Fellowship – Vietnamese National

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is a worldwide network of judges and lawyers united in affirming international law and rule of law principles that advance human rights.

The ICJ wishes to provide an opportunity for a young jurist from Vietnam to build and develop their knowledge and experience in human rights and the rule of law.

The Fellowship will be based in the ICJ’s Asia Pacific office in Bangkok for a period of six months. The Fellow will be integrated into the Southeast Asia projects implemented by the Asia Pacific Office.

Responsibilities

The core activity of the Fellow will be to carry out primary research and write briefing papers on legal issues in Southeast Asia, as well as to contribute to the ICJs work on strengthening access to justice mechanisms in the region. The Fellow will also participate in the development of ICJ advocacy strategies and meetings.

The Fellow will be supervised by a Legal Adviser, and will work with other ICJ staff in Bangkok and Geneva. The Fellow will also be expected to engage with key government officials, judges, lawyers and civil society organisations in the region.

In addition to the key tasks highlighted above, the Fellow will contribute to the following projects:

· Advancing respect for human rights and the Rule of Law in the Southeast Asia region, focusing on the standard-setting and institution-building processes and working closely with judges, lawyers, and civil society organisations in the region;

· Strengthening access to justice mechanisms in Southeast Asia, focusing on security laws in the region, their implementation in the context of countering terrorism and the impact of these laws on human rights;

· Litigation research and support (in the form of amicus curiae) for ongoing human rights litigation across the region;

· Written and oral interventions at the UN Human Rights Council and press statements to media; and

· Contribute to the ongoing administrative tasks of the ICJ’s projects.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will be a national of Vietnam and will have:

· A degree in law, including the study of international law and international human rights law (a postgraduate degree is highly desirable);

· Excellent knowledge of public international law, including international human rights law and human rights protection mechanisms at the United Nations and regional level;

· At least two years of previous experience in the field of human rights working with a national or regional human rights organization;

· High level of working proficiency in English;

· Excellent research and writing skills; and

· High motivation and demonstrated interest in human rights.

Terms and Conditions

The Fellowship is for a period of six months and must be undertaken on a full-time basis. The Fellow will be based in Bangkok, Thailand. The person selected must be available to begin work in June 2014.

The ICJ will provide the successful Fellow with the airfare for return flights to Bangkok, assistance with the visa application process and payment of the fees, accommodation, insurance, and a living allowance.

How to apply:

Please send a cover letter, CV and the names and contact details of at least two referees by e-mail to: asia-recruitment@icj.org

The closing date for applications is 18 April 2014.