Three Month Funded Internship for a Women’s Property Rights Lawyer

July 2013 – September 2013

INTERIGHTS is pleased to invite applications from lawyers working on Women’s Property Rights in Africa for an internship as part of the development and implementation of its work.

The three month internship will begin in early July 2013.

Established in 1982, INTERIGHTS works to promote respect for human rights through the use of law.

We achieve this through a range of activities: strategic litigation through co-representation, legal support to applicants and third party interventions before international, regional, and national human rights courts and bodies; advising lawyers on the use of international and comparative human rights law before their domestic courts; building capacity through litigation partnerships, targeted training activities and internships, and through the dissemination of legal information.

Thematically, our priorities are equality, security and the rule of law (including counter-terrorism), and economic and social rights (ESR). INTERIGHTS currently focuses its activities in Africa, the Commonwealth, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia.

This full-time placement will provide an opportunity for a lawyer with knowledge of women’s issues and relevant law to develop their legal skills whilst assisting our programme with:

• Legal research on international and comparative human rights law and practice with respect to the protection of Women’s Property Rights
• Preparation of materials for legal trainings and meetings on the application and development of standards in this context
• Conducting research on the possibilities of using the sub-regional, regional and international human rights bodies to secure Women’s Property Rights
• Supporting the further development of INTERIGHTS’ Women’s Property Rights work.

Terms of Reference

Essential:

• Practising lawyer
• Experience of working in Africa
• Significant experience of working in the legal and / or human rights sector
• Demonstrated interest in working on women’s property rights
• Sophisticated understanding of women’s rights issues internationally
• Familiarity with international human rights standards and mechanisms
• Strong research, analytical and writing skills
• Fluency in spoken and written English
• A commitment to returning their home country to work on human rights and / or women’s rights
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
• Have a flexible approach to managing and prioritizing a high workload and multiple tasks with tight deadlines
• Sensitive to working in a multi-cultural environment and committed to equal opportunities
• Committed to the values and mission of INTERIGHTS

Desirable:

• Connection in their home country with human rights and/or women’s rights organisations / actors, such as they exist
• Familiarity with non-discrimination, equality and women’s rights issues internationally
• Previous experience of working in an NGO setting

Where possible, the intern may attend meetings with human rights practitioners, human rights lectures in London or at other universities, or visit other international or national human rights organisations based in London or abroad.

INTERIGHTS will arrange and pay for travel and visa costs.

The intern will receive a monthly stipend of £1,300 pro rata.

Accommodation is not provided but INTERIGHTS can advise on finding a suitable place to stay.

Before applying, applicants must read the person specification.

Applicants must provide clear examples of how they meet the essential criteria set out in the person specification.

To apply please send a covering letter, a curriculum vitae indicating two referees, a recent writing sample of no more than two thousand words and a completed equal opportunities monitoring form.

Applications should be sent by email to jobs@interights.org quoting “Internship for a Women’s Property Rights Lawyer” and your full name in the subject field of the email.

Due to the high number of applications for our internships we are unable to contact applicants that have not been short listed.

Please ensure you write your name and the title of the internship you are applying for in the subject field of the email.

The closing date for applications is 11 June 2013.

Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by telephone shortly after the closing date.

INTERIGHTS is committed to equal opportunities.