Research Fellow
The
Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) is a grassroots, locally led human
rights organisation established in Karen State in 1992 and now operating
across two states and two regions in southeast Burma/Myanmar. KHRG
works with villagers in rural Burma/Myanmar to strengthen their ability
to claim their human rights, documents their human rights situation and
conducts international advocacy.
The Research Fellow
will assist with the ongoing implementation of KHRG’s Raw Data Project,
and lend support to research and advocacy projects. KHRG’s Raw Data
Project aims to publish information on the human rights situation in
southeast Burma/Myanmar, exactly as it is received from the field,
subject only to minor edits for clarity and security. The Research
Fellow supports the organisation’s research and advocacy efforts at the
local and international levels by assisting with human rights
documentation, report writing activities, as well as the standardisation
of these processes. Local priorities and perspectives on the general
human rights situation in Burma/Myanmar will determine the focus of
reports. Currently, KHRG field documentation often describes land
confiscation and displacement arising from development projects; forced
labour; militarisation and sporadic clashes between armed groups;
violent abuse and torture; local perspectives on healthcare and
education and changes in the general human rights situation now that the
Karen National Union (KNU) has signed the Nationwide Ceasefire
Agreement (NCA) with the Burma/Myanmar government.
KHRG operates
on a consensus basis and the position holder will work as part of a
small team for each report. Thus, team-working skills, a positive
attitude and sense of humour are important. Applicants should also be
highly motivated, able to work with little supervision and should have
experience conducting research and advocacy on human rights issues,
preferably in Southeast Asia. A strong commitment to helping rural
people claim their human rights and a willingness to be guided by
locally defined perspectives and priorities at all times is essential.
Applicants with an interest in expanding their understanding of human
rights issues in rural southeast Burma/Myanmar, especially those
interested in challenging traditional conceptions of human rights that
privilege international legal frameworks, should find the position
particularly attractive.
This position is based in KHRG’s
information processing office in Thailand and the post holder should be
prepared to commit at least 6 months to KHRG.
Note: KHRG is
seeking one Research Fellow for a 6-month period, ideally beginning in
the first week of November 2016. The start-date is important so that the
current Research Fellows have adequate time to train the new Research
Fellow. Due to the high volume of applications received, only
short-listed candidates will be contacted to answer preliminary
questions, and considered for interview.
Research Fellow Responsibilities:
Support
the Information Processing and Report-writing Team (IPRT) as they
process human rights documentation from the field and use it to produce
English-language human rights reports, including:
- Editing translated documents and human rights reports;
- Giving feedback and working with individuals and/or groups to build local staff’s capacity, including English language proficiency, research and report-writing skills. The Research Fellow will be responsible for conducting a minimum of three capacity-building workshops for the entire IPRT based on needs identified by local staff (i.e. report-writing, public-speaking, Excel skills or other workshops); as well as bi-monthly one-on-one capacity building sessions with each of the Information Processing and Report Writing officers. These sessions will be planned in collaboration with the other Research Fellow, and be catered to the individual’s level and needs.
- Assisting in the development of report-writing teaching materials;
- Supporting the on-going systematisation and standardisation of KHRG’s reporting processes;
- Assisting with the maintenance and updating of the KHRG website and internal database;
- Assisting the IPRT with other duties as needed.
Support
the IPRT, Research and Advocacy teams by conducting research, including
into national and international legal issues, access to justice and the
rule of law, and national public institutions related to human rights
in Burma/Myanmar; writing portions of thematic and regional human rights
reports; compiling KHRG reports for thematic submissions; drafting and
editing policy and advocacy briefs and supporting local staff in
advocating with civil society partners, donors and authorities in
Burma/Myanmar, as required. Such responsibilities will be allocated
based on the Research Fellow’s interest and expertise, as well as
internal management decisions.
Play a key role in the process of
recruiting and training new Research Fellows by reviewing applications,
selecting candidates for interview, interviewing potential candidates,
and training new Research Fellows for a two-week period prior to
departure.
