Legal Officer at Haguruka NGO: (Deadline 30 November 2021)

Legal Officer at Haguruka NGO: (Deadline 30 November 2021)

JOB ADVERTISEMENT

BACKGROUND

Founded in 1991, Haguruka is a non-governmental organization registered under the Rwandan law working towards empowering women and children to claim their rights by improving their access to quality justice across the country. With head office in Kigali (the capital city of Rwanda) the organization has regional offices in Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western provinces of the country. Its right holders are empowered to claim their fundamental rights from duty bearers in line with relevant international and national legal instruments applicable in Rwanda. Haguruka has a zero-tolerance approach towards sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment; and the organization implements programs that address the immediate human rights needs of vulnerable women and children while working towards combating Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and promoting gender equality. HAGURUKA thematic focus areas are: 1) Legal aid and psychosocial counseling support, 2) Awareness-raising and social mobilization, 3) Capacity building of partners and stakeholders; and 4) Research and advocacy.

 Funded by USAID, Haguruka, Legal Aid Forum (LAF), Lawyers of Hope (LoH), Rwanda Bar Association (RBA) and DiDe Rwanda are implementing a five-years program entitled Dufatanye Kubaka Ubutabera (DKU) Activity (“Let’s strengthen access to Justice in Rwanda”). The programme aims (1) to improve citizens’ knowledge of their rights and expand access to and improvement of quality of legal services through public defenders, private lawyers, and legal aid services – particularly for vulnerable communities, including women, youth, and early representation of individuals charged with criminal offences, (2) to Reinforce the capacity of the Ministry of Justice Access to Justice Bureaus, prosecutors, and other court officials on the use of the IECMS (3) to Strengthen Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanisms, including support for the soon-to-be adopted Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy in Rwanda for its effective implementation, and (4) to help the justice system in Rwanda identify new modalities and innovative approaches to sustain the provision of legal services as the country responds to and recovers from COVID-19.

With the above background, Haguruka is recruiting “a qualified legal officer” to provide legal aid services to poor and vulnerable right-holders under the direct supervision of program department.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Providing legal aid services to our right holders (Legal advice/Mediation, legal information, /sensitization, Referral)
• Draft legal briefs for right holders and submit cases through IECMS system;
• Accompany Preparing notes, memoranda, letters, and other document on legal matters to different institutions for legal and advocacy purposes;
• Maintain good collaboration with districts, Access to Justice Bureaus (MAJ), and Justice, Reconciliation, Law, and Order (JRLOS) district committees.
• Maintain collaboration with the paralegals working under the area covered by duty station;
• Draft and submit field reports, quarterly and annual report to the supervisor
• Prepare court submissions to clients and other administrative correspondences and legal writings as required by the supervisor;
• Participate in meetings, workshops, seminars;
• Preparing notes, memoranda, letters, and other document on legal matters
• Perform any other duties as required by supervisor

REPORTING

The Legal Officer will directly report to the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Officer or her/his designee.

QUALIFICATIONS AND TECHNICAL SKILLS(ESSENTIAL(E) AND EXPERIENCE (D)

• Bachelor’s degree in law; E
• At least 3 years of working experience in the domain; E
• Able to prepare legal opinions and briefs; E
• Excellent and strong reporting skills; D
• Demonstrated capacity in community mobilization; D
• Self–motivated and able to work with minimum supervision; D
• Excellent written and spoken Kinyarwanda and English; D
• Proficiently in the use of Microsoft office suites (Words & Excel preferably); E
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, E
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with fellow employees and members of the public, D
• Ability to interpret and explain as well as analyses the law and legal issues, E
• Knowledge of legal principles, practices, and procedures; E

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Interested candidates with required skills and competencies are requested to submit their applications addressed to Haguruka Executive Secretary at info@haguruka.org.rw The applications file includes a motivation letter and CV.

The applications will be accepted not later than November 30, 2021 at 5:00 pm (local time).

Note:

• Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for written tests and interviews.

Done at Kigali on November 25, 2021

____________________

UMURERWA Ninette

National Executive Secretary

HAGURUKA