Mission and objectives

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (United Nations Human Rights) is the leading United Nations entity on human rights. We represent the world’s commitment to the promotion and protection of the full range of human rights and freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The High Commissioner and the Office play a unique role in: • Promoting and protecting all human rights: We speak out objectively against human rights violations and help develop the standards used to assess global progress in human rights. • Helping empower people: Our research, education, and advocacy activities contribute to greater awareness and engagement by the international community and the public on human rights issues. This means that thousands of people in all regions of the world are empowered to claim their rights. • Supporting governments: Through our field presences, we help prevent abuses and mitigate situations that could lead to conflict. Our monitoring and analysis inform sensitive decision-making and development programming. We also provide capacity-building and legal advice to thousands of people, supporting the thoughtful development and enactment of laws and policies worldwide. • Embedding a human rights perspective across all United Nations programs: We integrate human rights into all UN programs to ensure that peace and security, development, and human rights — the three pillars of the United Nations system — are interconnected and mutually reinforcing.

Context

OHCHR-Colombia was established, upon request of the Commission on Human Rights and the initiative of the Government of Colombia, on 29 November 1996 by an Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, (E/CN.4/1997/11). OHCHR has been present in Colombia since 1997. OHCHR-Colombia operates from the capital city, Bogotá, and five offices across the country. It implements a comprehensive strategy that includes:1) monitoring of the human rights situation with a view to advising authorities in formulating and implementing policies, programmes and measures to promote and protect human rights, also in the context of violence, including through the presentation of annual reports on the human rights situation in Colombia to the Human Rights Council; 2) cooperation and technical assistance and advice to the Government to promote respect and observance of human rights and international humanitarian law in Colombia; 3) provision of technical assistance and advice to civil society and non-governmental human rights organizations and individuals, and 4) promotion of human rights to the general public and dissemination of information on international human rights and humanitarian law standards. The historical Peace Agreement signed in November 2016, by the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) has provided OHCHR with additional responsibilities on a wide range of human rights related components. This includes to monitor and report on public policies for the dismantling of criminal organizations and protecting human rights defenders, security for FARC members as they transition from ex combatants to fully fledged political party members, case review of detained FARC members, and accompanying victims in their search for truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence.

Task Description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Coordinator of the field presence and the overall coordination of the OHCHR Representative, the UN Volunteer contributes to the following tasks: • Facilitate the implementation of Office mandate in the designated area of responsibility (AOR); • Assist in monitoring, reporting and analyzing the human rights situation from a given thematic priority and geographical responsibility; • In close coordination with the field office coordinator, prepare and support monitoring field missions including the timely drafting of reports and follow-up; • Support follow-up on individual cases and issues with authorities with the aim of stopping or preventing human rights violations or seeking remedial action by the authorities to prevent similar violations occurring in the future; • Support in establishing and maintaining good relationships with key stakeholders such as government representatives, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations, human rights defenders, UN agencies and other partners operating in the AOR; • Assist in the preparation of and conducting human rights capacity-building activities and in developing and implementing human rights training programmes; • Contribute to and/or draft various reports, communications, briefing notes, statements or other products; • Ensure the timely entry of accurate and verified human rights cases into the established database; conduct quality control and deliver statistics and trend reports as required; • Integrating gender and ethnic perspectives, with specific attention to issues related to women and girls, including conflict related sexual violence, within all assigned human rights activities; • Help with occasional basic administrative tasks when needed; • Perform other related duties as required. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day). • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities. • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc. • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers. • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Competencies and values

• Accountability • Ethics and Values • Integrity • Adaptability and flexibility • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Communication skills • Working in Teams • Commitment and Motivation

Living conditions and remarks

Colombia is a large country (1,141,748 km2); its population stands at around 52 million. Arauca is one of the thirty-two departments. Its capital sits in Arauca City. Department of Arauca is located in the northern region of the Colombian Orinoquia, bordering Venezuela, and surrounded by the Arauca River to the North, the straight line between the Meta and Arauca rivers. To the South it is facing the rivers Meta and Casanare, serving as borders with the departments of Vichada and Casanare respectively, and to the west with the Eastern Mountain range that separates it from Boyacá. Arauca’s population rises to 265.000 inhabitants, as for Arauca City, its population rises to 95.000. The municipality's health system counts have seven entities, including hospitals and healthcare facilities. Five national banks operate in the city and three mobile service operators. The city has a modest offer of hotel services, and a variety of tourist and cultural services such as local museums, the municipal library, the House of Culture, and rural tourism. Several roads connect Arauca City with surrounding towns as well as the 659 Km to Bogota. The airport Santiago Pérez Quiroz is 2.8 km from the urban area and is serviced by one local airline. The weather in Arauca is warm all year round, with temperatures between 22 and 36 degrees Celsius. Its rainy season runs from March to November. Visitors are advised that some clinics request a down payment before they admit a patient, even in emergency situations. Visitors should take medical precautions and advice should be sought before travel. Travelers to some areas in Colombia must have yellow fever vaccination. Travel to some areas of Colombia requires preventive malaria medications.