Context of the Upemba National Park

Upemba National Park, protected by law since 1939, is one of the oldest parks in Africa. The park is linked to Kundelungu National Park and a number of game reserves, together forming a huge mosaic of protected areas. Upemba has a high diversity of habitats, including a complete transitional gradient from highland steppe through Miombo forest to woodland and grass savannah. There are many rivers, waterfalls, wetlands and gallery forests. The Lufira River and Lake Upemba, both located within the park boundaries, form a key watershed for the region as well as the source of the mighty Congo River. The Congolese Wildlife Authority (ICCN) has signed a public-private partnership with the Forgotten Parks Foundation (FPF) delegating management responsibility to the Foundation for the next 15 years. Under this agreement, Forgotten Parks Asbl (FP) is responsible for the management, monitoring and protection of the park, as well as the development of sustainable financing mechanisms to meet ongoing management costs.

Description:

Under the supervision of the Director / Park Manager, the Human Rights Compliance Officer will support the park’s adherence to Forgotten Parks, ICCN guidelines, best practices policies and standards contained in DLA Piper human rights due diligence tool and a human rights-based approach in conservation.

The Human Rights Compliance officer will be responsible for supporting the organization’s human rights due diligence. He/she will support the implementation, management, and capacity building of Forgotten Park’s Safeguard System at park level. Comprised of policies, standards and operating procedures (SOP), guidance, capacity-building processes, and a grievance redress mechanism. His role will help identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how Upemba National Park addresses possible adverse human rights and social impacts. His/her role will be to overseeing meaningful due diligence activities, the launch and implementation of the grievance mechanism and help the park management to effectively monitor the park’s impact on human rights.

Role within Forgotten Parks Due Diligence Process:

• Internal coordination: The human rights compliance officer works at the interface between the management and the operational side of human rights due diligence, anchored at the highest management level, as required under the Human Rights and Grievance Mechanism SOPs.
• External communication: The human rights compliance officer plays a central role in communicating to stakeholders and the public the progress made by the park in terms of its work on human rights.
• Implementation of the human rights and grievance policy/SOP: The human rights compliance officer should be the first contact person when it comes to the content and implementation of the park’s human rights and grievance strategy, enshrined in its policy statement/SOP. The human rights compliance officer has to ensure a continuous process of learning so that the park can progress in implementing ever more effective measures.
• Documentation and reporting: Especially in light of the ICCN and donors’ specifications on reporting requirements, the human rights compliance officer plays a meaningful role in gathering, processing and publishing reports on the park’s progress with regard to human rights due diligence. This is also necessary for complying with regulatory oversight.
• Grievance mechanisms: The human rights compliance officer facilitates the integration of learnings from the grievance mechanism and remedial efforts into the human rights due diligence processes of the park.

Key Responsibilities:

• Whilst piloting DLA Piper human rights due diligence tool in Upemba, provide input, analysis, and support to developing all human rights and social safeguard elements in the Forgotten Parks safeguard system, including policies, SOPs, guidance, tools, and approaches at the strategic, operational, and country level
• Provide support to the effective launch and operation of Upemba’s park grievance mechanisms, including assisting in dealing with complaints from external parties affected by the park’s projects concerning the application of Human Rights safeguards.
• Provide technical guidance to the park’s department teams in the preparation and timely submission of safeguard screening forms, Human Rights and safeguard plans, work plans, quarterly reports and annual reports to address human rights and social risks during the development and implementation of the park’s activities.
• Ensure that the park adequately integrates all human rights safeguard plans, the use of the Athenea platform and provides timely feedback to the project developers, monitor and report on the implementation of safeguard plans to the park management.
• Assess national and institutional safeguard policies and frameworks to determine risks and opportunities with funding partnerships.
• Conduct a thorough assessment of the staff capacity to implement all the relevant Human Rights safeguard plans.
• Assist in the design, implementation, and monitoring of a Human Rights and gender capacity building program, including the development of training materials for the training of rangers and staff.
• Participate in and organize awareness-raising, capacity strengthening, and knowledge exchange activities related to human rights safeguards and gender for Forgotten Parks / ICCN staff, project teams, executing partners, and selective stakeholders.
• Participate in relevant Human Rights subject area networks and stay updated on safeguards standards pertinent to conservation and climate change adaptation.
• Periodically collect and analyze data related to Human Rights performance indicators for the park and performance reviews of its system implementation.

This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.

Qualifications and Experience:

1. Postgraduate degree in law, human rights or similar
2. Extended knowledge of international, regional, and national human rights instruments and mechanisms
3. At least 5 years of experience in human rights monitoring, investigations, mainstreaming human rights, or social safeguarding strategies in the conservation or development sector
4. Demonstrated experience or knowledge of legal processes supporting victims of human rights violations in DRC, highly desirable
5. Full proficiency in French and English required
6. Excellent communication skills
7. Ability to work under high pressure and in conflict-sensitive environments
8. Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
9. Cultural, gender, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability
10. Willingness to live and work in a remote area with basic living conditions
11. Experience in protected areas is a distinct advantage