Human Rights Officer – Economic, Social & Cultural Rights

About the role

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is seeking a Human Rights Officer to lead and coordinate work on economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) for the East and Southern Africa region. Based in Addis Ababa, the incumbent will report to the Regional Director and the Chief of the ESCR Section in Geneva.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as the regional focal point for OHCHR’s engagement on ESCR, developing evidence‑based policy papers, legal briefs and advocacy messages.
• Monitor and evaluate implementation of the cultural rights workplan and the status of international human rights instruments.
• Prepare human‑rights sections of reports for the UN General Assembly, Human Rights Council and other bodies.
• Engage with UNESCO, UNICEF, UN agencies, national officials, NHRIs and civil‑society partners to plan and review projects.
• Integrate gender perspectives into ESCR programmes and support UN and non‑governmental initiatives.
• Provide up‑to‑date substantive advice to senior OHCHR leadership and make recommendations on actions.
• Coordinate with other UN sectors, international organisations and governments on policy and coordination matters.
• Assist governments, NHRIs and civil society in developing and delivering ESCR training and education.
• Lead a team, oversee work coordination, budgeting and administrative functions, and supervise junior staff.

Required profile

• Advanced academic background in human rights, international law, social policy or a related field.
• Professional experience dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, preferably within an international or UN context.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high‑quality analytical reports and advocacy materials.
• Strong understanding of gender dimensions in human‑rights work.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder‑engagement skills.

Required skills

• Legal analysis and drafting of policy documents.
• Monitoring and evaluation of human‑rights programmes.
• Project coordination and budget management.
• Team leadership and staff supervision.

What we offer

• Opportunity to influence ESCR implementation across a diverse region.
• Collaboration with senior UN officials and international partners.
• Professional development within a leading global human‑rights institution.