Human Rights Officer

Host entity: OHCHR Liberia

Volunteer type: International

Areas of expertise: Disarmament, peacebuilding, rule of law, Human rights, Legal affairs

Application deadline: 16/08/2026

Mission and objectives

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the lead UN entity on human rights. In 1993, the General Assembly entrusted both the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Office with a unique mandate to promote and protect all human rights for all people. Over the course of subsequent decades, with investment and support by Member States, the Human Rights Office has developed unique competencies for the protection and advance of human rights; competencies that bridge the humanitarian, peace and development sectors and that have strategic relevance both today and for the world ahead.
As the custodian of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) , OHCHR seeks to support the implementation of international human rights standards on the ground by assisting governments, which bear primary responsibility for the protection of human rights, to fulfil their obligations. OHCHR supports individuals to claim their rights, monitors and reports objectively on human rights abuses and offers support, advice and training to those in authority to make human rights a reality.

Since its establishment in 2018 following the departure of the then UN Peacekeeping mission in Liberia (UNMIL), OHCHR Liberia has been working with various stakeholders including the Ministry of youth, Ministry of justice, Ministry of gender and other government entities, Civil Society Organisations and youth-led groups, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights ( INCHR) , the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and other integrity institutions, as well as the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) to strengthen the country’s human rights infrastructure and ensure meaningful participation of all in the protection of human rights.

Assignment context

One of the strategic approaches OHCHR uses in Liberia is to engage youth and ensure there are and remain agents of change and support prevention of human rights violations and protect human rights in their communities, online and offline. Under the Peace Building Fund Youth Promotion Initiative (which is ending in July 2026), OHCHR in Liberia has been engaging with young people and youth-led organizations to ensure they claim their civic space, their human rights and those of others in their communities. The population of Liberia is very youthful, with 63% and 79% below the ages of 25 and 35, respectively.

Despite this population age structure, the civic space is very restrictive to the meaningful participation of the youth, especially the marginalised groups and young women. The restrictive civic space has often hindered the ability of youth-led organisations/networks to freely mobilise their peers to meaningfully participate in democratic governance processes, including elections, public discourse and hearings, and peacebuilding activities in the absence of the manipulation of politicians and other civic actors. Many young people lack access to information and communication technologies, limiting their ability to engage offline and through online platforms, thereby hindering their access to relevant information for civic participation. Many young people in Liberia need to be made aware of their rights, responsibilities, and the importance of civic engagement.

OHCHR intends to continue to build on key achievements and results of the YPI Project to ensure continued support to youth -led organizations and to build the agency of grassroot, young men and young women from marginalised communities to have a voice and demand their rights to participation in all aspects of the civic spaces.
Since 2024, OHCHR Liberia is supporting Liberia in the ongoing Transitional Justice (TJ) processes including the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court and the National Anti-Corruption Court. The Office is leading the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) strategic support to the TJ process in the country. OHCHR is supporting the involvement of the youth in TJ process to ensure that they remain agents of change and support the country’s efforts for accountability for past and current crimes.

Task description

Under the supervision of the Country Representative, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
• Conduct research and analysis of human rights trends and emerging issues, particular-ly those affecting young people’s rights and digital civic space and translate findings in-to youth friendly digital content to raise awareness and promote informed offline and online engagements.
• Support the monitoring and reporting of human rights issues, including Economic, So-cial and Cultural Rights, while leveraging digital platforms and social media to amplify key findings and mobilize youth participation in advocacy and accountability efforts.
• Contribute to integrating human rights perspective into political, social and develop-mental initiative by engaging youth networks and digital communities to promote inclu-sive participation in national development and governance processes.
• Mainstream gender equality and the rights of women and girls across all activities by utilizing digital campaigns, online dialogues, and social media advocacy to elevate their voices and address gender-based discrimination and online harms.
• Follow up on human rights cases and situations, including violations and abuses, and support the dissemination of accurate and timely information through digital platforms to strengthen public awareness, youth engagement, and community response.
• Assist in designing and implementing human rights education and capacity-building program, including on digital rights, transitional justice, civic participation, corruption and Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs), while fostering youth-led online advocacy and awareness initiative.
• Represent the UN Human Rights Office in relevant working-level meeting and en-gagements with youth organizations, digital influencer and online communities to strengthen partnerships for human rights promotion and protection.
• Contributing to drafting reports, briefings, communication and advocacy materials, and adapting key messages into accessible digital formats that empower young people to engage in human rights discourse and action.
• Support the implementation of initiatives that enhance youth leadership in digital rights, online civic engagement, and transitional justice and other human rights advocacy, while carrying out other duties assigned by the Representative or designated staff.

Skills and experience

• Civic Space and Democracy
• Equity and non-discrimination
• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.
Skills in:
• Human Rights Research and Digital Content Development
• Digital Advocacy and Human Rights Monitoring
• Youth Engagement and Inclusive Governance
• Gender Equality and Online Inclusion
• Strategic Communication and Information Dissemination
• Human Rights Education and Capacity Building
• Partnership Building and Stakeholder Engagement
• Policy Analysis, Reporting, and Digital Communications
• Youth Leadership and Digital Civic Participation
•

Competencies and values

Accountability
Adaptability and Flexibility
Building Trust
Client Orientation
Commitment and Motivation
Commitment to Continuous Learning
Communication
Creativity
Ethics and Values
Integrity
Knowledge Sharing
Planning and Organizing
Professionalism
Respect for Diversity
Self-Management
Technological Awareness
Working in Teams

Living conditions

Liberia, Africa's oldest Republic, is located at the western edge of the continent, on the Atlantic coast between Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire. The population of Liberia is 5.2 million and contains about 16 different ethnic groups. A large percentage of Liberia’s population lives in the capital, Monrovia. The Liberia climate features a wet and dry season, but precipitation is seen even during the dry season. Temperatures remain constant throughout the year averaging around 26.4 °C (79.5 °F). The weather is sometimes cold during the day and evenings in the rainy season which begins in May to October, and the dry season begins in November to April. The country is generally safe, except for petty crimes, especially in the cities. It is mandatory to complete the United Nations Basic Security course BSAFE prior to joining the office. The current UN security level for Liberia is level 2. Upon arrival in the country, all UN staff receive a security briefing from the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS). All UN Staff and UN Volunteers must follow security recommendations from UNDSS during their assignments in Liberia. There are hotels and guesthouses in the capital, Monrovia, that are comfortable and have electricity and security. All UN Staff and UN Volunteers are to use only UN-approved guest houses and hotels. A UN Clinic is located within the UN Compound, accessible to all UN Staff. Also available in the country are recognized hospitals and clinics that UN staff can visit. A gym is available at the One UN House for all categories of staff accessible to the presentation of the UN ID Card. Two local banks (UBA and Ecobank) are available in the UN building with ATM machines located on the underground floor.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.