Mission and objectives

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 and committed to maintaining international peace and security; developing friendly relations among nations; promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights. Due to its unique international character, and the powers vested in its founding Charter, the Organization takes action on a wide range of issues, and provides a forum for its 193 Member States to express their views, through the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies and committees. The work of the United Nations touches every corner of the globe and focuses on a broad range of fundamental issues, like sustainable development, protection of the environment and refugees, disaster relief and mitigation, counter terrorism, as well as disarmament and non-proliferation.

Context

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is undertaking a major upgrade and migration of the Human Rights Council (HRC) and Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Extranet from Microsoft SharePoint 2019 to Drupal. In parallel with the platform migration, the project includes a comprehensive redesign of the user interface and user experience to better support current and future business needs. The HRC/UPR Extranet Revamp Project contributes directly to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, by strengthening transparent, inclusive, and efficient access to human rights information. By modernizing the Extranet platform, the project enhances timely access to HRC and UPR documentation, supports informed participation by States and stakeholders, and reinforces accountability and trust in international human rights mechanisms. The purpose of this assignment is to provide independent UX/UI design and analytical support to the HRC/UPR Extranet Revamp Project. The Online Volunteer will conduct a structured analysis of the existing Extranet sites and translate business and user needs into clear, user-centered design concepts and prototypes, supporting the Drupal-based rebuild of the platform. Working remotely and with a high degree of autonomy, the Online Volunteer will collaborate closely with the OHCHR project team, including developers, designers, and business focal points.

Task Description

Under the overall coordination of the Project Coordinator and in close collaboration with the OHCHR development and design team, the Online Volunteer (OV) will undertake the following tasks: a. Analysis & Discovery • High level review and analysis of the existing HRC and UPR Extranet sites, including information architecture, content structure, navigation, and user flows. • Identify priority usability issues with a focus on accessibility, clarity, and efficiency of information access. • Support business focal points in documentation of functional and user experience requirements. b. UX/UI Design & Prototyping • Support in developing user-centered design concepts for the revamped Extranet, aligned with UN branding guidelines and best practices in digital accessibility. • Support in creating wireframes, user flows, and high-fidelity UI designs using Figma or equivalent design tools. • Design reusable layout components and page templates that support Drupal implementation, including potential use of visual page-building tools (e.g. Drupal Canvas or similar modules). • Ensure designs support scalability, consistency, and long-term maintainability. • Work closely with UN focal point and Drupal developers to ensure designs are technically feasible and aligned with Drupal site-building capabilities. c. Documentation & Knowledge Sharing • Prepare clear design documentation, including short design rationale, basic component list and handoff notes. Support knowledge transfer by documenting design decisions and best practices for future maintenance and enhancements.

Competencies and values

Living conditions and remarks