Researcher in Children's Rights at Human Rights Watch

Description: The Researcher will be responsible for developing and implementing a research and advocacy agenda on children’s rights with a primary, but not exclusive, focus on migrant children, beginning in Europe and expanding as appropriate. S/he will work to publicize and curtail human rights abuses against children through monitoring, investigation, writing and advocacy. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, conducting fact-finding missions; writing and publicizing reports, briefing papers, press releases, op-eds and submissions to governments and international bodies based on the findings; bringing human rights violations to the attention of government officials, opinion leaders, intergovernmental agencies, and the media; working with local groups and activists and other partner organizations; and developing strategies together with relevant Human Rights Watch offices and divisions to change abusive laws, policies and practices. The Researcher’s initial focus will be on abuses against migrant children in Europe; this may be broadened to other regions. The focus may change later to work on other abuses against children.

The Researcher will preferably be based in HRW’s London or Geneva office although other European locations may be considered and should be prepared to travel extensively, as well as occasionally to HRW’s New York headquarters for consultations.

Qualifications: The successful applicant will have an advanced degree in law, international relations, regional studies, journalism, or a related field; several years of human rights experience, ideally in Europe; and a demonstrated commitment to international human rights. The Researcher must be able to identify, research, analyze and effectively communicate important human rights developments in a timely and sophisticated fashion, and be able to develop and implement realistic and effective advocacy strategies. S/he must be an agile and productive writer and persuasive speaker. S/he should have excellent oral and written communication skills in English; fluency in one or two other European languages and regional expertise is required. Applicants for this position must have the ability to legally work in the UK or Switzerland.

Salary and Benefits: Human Rights Watch seeks exceptional candidates and offers competitive compensation and generous employer-paid benefits. HRW will pay reasonable relocation expenses.

Applicants for this position must have the ability to legally work in the UK or Switzerland.

PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY (no calls or email inquiries, please) by emailing together a letter of interest, resume, references, salary requirements and a brief writing sample (unedited by others) to crd@hrw.org. Please use "Researcher Ref CRD-11-1009-F” as the subject of your email. Only complete applications will be reviewed. It is preferred that all materials be submitted via email. If emailing is not possible, send materials (please do not split a submission between email and regular post) to:

Human Rights Watch
Attn: Search Committee (Researcher Ref CRD-11-1009-B)
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10118
Fax: (212) 736-1300

Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices and, in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.