ADVOCACY AND ARMED CONFLICT SPECIALIST

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S PROGRAM OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE - NEW YORK

NOVEMBER 2007

The Open Society Institute works to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. Open societies are characterized by the rule of law; respect for human rights, minorities, and a diversity of opinions; democratically elected governments; market economies in which business and government are separate; and a civil society that helps keep government power in check. To achieve its mission, OSI seeks to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights. On a local level, OSI implements a range of initiatives to advance justice, education, public health, and independent media. At the same time, OSI builds alliances across borders and continents on issues such as corruption and freedom of information. OSI places high priority on protecting and improving the lives of marginalized people and communities.

Investor and philanthropist George Soros in 1993 created OSI as a private operating and grantmaking foundation to support his foundations in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Those foundations were established, starting in 1984, to help countries make the transition from communism. OSI has expanded the activities of the Soros foundations network to encompass the United States and more than
60 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Each national foundation relies on the expertise of boards composed of eminent citizens who determine individual agendas based on local priorities.

The International Women's Program (IWP), a program of the Open Society Institute, promotes the advancement of women's human rights, gender equality, and empowerment as an integral part of the process of democratization. The overall mission of the International Women's Program is to promote, protect and guarantee the rights of women and girls in countries where governance structures, the rule of law, public health and economic reform need urgent international support and where women and girls are facing extreme economic, psychological and physical harm due to armed conflict.

In order to achieve this mission in the countries that it works, the IWP has established the following goals:

1. To support mechanisms to ensure that women have access to justice;
2. To strengthen the voice of the women's movement by supporting their advocacy efforts and increasing their access to decision-making processes;
3. To advocate for as well as support critical initiatives or measures that protect women from all levels of violence and cruelty during conflict and give them a voice in ending it and reshaping the post-conflict phase;
4. To support efforts to build and sustain women's economic livelihoods as a central component of women's access to justice and building peace.

The International Women's Program is currently seeking an Advocacy and Armed Conflict Specialist in the NY Office to assist IWP in the development and implementation of its work related to gender and conflict. The Specialist will report to the Director of IWP, and will have the following specific responsibilities:

. Provide substantive guidance and analysis on issues of gender equality and women's human rights in the context of armed conflict to the IWP and other programs and regional foundations within OSI; . Identify specific priority areas, appropriate partners and grantees as well as entry points for IWP's work on gender and armed conflict in Africa, Asia, Middle East, CEE/CIS and FSU, and Latin America; . Work with local NGOs, human rights organizations, international agencies and other appropriate IWP partners in the implementation of targeted and impact-driven initiatives that specifically address the rights of women and girls and promote their access to justice in the context of conflict and post-conflict situations; . Monitor IWP's conflict and post-conflict initiatives through site-visits and an implementation of a monitoring and evaluation plan to ensure realization of results; . Support and implement advocacy strategies for OSI and partners to advance concerns of women's groups especially in conflict and post-conflict societies in Africa; . Enhance OSI's participation in inter-governmental process and human rights mechanisms, as well as among other donors, and international bodies working on conflict; . Increase OSI's international visibility on work related to gender and armed conflict.

REQUIREMENTS:

. Advanced degree in international development, international relations, law, social work, political science or related field; . Specific expertise in mainstreaming gender in conflict and post-conflict interventions in relation to humanitarian assistance, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) or peacekeeping and peace-building . At least 8 years relevant experience working with NGOs, UN agencies, humanitarian organizations or development agencies in relation to human rights, humanitarian assistance rehabilitation, gender and development, and/or economic security; . Knowledge and understanding of the women's movements working on peace, conflict and access to justice issues; . Ability to engage government officials in advocacy agenda as well as represent IWP in the media (print, TV and radio) and at public events; . Ability to work under pressure as a team member in a multicultural setting in the New York office as well as during frequent travel.
. Excellent written and verbal communications skills in English and preferably French.

COMPENSATION: Commensurate with experience and qualifications.

DESIRED START DATE: February 1, 2008.

TO APPLY: E-mail resume, cover letter and salary requirements by December 10, 2007, to:

[email][email protected]
Include job code AACSPEC/IWP

OR

Open Society Institute Human Resources - Code AACSPEC/IWP
400 West 59th Street New York, New York 10019 No phone calls, please.

The Open Society Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.