Note that candidates lacking prior knowledge of the
situation facing rural communities in southeast Burma/Myanmar must be
willing to work to develop the necessary expertise, including by:
Committing
to preparatory research before beginning work and conducting research
outside of working hours after beginning work with KHRG. KHRG will
provide a list of reading materials to assist the successful applicant
in developing an understanding of the key issues facing people in rural
southeast Burma/Myanmar and the different human rights and development
frameworks used to frame these issues, as well as KHRG’s own research
and report-writing style and best practices guides. It is essential that
the incoming fellow have an understanding of the history and issues in
Burma/Myanmar as a whole in order to help contextualise the issues in
Karen state.
Essential knowledge, skills and abilities:
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, including the ability to adapt communication style to different audiences. Native English language speaker or equivalent proficiency required.
- Attention to detail, including conscientious editing that accurately retains the tone and meaning of the original document.
- Experience conducting research and advocacy on human rights issues, preferably in Southeast Asia.
- Excellent writing skills and the ability to draft sections of research reports and policy and advocacy briefs.
- Positive attitude, including patience, a willingness to be flexible, take initiative and use problem-solving skills, and to accept feedback and make adjustments to improve performance.
- Teaching skills, both in a one-on-one or on-the-job context and through organising formal lessons.
- Self-motivation, self-discipline, organisation and time-management skills, as well as ability to function under pressure. This includes meeting deadlines and responding promptly to job-related tasks, as well as balancing long-term organisational objectives with immediate and routine tasks.
- Ability to work independently and in teams in a multicultural working environment.
- Good knowledge of standard computer applications such as Microsoft
Office (Word, Excel, Power Point), Internet and email applications.
Desirable knowledge, skills and abilities:
- Knowledge of the human rights situation in Burma/Myanmar, with specific knowledge of the situation as it affects rural communities in southeast Burma/Myanmar and domestic law
- Expertise in writing human rights reports, or similar writing projects.
- Some knowledge of Karen, Burmese and/or Thai language.
- Knowledge of Adobe's Creative Suite, including Photoshop or InDesign.
- Knowledge of website design and maintenance (HTML, FTP) and other IT functions such as networking and general computer maintenance.
- Experience processing and analysing information using a database
- Knowledge about international human rights standards, mechanisms and practices, as well as on-going debates in the field of human rights on internal displacement, Burmese politics, development and related issues.
- Experience and interest in women’s issues, particularly in projecting the voices and perspectives of rural women living in conflict and post-conflict regions.
Salary and support:
- KHRG operates on a consensus basis and has an egalitarian salary system that does not discriminate between local and expatriate staff. The Research Fellow is not a salaried member of staff, but the position will be supported with a stipend to cover basic living expenses. In the past, some fellows have gone on to fill full-time salaried positions, subject to the current needs of the organisation, as well as the availability of funds.
- Successful applicants will have an opportunity to be involved in the production of human rights reports and make a large contribution to the struggle for human rights in Burma/Myanmar.
- KHRG is able to cover visa costs during the period of work and cover the
cost of accommodation for the first seven days after arrival. Research
Fellows will be provided with a bicycle for transport, as well as a
Pre-arrival Guide, which includes information to assist the Research
Fellow in obtaining a visa, travelling within Thailand, and finding
accommodation.
- KHRG will provide an initial orientation and the
Fellow will be given access to KHRG’s research materials. While KHRG
will provide guidance throughout the fellowship, Research Fellows are
expected to have a high level of self-motivation and the ability to
independently identify tasks and team priorities.
How to apply:
Please
submit a CV, cover letter, and relevant writing sample to
applications@khrg.org. The cover letter should describe your academic
and professional experience as it relates to the Research Fellow
responsibilities and the knowledge, skills and abilities requirements
above.
Application deadline: Wednesday 5th October 2016, 5pm Thai time
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