The American Bar Association (ABA) Center for Human Rights is the ABA’s focal entity for critical human rights concerns in the United States and around the world. The ABA Center for Human Rights (the Center) works to promote and protect human rights worldwide by mobilizing lawyers to help threatened advocates and vulnerable communities; rallying leading experts on vital issues; and holding abusive governments accountable under law.
The ABA CHR Justice Defenders Program is seeking a contracting organization or individual with expertise in international human rights law to advise on cases of human rights defenders at risk in North Africa. This is a seven-month consultancy beginning in early December 2021 through June 2022. The consultant will conduct research and produce a report on various forms of state retaliation against human rights defenders (HRDs).
1. Background
The Justice Defenders Program provides pro bono legal assistance to human rights advocates working in difficult environments and vulnerable circumstances by:
- Advising on, and raising public awareness of, sensitive trials and cases;
- Connecting pro bono lawyers with requisite expertise with local lawyers to provide advice on international law standards, share best practices, and assist in developing advocacy and litigation strategies; and
- Observing trials that have garnered local, regional, or international attention and/or have the potential of changing the law, for better or worse, within the country, and providing analysis of those trials.
The Justice Defenders Program’s global reach enables it to help human rights defenders in virtually any country. The Program is sensitive to varied political and factual circumstances and its assistance is tailored to realities “on the ground.”
2. Responsibilities
- Support and coordinate with local partners engaged in fact-finding related to:
- the imposition of nonjudicial punitive measures against HRDs.
- legal cases which include targeting of any civilians in military courts as well as complaints filed against HRDs in civil and criminal courts.
- Draft a report of approximately 15 pages based on factual findings.
- Other tasks as necessary and as agreed upon between the contractor and the ABA.
3. Qualifications
- Based in North Africa or with a strong professional network in the region
- Demonstrated experience in supporting HRDs in North Africa
- Fluency in Arabic and English required; French preferred
- Law degree (JD, LLB, or equivalent) preferred
How to apply:
Please send the following documents in a single PDF to Zaid Khatib at zaid.khatib@americanbar.org by December 14, 2021 at 5pm EST.
- Statement of interest detailing your experience working on related projects, and your availability through June 2022. Maximum 1 page.
- Resume or CV
- Cost estimate (per deliverable) for each of the tasks listed above.
- Hourly rate