UN VOLUNTEER DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT
Preamble:
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism tosupport peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature ofdevelopment and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peaceand development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism
into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.
In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing andsupport within the communities. In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism
and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities.
In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging involunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, aswell as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make thetime they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.
1. UNV Assignment Title:

Programme Officer - Human Rights & HIV

UNV PRSF, Outcome 2 ‘Delivery and use of basic services enhanced at sub-national levels throughvolunteerism’
2. Type of Assignment:International UN Volunteer

3. Project Title:

Supporting enabling legal environment for HIV affected communities

4. Duration:

March 2013-March 2014

5. Location, Country:

New Delhi

6. Expected Starting Date:

March/April 2013

7. Brief Project Description: Punitive laws or Laws that impede effective HIV responses have gained
considerable importance over the last decade. International and National efforts on HIV are seriously
hampered by the social and legal environment of law and enforcement of law that in turn have a deterrent
effect on HIV services. The project aims to bridge the knowledge on the implications of such laws,
recommendations to their standard and appropriate interpretation at all levels, capacity building ofstakeholders, advocacy to change and creating awareness.
8. Host Agency/Host Institute: UNDP
9. Organizational Context:
UNDP India supports the Government of India to to understand and respond to the development
dimensions of HIV and health, complementing the health sector work of other UN partners. The HIV andDevelopment unit supports the National AIDS Control Program, Government of India to reduce HIV andAIDS among vulnerable groups and uphold the rights of the marginalized communities, including sexualminorities and people living with HIV. UNDP has advocated for laws and regulations that protect against
discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS and vulnerable groups. UNDP is embarking on the newcountry programme (2013-17) where policy advisory services, partnership development have been
identified as the key strategies to achieve the programmatic goal of improved access to stigma free HIV
services for the affected populations.
10. Type of Assignment Place: Assignment without family (HPC specific)

11. Description of tasks:
Under the direct supervision of Assistant Country Director, HIV and Development Unit, the UN Volunteer
will undertake the following tasks:
Punitive Laws: conceptualizing an advocacy and convening strategy to promote the removal of punitive
laws essential for HIV prevention for men who have sex with men, transgender, injecting drug users andsex workers. This will be part of a larger decriminalization and HIV prevention strategy that involves theother project in the HIV unit on stigma, human rights and sexual minorities.
Access to medicines: India as a strategy is going ahead with universal health coverage for all those whoneed it. One of the most important conditionality for achieving this goal is universal access to affordable(low cost) and effective medicines. In this regard the issue of Intellectual property rights and patents in anenvironment of trade agreements are one of challenges the country faces with its public health goal.
Keeping pace with the developments on the issues with relationship with multilateral and bilateral tradeagreements will be a necessary strategy
Documentation of rights violations against MSM, TG, sex workers: Providing technical assistance tothe monitoring and management of an initiative to document rights violations against MSM, TG, sex
workers, and taking a lead in the projects that advance strategic litigation strategies.
Legal issues in transgender health: conceptualizing an advocacy, and convening strategy to advancetransgender health by addressing the issues of legal gender status change and legal identity.
The program officer will work with grantees on designing and implementing advocacy materials andcampaigns targeting government officials, donors, and the media
Convening: the program officer will, as appropriate, convene meetings and seminars at a national,regional, and/or international level that promote legal and human rights issues related to access totreatment, sexual health and rights
Supporting the recruitment and management of external consultants to assist with the above work as
neededTraveling to relevant meetings and representing UNDP as appropriate.
Preparing background papers, literature reviews, and information searches
Promotion of the United Nations Volunteers Programme mandate

1UN volunteers are expected to integrate the UN Volunteers Programme mandate within theirassignment as well as promote voluntary action through engagement with communities (urban & rural)
during the course of their work. As such UN volunteers should dedicate a proportion of their working
week to the following in support of and in synergy with his/her primary role as UNV Programme Officer:•Strengthen knowledge and understanding of the influence and impact of voluntary action bycommunities in Sri Lanka through the following:ooo1

research of the subject matter,develop knowledge of non-profit community based organizations developing new orapplying traditional methods in engaging with communities,
undertake awareness-raising (promotion) activities for increased community
participation and action,

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme was created by the General Assembly (GA) in 1970 through GA resolution 26/59. Since then, UNV’s mandate has
been expanded by GA resolution 31/131 in 1976, GA resolution 56/38 in 2001 and others in the follow-up to the International Year of Volunteers in 2001.

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encourage local people to volunteer thought and action to enhancing their community.

Build relationships with a wide range (private/public) local organizations, groups or individuals andsupport and/or participate in community driven voluntary activities and assist them to tell theirstories to the World Volunteer Web site;
Encourage, mobilize and support co-workers and fellow UN volunteers to better understand theconnections between community participation and voluntarism;
Monitor on a continual basis the impact of policy reform on voluntary action at the community level;
Contribute to articles/write-ups on the findings from the monitoring process and experiences fromthe above outlined activities and submit them to UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press
releases, etc.;
Promote and/or advise local groups in the use of OV (online volunteering), and encourage relevant
local individuals and groups to use OV whenever technically possible.

12. Results/Expected Output:••••

Knowledge base and advocacy agenda
Recommendations to change/amend/interpret impeding laws with a global perspective and reflections
Actionable advocacy strategy for the next 2 years
A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during the assignment, suchas reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

13. Qualifications/Requirements:
••••
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A university law degree
Demonstrated commitment to using law progressively to advance public health and human rights
objectives.
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
Ability to work efficiently under pressure and on a wide range of tasks
Sensitivity to issues of marginalized groups like men who have sex with men, transgender, sex
workers, people living with HIV etc.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
Willingness to undertake state travel in India
Ability to listen and communicate clearly and effectively with people from diverse cultures andbackgrounds

Competencies and values:•Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply
good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; willingness
to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in apolitically sensitive environment, while exercising discretion, impartiality and neutrality; ability tomanage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;•
Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stayabreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment;•Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability tomanage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and toplan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, andto handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;•Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizationalboundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations ina multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender;•Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills,
including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options

and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate andempathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local
interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge toa wide range of different target groups;•Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere,remote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods, involving physical hardship andlittle comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations; willingness totransfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary;Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes
solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

14. Living Conditions:New Delhi is the capital city of India and is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Home to a
population of 14 million, the city is made up of Old Delhi and New Delhi New Delhi is a cosmopolitan city
due to the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural presence of the vast Indian bureaucracy and political system. The
climate of New Delhi is a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate with high variation between
summer and winter, in terms of both temperatures and rainfall. The temperature varies from 40 °C (104 °F)
in summers to around 7 °C (45 °F) in winters.
15. Conditions of Service
A 6- months contract; monthly volunteer living allowance (VLA) intended to cover housing, basic needs
and utilities, equivalent to US$1796 (single rate); settling-in-grant (if applicable); life, health, andpermanent disability insurance; return airfares (if applicable); resettlement allowance for satisfactory
service.

Description of Assignment prepared by the Project Manager/UN Agency: Ms. Alka Narang,Assistant Country Director, UNDP, Indiard

Date: 23 January 2013
Description of Assignment approved by UNV Country Office Team/Support Office: Gul Berry, UNV
Programme Associate, New Delhi, Indiard

Date: 23 January 2013