Vacancy at the Centre for Human Rights: Internship (Disability Rights Unit)

The Disability Rights Unit at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria wishes to invite applications for the following vacancy at the Centre for Human Rights (an academic department and a non-governmental organisation at the University):

Internship, Disability Rights Unit - (One post) (9 month contract appointment) - Centre for Human Rights

Click here to view the vacancy

Opportunity closing date: Friday 16 March 2018
Opportunity type: Internship

Organisation: Centre for Human Rights,
Job title: Internship Opportunity for 2018
Type of contract: Fixed-Term
Duty station: Pretoria

The Disability Rights Unit at the Centre for Human Rights (Centre) is committed to finding evidence-based ways of addressing the rights of persons with disabilities on the African continent. This includes conducting research on international disability rights standards and instruments, building capacity among governments, national human rights institutions, academia, civil society and communities, and engaging with judicial, quasi-judicial and non-judicial redress mechanisms.The Disability Rights Unit aims to contribute to the international disability rights discourse by assisting and collaborating with international organisations, academic partners, and civil society across the globe in taking targeted measures to advance the rights of persons with disabilities.

Activities undertaken by the Disability Rights Unit include the:

(a) Annual Disability RightsConference,

(b) One week intensive short course on disability rights in an African context,

(d) Monitoring and supporting the partners in the Disability Rights and Law Schools Programme,

(e) Workshop on academic writing,

(f) Human rights and disability in Africa repository,

g) Introducing the LLM/MPhil (Disability Rights in Africa) programme under the Faculty of Law

h) Supporting the work of the United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights of persons with albinism

i) Present a Master’s programme in Disability Rights in Africa

The Centre’s Disability Rights Unit seeks to appoint an appropriately qualified individual for its internship programme, based in Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa.

Duration:9 months (1 April 2018 – 31 December 2018) with the possibility of extension.
Weekly hours: 20 hours a week

The internship is paid according to the set university rates for student work.

Responsibilities:

Internship Objectives

Encourage those interested and committed to working in disability rights issues;
Contribute to addressing the problems relating to skills shortage, by increasing the skills level of those entering the labour market;
Improve the chances of employment in the chosen field by enhancing the capacity of the interns, while at the same time and in return, getting some value for the CHR;
Contribute to the job-readiness of interns by exposing them to a practical working experience/environment;
Inculcate human rights values in interns and strive to ensure that such values become part of their work ethic;
Enhance the capacity of the CHR with an increased number of staff available to take on a range of administrative and programmatic functions.

Generic objectives

Participate actively in assigned programme work, ensuring that systems, processes and outputs are grounded in CHR values;
Participate in internal communication and teamwork;
Work within the programme team to ensure the effective implementation of organisation’s objectives;
As and when required within reason, work beyond the scope of any job description.

Requirements:

Working knowledge of and commitment to Human Rights, particularly Disability Rights;
Studying towards a postgraduate degree in social sciences such as: Development Studies, Public Policy, Social Science, International Relations, Law and Sociology at the University of Pretoria
Excellent verbal and written communications skills;
Demonstrated ability to take initiative and responsibility for areas of work;
Fluency in English;
Additional language skills and project work experience are a plus.

Application Process:

To apply, submit a one page CV along with certificates, motivational letter and the details of two contactable referees (please provide both telephone numbers and email addresses) to Jehoshaphat.Njau@up.ac.za

Late and incomplete applications will not be considered for the position.

Only suitable qualified candidates will be considered.

Important: The Centre reserves the right to cancel the position should the needs of the Centre change or should we regard the submissions not to be adequate based on its needs.

For more about the Disability Rights Unit, please visit:http://www3.chr.up.ac.za/index.php/units/disability-rights-unit