The Women Human Rights Defenders Network Uganda (WHRDN-U) is a nationwide membership organization of diverse women human rights defenders (WHRDs), organizations and individuals. We currently represent over 148 WHRDs from diverse social movements in Uganda, promoting the rights of women defenders to a safe and secure work environment with a vision of having a society where fundamental human rights are upheld and respected. We exist to promote a feminist, holistic approach integrating a gender perspective as a framework for protecting WHRDs; We aim to provide WHRDs with access to gender-sensitive and timely protection and empowerment resources, tools to combat gender-based and other forms of violence connected to their work. WHRDN-U is hereby seeking to recruit competent and vibrant Ugandans to fill in the following positions.

Job purpose:

The Protection Officer as a senior staff will implement and support WHRDN-U’s work on Protection and Emergency Response and Capacity Building for Protection.

Roles and Responsibilities

Program development and implementation

1. Responsible for setting strategies and operational measures to respond to WHRDs at risk effectively.

2. Participate and ensure effective planning, implementation and management of protection and capacity building projects

3. Prepare periodic specific work plans, reports and budgets to guide protection and capacity-building project implementation seeking to enhance the protection of Women human rights defenders;

• Undertake regular visits within the regions (Central, Eastern, Western, and Northern) to assess and monitor all protection needs of WHRDs and develop dialogues with them to be fully aware of their situation.
• Implement security protocol and commit to confidentiality as to internal issues;
• Lead in conducting rapid solidarity visits, interviews, and verification of urgent WHRD cases WHRDs in danger specifically, those arrested, injured, offices raided, faced defamation, etc
• Engage in case reviews and provide innovative support to at-risk WHRDs. Responsible for writing grant applications on behalf of the at-risk –WHRDs to allies and partners.
• Act as the focal point staff for protection and liaise with relevant service providers and institutions to ensure updated service mapping and strong referral pathways

Training and Capacity Development

• Identifying training needs on protection issues for Women human rights defenders
• To be responsible for conducting regular capacity assessments and protection training needs assessments of network members.
• To be responsible for the design and execution of national WHRD protection baselines.
• Strengthen capacities of WHRDs in documentation and registry of attacks
• Convene meetings of healing, self, and collective care practices for WHRDs at National and Regional levels.
• Strengthen capacities in physical and digital security management at the personal and organizational levels.
• Establish capacity building periodic training/ meetings for network members on protection issues, including WHRD case management, WHRD protection strategies, HRD cases core principles, Violence Against Women, Feminist Holistic Approach to Protection and safe and appropriate referrals, legal compliance and network building
• Track how capacity-building initiatives have translated into real protection for WHRDs.
• Where necessary and in consultation with the Program Coordinator and the Executive Director, assist in identifying and managing consultants to provide technical training for staff and members based on assessments provided and requests from staff and members of WHRDN-U.

Partnerships, coordination, and network building

• Liaise with like-minded organizations for cooperation in the areas of protection and support for human rights defenders at risk;
• Establish/lead WHRD referral network coordination mechanisms
• Be responsible for establishing and maintaining of sub-regional networks
• Responsible for Liaising with like-minded organizations for cooperation in the areas of protection and support for human rights defenders at risk;
• Support in managing and coordinating annual events and campaigns in consultation with the Programs Coordinator
• Be responsible for establishing and maintaining regional networks across the country
• In charge of coordinating thematic working groups to identify thematic advocacy and protection issues

Documentation and Reporting

• Responsible for managing a registry of attacks system of attacks to develop information, materials, and sharing as relevant to management and relevant stakeholders
• Properly document and write quality reports for all activities implemented and participated in.
• Develop quarterly analytical reports for the program departments to cover implemented activities and engagements.
• Contribute to the annual reporting documentation and content development.

Research

• In consultation with the Programs Coordinator, identify advocacy opportunities for WHRD’s protection and provide spaces for network members to engage with various policymakers or decision-makers
• Map periodically existing services to address challenges faced by WHRDs in the various affected areas, including identifying referral network members’ community capacities and structures for the potential partnership for protection.
• In consultation with the Programs Coordinator and the Executive Director, undertake research on the risks, threats, and attacks that Women human rights defenders face, obtain information, verify it, and provide input for reports and other related materials which can be used to generate action on their behalf,
• Support in the needs assessment of women human rights defenders from diverse social movements.
• Monitor and analyze legal and political developments, human rights and the rule of law, and security and safety situations of human rights defenders in countries i
• Stay abreast of political, social, economic, and cultural developments that have an impact on the WHRD protection environment.
• Ensure that WHRD-U’s gender and diversity approach to protection is consistently applied through a feminist approach and a non –discriminatory WHRD protection methods

Fundraising and Resource Mobilization

• Engage in fundraising and proposal writing to secure grants for capacity-building interventions.
• Maintain donor relations through compliance with donor obligations to obtain donor trust.
• Provide timely information as may be deemed necessary for resource mobilization and funding initiatives.

Experience, Skills, and Competencies

• Strongly believes in feminist principles, gender equality, and women’s empowerment.
• Strong protection analysis and reporting skills and 5 years of specialized experience addressing GBV
• Proven experience working with GBV referral pathways
• 5 years of experience conducting GBV training with varied audiences.
• Experience working in emergency settings.
• Direct experience providing support to GBV survivors is an asset.
• Strong knowledge of humanitarian, protection, and GBV principles and standards, as well as organizational policies.
• Strong writing skills.
• Experience with people management and the creation of a collaborative working environment.

Educational requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in gender studies, Development studies, Social sciences, Community Psychology, social work, development studies, or another relevant field from a recognized institution.