Youth Advocacy Adviser (SHE SOARS), Africa

Title: Youth Advocacy Adviser (SHE SOARS), Africa

Department: Programs - Africa

Center Background: The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global human rights organization working to ensure that reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights worldwide. With offices in New York City, and Washington, D.C.; Nairobi, Kenya; Bogota, Colombia; and Geneva, Switzerland, the Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization changing law and policy throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States. Our 230+ diverse professionals are committed to advancing the Center’s human rights mission through game-changing litigation, legal policy, and advocacy work. This has fueled the Center’s exceptional growth to an operating budget of more than $50 million and won the respect of law firms worldwide. Our global pro bono network includes over 2,100 lawyers across 6 continents, 88 countries, and 125 law firms, contributing over $30 million USD in pro bono legal services annually. The Center’s Strategic Plan sets a high mark for impact: By 2030, half of the world’s population will be living under stronger protections for reproductive rights than they were in 2020. The Center has a record of success to back up this ambitious goal. Since our founding in 1992, the Center has transformed how reproductive rights are understood and applied by courts, governments, and human rights bodies worldwide on issues including maternal health, abortion, assisted reproduction, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights. We have won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies. The Center has also led development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights. It has built the legal capacity of women’s rights advocates in more than 65 countries and counting. To learn more about the Center, please go to www.reproductiverights.org

The Job: Under the supervision of the Senior Technical Adviser, Africa, the Youth Advocacy Adviser will primarily support implementing and achieving outcomes for the Youth Lead Organisations (YLOs) under the SHE SOARS project within the Africa Program. They will also contribute to delivering the Center’s strategic policy advocacy objectives, working with partners to build, strengthen and implement SRHR standards and norms regionally and internationally.

This is a terrific opportunity for someone passionate about changing the experiences and outcomes of young people and ensuring they are at the centre of our work.

You will work with the Africa Program team to implement the SHE SOARS project activities, which include building and engaging networks of youth-led movements across Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda. This will be in collaboration with Women’s Rights Organizations (WROs).

You will incubate, foster, and develop positive relationships with youth-led organisations, networks, and movements of young people across Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia so that the voices of Youth drive our work. This will be done by utilising creative and innovative ways for the Youth to engage in accountability, advocacy and collective action.

You will also involve young people in designing and delivering SHE SOARS project activities, support collaboration with the partner WROs and empower the Youth to foster positive and sustainable change throughout our work.

You will be responsible for delivering and implementing workstreams to enable young people from youth-led organisations in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia to get their voices heard locally, nationally, and internationally and be at the forefront of influencing decisions and policymakers.

The positions will be based remotely in Uganda.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Support the engagement and involvement of Youth in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia to achieve SHE SOAR project outcomes.
• Facilitate the Youth in building their advocacy, research, and movement-building skills.
• Support youth participation in sub-national, national, regional, and international forums so that they can express their views.
• Be a champion for youth engagement, adopting a youth-centric approach to the work of the Center.
• Work with the Africa Program’s Litigation, Advocacy and Communications Teams to promote opportunities and involvement through various channels and create opportunities for young people to share their stories.
• Develop strong relationships through regular engagement with youth-led organisations and movements, which align with the Center’s priorities.

Program implementation and management.

• Under the guidance of the Senior Technical Advisor, be responsible for planning, implementation, and reporting within the YLOs Pillar of the SHE SOARS project.
• Ensure project learning is generated, documented, and shared within the SHE SOARS project in line with GLP and the Center’s overall reporting systems and guidelines.
• Liaise with the Center’s partners, SHE SOARS consortium partners, and program staff to ensure the relevance and quality of activities and maintain effective partnerships and meaningful engagement with Youth-Led organisations.
• Ensure timely production and submission of project reports and other knowledge products in accordance with donors’ requirements.

Advocacy Support

• Develop and ensure that effective messages and concise positions are crafted and delivered to different audiences in line with the SHE SOARS project and the Center’s thematic focus.
• Represent the project at any relevant meetings within delegated authority.
• Analyse trends/issues related to Youth and Adolescent SRHR in the project areas to inform advocacy strategies and partner support.
• Develop and maintain an excellent working knowledge of current and emerging legal and policy trends, focusing on Youth relevant to the country and partner strategies.
• Support the design, implementation, and evaluation of partner advocacy strategies.
• Provide ongoing support/accompaniment to YLO partners under the SHE SOARS project as they implement the project and work towards outcomes.
• Support research initiatives that provide evidence for the delivery of project priorities.
• Develop and facilitate the process of identifying programming and advocacy priorities in collaboration with the Center program teams and existing SHE SOARS partners.
• Participate in implementing and reviewing the capacity support plan for partners as they translate accountability and advocacy priorities into concrete actions with key deliverables.

General

Any other relevant duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications:

• A first degree in relevant disciplines in social science or law from a recognised University with 8+ years of related professional experience.
• Knowledge of international human rights, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Youth development, women’s rights and African regional human rights mechanisms.
• Experience in advocacy and youth engagements at the national or regional levels, including participation in CSO and youth movements or coalitions.
• Proven track record in youth engagements, participation, movement network building and advocacy support for young people across Africa.
• Strong experience using digital platforms to build and engage youth networks and communities and understand and communicate with different audiences.
• Experience working with young people and creating opportunities for them to lead and have their voices heard.

Compensation: This position's annual salary is UGX 187,177,451

Benefits:

• Health: The Center pays up to 90%* of the premium for a comprehensive health insurance plan with no in-network deductible and best-in-class reproductive healthcare coverage, including infertility. The Center also offers Dental and Vision coverage. (* % may differ in various countries).
• Flexibility: The Center currently operates in a hybrid model, requiring staff to work 3 days per week in the office and allowing work 2 days per week from home.
• Well-being: The Center offers resources to help prevent and recover from burnout through different programs that enable mental, physical, and community well-being. The Center provides generous leave, including paid parental leave, personal days, vacation, and sick leave. We are closed the last week of December to allow staff to spend winter holiday time with their loved ones.
• Growth: You will be working with and learning from some of the top legal and operational minds, all passionate about advancing reproductive rights worldwide. You will also be eligible for a stipend to use towards professional growth.
• Global: You will get a front-row seat to the fight for reproductive rights globally. You will have access to Employee Resource Groups to connect to colleagues with similar interests/backgrounds/views.
• Investment: After the first year of employment, the Center will contribute 7.5%* of your annual salary to a 401(k) (*applicable only in US and Kenya).

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Center is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage people from all communities to apply. If you are excited about this role but unsure about whether your experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles. To learn more about the Center’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, please visit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Center for Reproductive Rights.

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