Background

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the leading United Nations entity on human rights, covering the full range of human rights and freedoms provided in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. OHCHR performs a unique role in the promotion and protection of all human rights worldwide. In addition to its work on mainstreaming a human rights perspective in United Nations programmes, OHCHR, including through its field presences, supports national counterparts to better integrate human rights standards into their policies and decision-making processes.

In 2019, the United Nations Secretary-General launched the United Nations Strategy and Action Plan on Hate Speech out of concern about growing trends of hate speech globally, including online. He emphasized that “as a matter of principle, the United Nations must combat hate speech at every turn”. The Secretary-General underscored that combating hate speech is crucial to advancing the United Nations agenda by helping to prevent conflicts, atrocity crimes, violent extremism, violence against women and other human rights violations, and to promote peaceful, inclusive and just societies. In that context, the United Nations can play a key role to support the efforts of relevant national institutions to counter hate speech, in line with the Rabat Plan of Action on the prohibition of advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

Divisive narratives, including hate speech, have marked the electoral cycles in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the periods preceding electoral campaigns and the actual campaigns. Several institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina have a specific mandate to counter hate speech. This includes the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is mandated by the Law on Election of Bosnia and Herzegovina to monitor hate speech in the context of electoral process.

Under the supervision of the Senior Human Rights Adviser in the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the proposed consultancy aims at providing capacity building and technical advice to the Central Election Commission to increase its ability to monitor, identify and respond to hate speech in the pre-election, election and post-election period until the official confirmation of the election results, while promoting cooperation between the Commission, the Human Rights Ombudsman institution, the Communications Regulatory Agency and other relevant institutions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives of the assignment: The objective of this assignment is to provide advisory and technical support to the Central Election Commission to increase its capacities to counter hate speech in pre-election, election and post-election period until the official confirmation of the election results, according to its mandate, by improving monitoring, and timely identification and adequate responses to incidents of hate speech. The consultancy will also promote and facilitate cooperation between the Central Election Commission, the Human Rights Ombudsman institution and the Communications Regulatory Agency in increasing collaboration to combat harmful narratives in the pre-election period, taking into consideration the pledge signed by these institutions in June 2022, reaffirming their commitment to counter all forms of discrimination and hate speech through their respective mandates.

Job content: Under the supervision of the Senior Human Rights Adviser with the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the consultant will provide advisory and technical services to the Central Election Commission to increase its ability to monitor, identify and respond to incidents of hate speech during the pre-election, election and post-election period until the official confirmation of the election results, in accordance with its mandate. To achieve this goal, and based on international human rights standards, including the Rabat Plan of Action, the consultant will support the Commission in developing a monitoring methodology and guidance on a case template. On this basis, the consultant will produce a draft for a handbook to tackle hate speech to be used in upcoming electoral periods. The consultant will also review and analyze the past decisions of the Commission and related rulings of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina on hate speech cases. The consultant will provide expert advice to the Commission’s section on legal affairs and administrative procedures in assessing and evaluating specific hate speech cases.

The consultant will also facilitate cooperation between the Commission, the Human Rights Ombudsman institution, the Communications Regulatory Agency and other relevant institutions to strengthen collaborative efforts to counter hate speech.

Expected results: The consultant is expected to perform the following tasks, in full consultation with the Central Election Commission:

1. Support the development of a methodology and a consolidated plan for proactive and efficient monitoring identification and responses to hate speech in accordance with the mandate of the Central Election Commission, and in line with relevant international human rights standards, the Rabat Plan of Action, and applicable legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
2. Develop guidance to identify hate speech incidents, including a prioritization strategy and a case template.
3. Develop a handbook on the basis of the above-mentioned deliverables.
4. Provide support in the analysis of identified hate speech cases and the development of legal arguments.
5. Provide briefings on hate speech in the context of capacity-building activities run by the Commission.
6. Facilitate consultations between the Commission and the human rights ombudsman institution and the Communications Regulatory Agency on addressing the cases of hate speech, including to enable the possible interventions of available referral mechanisms to address cases that may not fall within the mandate of the Commission.

Timing: The consultant will be recruited for a total of 50 consultancy days, between 1 July 2024 and 15 November 2024.

Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the United Nations values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of the United Nations;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Excellent organizational and time management skills;
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Law, Social, Political Science or other relevant field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years (with Bachelor’s degree) or 4 years (with Master’s degree) of working experience related law or political science, including human rights.
• Proven experience in research, analysis and dealing with legal cases.
• Solid knowledge of international human rights norms and standards. Expertise in monitoring and countering discrimination and hate speech is required.
• Relevant professional experience of electoral matters.

Languages:

• Fluency in written and oral B/C/S and English.