Mission and objectives

UNDP works with the Government and people of Pakistan to develop local solutions to development challenges. In an evolving development context, we support Pakistan’s efforts to build a more equitable, prosperous, peaceful and resilient society, and to achieve its SDGs and COP25 targets. UNDP promotes transformational change by fostering strategic partnerships with national counterparts in the federal, provincial and regional governments, civil society, the private sector and the local and international community. UNDP supports transformational change by providing technical assistance focusing on developing capacity within national and local authorities, providing solutions with strong monitoring and evaluation tools, and delivering programmes with maximum efficiency, transparency and accountability. UNDP’s ultimate goal is to improve the lives of the people of Pakistan through keeping people out of poverty; governance for peaceful, just and inclusive societies; crisis prevention and increased resilience; nature-based solutions for development; clean affordable energy; and women’s empowerment and gender equality.

Context

UNDP works to improve the lives of vulnerable communities, with the overarching objective of preventing loss of development gains, promoting human rights, and finding sustainable pathways to development. UNDP projects under the democratic governance portfolio aims to strengthen state institutions, support democratic development and the rule of law, ensure crisis prevention, support policy development, and integrate gender equality into all areas of work. UNDP works to support the human rights ecosystem by strengthening human rights institutions to promote and protect human rights for all. This UNV assignment is part of UNDP Pakistan’s Decentralization, Human Rights and Local Governance (DHL) project. The DHL project is a multi-sector project aimed at strengthening rights-based development, community stabilization, gender equality, and social inclusion across all regions and provinces of Pakistan. The core objective of the project is to ensure inclusive and equitable service delivery by providing technical assistance and capacity development support to relevant federal ministries, provincial line departments, statutory bodies, civil society, and private sector organizations. A key aim is to support the creation of an enabling environment for accelerated access to rights, people-centered justice, and people-centered security. The project focuses on institution building while connecting with vulnerable and at-risk communities to build trust between rights holders and duty bearers for inclusive, expeditious, and transparent access to rights and services. Under its human rights programme, UNDP-DHL has supported the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) to build its technical capacity at the federal and provincial levels for the fulfilment of its mandate as an autonomous national human rights institution and watchdog body. This support contributed to the NCHR’s accreditation as a national human rights institution (NHRI) through the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) accreditation process. UNDP-DHL’s support has included, for example, technical support for addressing human rights complaints, planning, legal review, grievance redressal mechanisms, international reporting obligations, and knowledge production. This has also included support to increase NCHR’s visibility, awareness, and reach, establishing linkages with civil society organizations and regional and international NHRIs for the exchange of information and best practices. In May 2024, the NCHR was awarded ‘A status’ accreditation by GANHRI. This accreditation signifies the Commission’s independence, authority, and status in the international human rights system. Achieving ‘A status’ also means the NCHR has a greater role in promoting and protecting human rights in Pakistan and requires ongoing support to strengthen its ability to fulfil its mandate and maintain its accreditation, particularly in its provincial offices. The incumbent UNV will be stationed at the NCHR Head Office in Islamabad and will be responsible for supporting the Commission by conducting in-depth research on critical human rights issues, producing evidence-based policy recommendations, and contributing to the organization’s knowledge production efforts. The ideal candidate will combine strong research skills with a commitment to promoting social justice and human rights.

Task Description

• Support the NCHR in strategic research and analysis • Identify and research pressing human rights issues, trends, and challenges relevant to Pakistan and the region. • Collect, analyse, and synthesize data from primary and secondary sources, including reports, interviews, surveys, and statistical data. • Conduct qualitative and quantitative research using appropriate methodologies to ensure the reliability and validity of findings. • Design and implement data collection methodologies, including surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions, ensuring accuracy and reliability. • Stay updated on national and international human rights developments, including legal and policy changes, to inform research priorities. • Analyze existing laws, policies, and practices to assess their alignment with international human rights standards. • Design and implement data collection methodologies, including surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions, ensuring accuracy and reliability. • Develop and manage policy and research papers on key human rights issues • Draft high-quality research papers, policy briefs, position papers, and reports on a variety of topics aligned with NCHR’s objectives. • Develop actionable policy recommendations based on research findings, aimed at influencing government, civil society, and other stakeholders. • Review and revise drafts based on feedback from internal and external reviewers, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and alignment with NCHR’s goals. • Collaborate closely with the NCHR Communications Officer to design high quality content for policy and research papers for dissemination. • Contribute to NCHR’s annual human rights report, thematic studies, and submissions to national and international bodies. • Coordinate closely with provincial focal points to acquire data and input for the NCHR annual report on human rights. • Contribute to the development of shadow reports for treaty bodies and Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions. • Ensure timely and accurate documentation of findings and recommendations for internal and external dissemination. • Facilitate knowledge production, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s). • Assist in drafting op-eds and position papers, ensuring they are grounded in robust evidence. • Contribute to NCHR’s knowledge production efforts by creating resources such as guides, toolkits, and case studies that support human rights advocacy and education. • Develop innovative formats for presenting research findings, such as infographics, blogs, and presentations, to make insights accessible to diverse audiences. • Build and maintain a database of research materials, including literature reviews, case studies, and other resources, to support NCHR’s work. • Coordinate closely with the research team to develop strategies for the dissemination of knowledge products • Organize training sessions and workshops for NCHR staff and stakeholders to enhance their research and analytical skills. • Promote awareness of human rights issues through the dissemination of research findings to the public, policymakers, and advocacy groups. • Participate in knowledge networks and consultations with international organizations and CSOs. • Collaborate with relevant partners, stakeholders, and UNDP to raise awareness, engage in policy dialogues, and advocate for meaningful change.

Competencies and values

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Living conditions and remarks

As this is a national UNV assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. UNV Field Unit will help you open a Pak rupee bank account with Standard Chartered Bank or any other local bank at your duty station.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements