Part III Bihar Chapter: Call For Applications For Human Rights Defender And Monitor
To see this post in Hindi, click here.
About the organisation
PART III – Action Research & Resource Centre engages with intersectional themes of law, human rights and social justice with a vision to reclaim Fundamental Rights enshrined in Part III of the Indian Constitution. We strive to combine efforts with the disadvantaged communities in their pursuit to seek justice, dignity and systemic accountability through legal intervention, training, research and advocacy. Part III works closely with survivors of systemic and identity-based violence along with community-based organisations. Part III is based in New Delhi. For more information about our work please visit our website – www.part-three.org.
In furtherance of its mission, Part III is initiating a pilot action-research project to support survivors/ victims of caste-based violence in Bihar, which happens to be one of the most atrocity prone States in the country. Part III will use documentation of individual cases of atrocities, research into various special and local laws and policies, including the 35-year old Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and providing legal aid as part of a multi-faceted approach to understand the changing nature of caste based violence and devise legal and other strategies to advance the aspirations of marginalised communities that we work closely with.
The Human Rights Defender & Monitor (HRDM) will work closely with affected communities, while remaining embedded in a team that has multi-disciplinary skill sets. As a member of a young organisation, the HRDM will also have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the organisation’s strategic vision and mission. It is a full-time position based in Patna, Bihar.
About the Role
- Monitor individual cases of caste-based atrocities reported in local media, and conduct field visits, plan and execute fact-findings and prepare fact-finding reports; gather information through consultations and networking with key informants including lawyers, journalists, activists, academicians, civil society actors and the survivors.
- Provide para-legal support to survivors/ victims of caste-based violence;
- Facilitate survivor/ victim family’s access to criminal justice system and administrative system through assisting in drafting letters, representations, etc;
- File RTI applications and complaints in public offices and human rights bodies such as National Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Women, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, etc.;
- Conduct secondary research through in-depth literature review on caste-violence in Bihar;
- Prepare research reports on the nature of caste-based violence and challenges faced in addressing the same;
- Coordinate with community organisations to ensure holistic support for survivors/victims by coordinating capacity building of community-based organisations through training.
- Provide assistance in office programs and activities including attending/conducting meetings, training, and workshops; preparing field reports, review reports, periodic reports, and other necessary documents that the organisation might require;
Desired Qualifications
- LLB, Masters in Social Work and other relevant discipline, with minimum 2 years of work experience in case-management and providing paralegal support.
- Experience in conducting fact-finding, documenting and preparing reports;
- Interest in issues of human rights and social justice, as well as in community engagement and developing a trauma-informed approach to representing survivors of identity-based violence
- Good organisational and leadership skills and willingness to do detail-oriented work;
- Proficiency in reading, writing and understanding legal documents in Hindi is compulsory. Workable knowledge of English would be an advantage.
- Candidates from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds will be given preference.
Place and Duration of Work
This is a full-time position based out of Patna, Bihar. The work will involve fieldwork in Paschim Champaran, Patna and districts adjacent to Patna. This assignment is for 1 year, with a three-month probation period. The assignment may be extended further based on the execution of the pilot project.
Application Process
Interested candidates can upload their Resume (CV), Statement of Purpose (SoP) and a short response (500 words) to the questions: (1) “What, according to you, are the core causes of caste-based violence in Bihar?” by filling out the form available below. In case of any technical difficulty, you may write to mailprojectpartthree@gmail.com.
Deadline
Applications are open till January 26, 2024. Candidates will be expected to join from February 2024. Part III reserves the right to make an offer at the closing of the deadline.
Remuneration
The salary will be commensurate with the work experience and relevant qualifications of the Candidate (within an approximate bracket of Rs. 2,40,000 – 4,20,000 per annum based on qualifications and experience) Shortlisted candidates will be contacted within one week from the application, on a rolling basis.
PART III believes in equal opportunity for all and encourages people from all socio-economic realities to apply for this position. Preference will be given to candidates from disadvantaged communities.
