Description:

INTERIGHTS' Europe Programme covering Council of Europe countries within Central and South Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union is pleased to invite applications for an internship as part of the development and implementation its work on Women's Human Rights. The six-months internship will be offered to a lawyer from Council of Europe states within Central and South Eastern Europe/ former Soviet Union and will begin in January 2009.

The main areas in which experience will be offered will include:

• Legal research on international and comparative human rights law and practice to support the preparation of briefs before the European Court of Human Rights and UN Committee on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in cases dealing in particular with state's due diligence in preventing, protecting and prosecuting violence against women. We will also explore the opportunity to support litigation in sexual harassment cases under Protocol 12 to the European Convention;
• Developing litigation skills by drafting legal briefs, pieces of advice and litigation strategies in identified cases before international courts.
• Planning and preparing INTERIGHTS' strategic litigation surgeries on women's human rights for lawyers in the region;
• Assistance on INTERIGHTS ' publications on the European Convention of Human Rights;
• Where possible, attendance at meetings with human rights practitioners, or at human rights lectures in London or other universities, or visits to other international or national human rights organisations based in London.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

The successful applicant will:

• have a degree in law;
• have worked for at least three years as a practicing lawyer in Central and Eastern Europe /former Soviet Union litigating human rights issues before the domestic courts, either in private practice or within a human rights NGO;
• have a very good understanding of women human rights issues in his/her country of origin and in Central and Eastern Europe /former Soviet Union region
• have litigated cases on women human rights issues before domestic courts and is able to explain the challenges faced in litigation and the case outcome
• have worked with the European Convention of Human Rights and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights;
• have knowledge of United Nations treaties, Committees and special procedures that promote prohibition of all forms of discrimination against women
• be familiar with other regional and international human rights instruments and mechanisms;
• be connected with civil society actors in the region working on women's human rights and show potential to contribute to the development of women's human rights law in the region;
• demonstrate strong research, analytical and writing skills; and
• have good spoken and written English.

INTERIGHTS will arrange and pay for travel, travel insurance and visa costs, along with a monthly stipend of £1,250. Accommodation is not provided but INTERIGHTS can advise on finding a suitable place to stay.

To apply please send by a covering letter, a curriculum vitae indicating two referees and a recent unedited writing sample of no more than two thousand words. The writing sample should be on human rights issues, desirably on women human rights, and authored by the candidate. Short listed applicants will be interviewed by telephone.

Applications should be sent to Beth Fernandez, Programme Coordinator (Europe Programme) by email only to bfernandez@interights.org. The closing date for applications is 5pm BST Friday 19 September 2008.

INTERIGHTS is committed to equal opportunities.

Website: http://www.interights.org

(cross-posted from the PILN mailing list)