:

Human Rights Watch
Attn: Search Committee (Disability Rights Researcher/Advocate Ref HHR-09-1024-A)
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10118
Fax: (212) 736-1300

Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices and, in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool. It is the policy of HRW to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, marital status, immigration or citizenship status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.

Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies of influential governments and international institutions.