Programme Associate: Trade Justice and Livelihoods

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) is an independent Non-Governmental human rights organization founded in 1992 to entrench human rights and democratic values in society. 

KHRC adopts a human rights based approach in all its strategies which are aimed at the preservation of human dignity, human security and human development.

KHRC recognizes that the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 not only captures the peoples’ aspirations but also formally and legally domesticates the human rights norms captured in the various international human rights
instruments. 

One of the strategies that KHRC employs towards the realization Article 43 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 is confronting trade injustice to improve livelihoods. KHRC strives to ensure that human rights, justice and sustainable development are at the heart of trade practices so that everyone, through their work, can maintain a decent and dignified livelihood and develop their full potential.

To this end, KHRC seeks to recruit a dynamic, organized, motivated and results-oriented individual for a 6 month contract as a programme associate, serving under the Economic Rights and Social Protection (ER&SP) Programme. 

The position is based in Nairobi, with extensive field work mostly within Kenya.
 

The Position: Programme Associate: Trade Justice& Livelihoods
 

Overall
 

Purpose of the Job: To improve the socio-economic rights and livelihood of farmers, producer organizations and workers, promote access to markets and equitable benefit sharing along agricultural value chains.

Contractual Period: Fixed term of 5months, November 16, 2012 to April 30, 2013 with a ten day break in December
 

Salary: Ksh 140,000 per month inclusive of all benefits
 

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Senior Programmes Officer, Economic Rights and Social Protection (ER&SP), the post holder will handle:-
 

Coffee Sub-Sector Advocacy:

• Critique KHRC’s study report on the coffee industry from a human rights and fair trade perspective.
• Coordinate the validation of the report and policy brief by establishing relationships with influential community based structures and other stakeholders.{Influential community structures and key stakeholders include - farmers, producer organizations including cooperatives, consumers, government officers, business managers, workers unions, financial institutions, relevant government officers and consumer organizations}
• Summarize the revised report into a policy brief {Policy brief should aim to support the development of ethical and sustainable agriculture value chains and fair trade within the coffee and rice sub-sectors by looking at ethical standards, certification schemes, standards setting processes and benefit sharing along the value chains} and oversee editing and publishing
• Develop and implement a dissemination strategy that delivers keys messages in study report to key stakeholders and the public

Rice Sub-Sector Advocacy:

• Analyze existing laws, policies, research reports and case law relating to human rights and trade justice issues in Kenya’s rice production sub-sector.
• Develop a policy paper on existing protections of the rights and livelihoods of farmers and workers in the rice sub-sector and possible areas of review and strategies.
• Coordinate the validation of the policy paper among key stakeholders and oversee its edit, publishing and dissemination.

Other Deliverables:

• Work with KHRC’s Legal aid team to analyze cases related to the violation of economic, social and cultural rights to establish patterns of violation and redress as well as linkages with KHRC’s trade justice and livelihoods work.
• Promote informed participation in governance of all and in particular women, marginalized and minority groups
• Undertake regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure financial viability of this initiative, frugal management of the assigned budget and compliance with donor requirements

Qualifications
 

To be successful in this role the post holder will have the following attributes:

• Bachelor’s degree in law.
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience as a practicing advocate in Kenya.
• Good understanding of programmes and project management.
• Experience in litigation relating to labor rights, agriculture or business administration.
• Proficiency in MS office, and experience in SPSS shall be an added advantage.

Personal Attributes

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to operate successfully in an environment with multiple stakeholders and people from different cultures.
• Results-driven, enthusiastic, resourceful, flexible and able to think out of the box – an intellectual and practical problem solver.

How to apply
 

If you believe you fit the profile, submit your application and CV detailing your suitability for the post and including daytime telephone contact and three referees, preferably your current or previous line managers to admin@khrc.or.ke quoting the title of the position you are applying for in the subject line. 

The closing date for this position is on 26th October 2012.
 

Disclaimer:
 

KHRC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organization and will seek to recruit the most qualified person for the job irrespective of race, color, marital status, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or nationality. 

All qualified persons are encouraged to apply.
 

Canvassing will automatically lead to disqualification.
 

Only successful candidates will be contacted