The Center for Reproductive Rights (the Center) is the premier global legal organization dedicated to advancing women's reproductive health, self-determination, and dignity. Its mission is straightforward and ambitious: to advance reproductive health and rights as fundamental human rights that all governments around the world are legally obligated to protect, respect, and fulfill. Headquartered in New York City, the Center has regional offices in Bogota, Geneva, Kathmandu, Nairobi, and Washington, DC and a staff of more than 130 diverse professionals. Its annual operating budget is approximately $23 million, the result of an extraordinary growth trajectory; the Center is now poised for a new phase of significant expansion through its next Strategic Plan.
The Center’s game-changing litigation and advocacy work, combined with its unparalleled expertise in constitutional, comparative, and international human rights law, have transformed how reproductive rights are understood by courts, governments, and human rights bodies worldwide. It has played a key role in securing landmark legal victories in the U.S., Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe on issues including access to life-saving obstetrics care, contraception, safe abortion services, and comprehensive sexuality information, as well as the prevention of forced sterilization and child marriage. It has brought groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies, led the development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights, and has built the legal capacity of women’s rights advocates in more than 55 countries.
The Center is led by Nancy Northup, President & CEO, who was recruited to the Center in 2003 for her rich mix of experience as a constitutional litigator, federal prosecutor, and women’s rights advocate—as well as her reputation for intelligence, passion, and creativity. She has led the organization’s exceptional growth, tripling its operating budget over the course of a decade, sharpening its strategic focus for even greater impact on ensuring reproductive health and freedom as a fundamental human right, and establishing the Center as an international resource for legal strategy and innovation. She was previously the founding director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law; a prosecutor and Deputy Chief of Appeals in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; and a law clerk to the Honorable Alvin B. Rubin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She has taught human rights and constitutional law as an adjunct professor at NYU Law School and Columbia Law School and appears frequently in leading media.
To learn more about the Center for Reproductive Rights, go to www.reproductiverights.org.
The Center seeks an ****Advocacy Adviser for Africa**** who will work closely with the Africa Program Team to support and build the work of the Africa Regional Program in all areas of work, and will report to the Regional Director for Africa.
The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.
****Responsibilities:****
The Advocacy Adviser for Africa will be responsible for:
- Supporting legal and policy analysis of reproductive rights issues, particularly in the Africa region;
- Supporting legal and policy research on international human rights law and standards;
- Supporting the design and implementation of advocacy strategies before the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) and other strategic regional bodies, and before UN bodies and mechanisms including through drafting legal memos, advocacy documents and thematic submissions;
- Representing the Center before regional and international human rights mechanisms and organizing briefings and other events as necessary;
- Monitoring developments within relevant regional and international human rights mechanisms, developing strategies for and drafting reproductive rights submissions before them, and providing input on resolutions, reports, and other documents;
- Bringing key reproductive rights issues to the attention of regional and UN bodies and mechanisms, including Special Procedure mandate-holders, and cultivating and maintaining strategic partnerships;
- Supporting research and the drafting of publications and other materials to advance program work;
- Working in coordination with staff from the Global Legal Program and other programs and in collaboration with civil society organizations, academics and other external stakeholders, to further advocacy objectives at the national, regional and international levels;
- Supporting the Regional Director and other team members in providing technical assistance to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders;
- Representing the Center externally on matters related to reproductive rights through public speaking, and as required, through engagement with the media;
- Supporting the Center’s communication strategies by drafting blogs, op-eds and other documents to position reproductive rights;
- Meeting with key governmental officials as necessary to advocate for inclusion of reproductive and sexual rights within initiatives at country, regional and international level;
- Promoting collaboration on reproductive and sexual rights and health and related issues through outreach to both NGOs and government, in order to create greater awareness and stimulate positive action;
- Helping identify, build and maintain partnerships with NGOs, and with key stakeholders, as needed;
- Assisting with the planning, logistics and implementation of events with partners, other NGOs, and with regional and international bodies held by the Center;
- Supporting the Regional Director in preparing presentations for conferences and meetings;
- Assisting the Senior Legal Adviser with the supervision of legal interns, volunteers, pro bono lawyers and legal fellows, and any other institutional responsibilities;
- Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.
Qualifications:
- Strong commitment to the Center’s mission, purpose, and values.
- Knowledge of international human rights, women’s rights and Africa regional human rights mechanism.
- Capable of complex legal analytical work.
- Advocacy experience at the regional and international levels, including as part of NGO coalitions.
- Excellent writing, editing, research and oral advocacy skills.
- Very detail-oriented, with strong organizational skills.
- Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively with colleagues in both Nairobi and the US, to multi-task, and to work under pressure.
- Fluency in English required; fluency in French desirable.
- Degree in law required.
- Minimum 3-4 years related professional experience.
Compensation: The Center offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits program.
****Core Values and Employment:**** The Center for Reproductive Rights is committed to a set of core values in its culture and work environment and expects its staff to have the same commitment. These values are innovation, integrity, effectiveness, excellence, treating our employees as our greatest asset, and building an inclusive and diverse workplace.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please click on the link below to apply. A cover letter, résumé, one writing sample, and contact information for three references (email preferred) must be included in your application in order to be considered for this position. Please include these application materials as attachments.
