SDG Researcher Human Rights

Result of ServiceThe incumbent will be responsible to provide the following: • Human Rights Chapter and Annex for the CCA A finalized human rights chapter and technical annex for the UN Country Analysis, including a concise risk landscape, structural barriers, population groups at risk, and a set of recommended HRBA entry points for UN programming in KSA. • UPR, Special Procedures and Treaty Bodies Tracking System A functioning, user friendly tracking matrix for UPR, Special Procedures and treaty body recommendations, with baselines, targets, milestones, responsible entities, and a dashboard style summary suitable for quarterly UNCT review. • HRBA Integration Package for UNCT A practical guidance note and toolkit that operationalizes HRBA in KSA, including screening questions for project design, due diligence checklists, template risk registers, sample stakeholder engagement plans, and grievance and feedback mechanism guidance. • Policy Briefs and Thematic Notes Four short policy notes that link specific human rights commitments to priority SDGs in KSA, each with options for action, indicative indicators, and partner mapping for policy dialogue. • Capacity Building Delivery and Materials Two training workshops delivered for UN staff and counterparts, with slide decks, exercises, and a brief post training evaluation summary, plus a recorded session or facilitator notes for future use. • Knowledge Transfer and Handover A consolidated handover pack that includes data sources, bibliography, contact list, templates, SOPs, and version controlled files, enabling continuity by the RCO and UNCT in KSA. Work LocationRiyadh Expected duration6 Months Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground The UN Secretary-General's Development System reform, launched on 1 January 2019 in response to General Assembly resolution 71/243, repositions the UN Development System to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for dignity, prosperity, and peace on a healthy planet. Central to this process, and as further mandated by General Assembly resolution 72/279, a new generation of UN Resident Coordinator Offices across the world are being strengthened under the leadership of an empowered UN Resident Coordinator, the highest-ranking representative of the UN Development System at country level. In this context, the Resident Coordinator’s Office in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia seeks a Human Rights Consultant to help integrate the UN normative agenda and the human rights-based approach across UN analysis, programming, and policy engagement in the KSA. The consultant will support the UN Country Team and national counterparts to embed participation, accountability, non-discrimination, equality, inclusion, empowerment, and legality, with a strong Leave No One Behind focus. The consultancy will map international human rights obligations and national frameworks, develop practical methods and tools to operationalize HRBA in the KSA. The work will generate focused policy briefs that link human rights commitments to priority SDGs, build capacities of UN staff and government counterparts through targeted training, and contribute dedicated analysis to the UN Country Analysis. The assignment will culminate in a finalized human rights sections and annex for the UN Country Analysis, a functioning recommendation tracking system, an HRBA integration package tailored to the KSA, at least two workshops with materials, and a complete handover package to ensure sustained use by the RCO and UNCT. Duties and Responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the Head of the RC Office and in close coordination with the RCO human rights focal point, the Human Rights Consultant will: • Conduct a structured desk review of international human rights obligations applicable to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), including ratified treaties, treaty body concluding observations, Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations, and relevant Special Procedures communications. • Map national frameworks that relate to human rights in KSA, including Vision 2030 policies, legislation, strategies, and institutional mandates, and identify alignment gaps and opportunities. • Develop a practical methodology to integrate a human rights based approach, HRBA, into UN programming in KSA, including guidance on participation, accountability, non discrimination, equality, inclusion, empowerment, and legality. • Create and maintain an actionable tracking matrix for UPR, treaty bodies and special procedures recommendations, with status, lead counterparts, milestones, indicators, and risk flags. • Advise on human rights due diligence for UNCT initiatives, including risk identification, mitigation measures, grievance and feedback mechanisms, and data protection safeguards. • Prepare short analytical briefs that link human rights commitments to priority SDGs, with a focus on leave no one behind, gender equality, youth, persons with disabilities, migrants, and other at risk groups as relevant to KSA. • Provide inputs to RCO policy engagement with national counterparts, including on reporting and follow up arrangements, and support coordination with relevant institutions and stakeholders, including civil society, academia, private sector, and national oversight bodies as appropriate. • Contribute dedicated human rights analysis to the Common Country Analysis update and to UNCT planning products, ensuring coherence with the UNSDCF and Vision 2030. • Design and deliver capacity building sessions for UN staff and key counterparts on HRBA, UPR follow up, human rights indicators, and data ethics. • Produce clear knowledge assets, templates, standard operating procedures, and handover materials that enable sustained use by the RCO and UNCT after the consultancy ends. Qualifications/special skillsEnrolled in or graduated from a Masters or Higher degree in social sciences, economics, public health, law or related area is required. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. A minimum of 1 year of professional work experience in research assistance is required. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required and knowledge of Arabic is desirable. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.