Sustainable Environmental Management Specialist

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the lead UN entity on human rights. In 1993, the General Assembly entrusted both the High Commissioner for Human Rights and OHCHR with a unique mandate to promote and protect all human rights for all people. Over the course of subsequent decades, with investment by Member States, OHCHR has developed unique competencies for the protection and advance of human rights; competencies that bridge the humanitarian, peace and development sectors. OHCHR provides technical expertise and capacity-development, to support the implementa-tion of international human rights standards on the ground. It assists governments, which bear primary responsibility for the protection of human rights, to fulfil their obligations, supports individuals to claim their rights and speaks out objectively on human rights viola-tions. OHCHR has built global credibility in being a principled advocate for international human rights standards. It represents the leading, authoritative voice on legally binding norms en-shrined in international human rights treaties including in situations of conflict and insecuri-ty. OHCHR is uniquely placed in working closely with Governments, the civil society, the UN family and other stakeholders to advance the human rights agenda. Our strength lies in our unique capability to monitor, critically analyse and report on human rights abuses/violations.

Under its 2024–2027 Regional Programme, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Regional Office for Central Asia (ROCA) began focused work on the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment (R2HE) as part of its broader priority on economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR), the SDGs, and General Assembly resolutions on R2HE. This work addresses environmental crises—such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss—and their impact on rights to life, health, housing, food, water, culture, and development, with special attention to groups at heightened risk through human rights monitoring and reporting. Aligned with the UN Sustainability Strategy (2020–2030), OHCHR’s Organizational Effectiveness Action Plan (OEAP) on Deepening Sustainable Environmental Management (SEM) 2024–2027, this United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment supports ROCA in its efforts to implement ROCA’s Green Office Policy to reduce OHCHR’s environmental footprint across operations and programming. By taking more effective sustainability action now, OHCHR has the opportunity to influence broader, potentially more impactful UN Secretariat wide and business practices. In addition, this United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment supports ROCA in advancing R2HE through research, monitoring, reporting, and proposing relevant interventions in its programming on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR), with particular focus on R2HE. Through action at the regional level and active coordination with the SEM Group and OHCHR HQ, this assignment will contribute to: - Advancing OHCHR’s work on R2HE, including through research, reporting, awareness raising, engagement with human rights mechanisms, and coordination with stakeholders. - Implementation of the Green Office Policy in the Regional Office and its country presences and sustainable environmental management practices (environmentally sustainable procurement, travel and facility management including energy, waste and water management) among the staff of ROCA. - Supporting coordination and reporting efforts under the UN-wide Greening the Blue initiative, engagements with government actors and civil society to promote environmental rights and build inclusive green initiatives. More information: - OHCHR Environment and Climate Change Work - Greening the Blue

Under the direct supervision of the OHCHR ROCA SEM Focal Point and relevant programmatic staff, the UN Volunteer will: - Advance the implementation of ROCA’s Green Policy including through engagement with staff, capacity building and awareness raising activities on sustainable environmental management. - Support GHG data collection and reporting for OHCHR ROCA and its country presences through the Greening the Blue initiative and in compliance with the UN Sustainability Strategy 2020–2030. - Support office wide advocacy related to SEM and human rights including coordination of environmental assessments, audits, and establishment, implementation and monitoring of green initiatives to enhance environmental action. - Research and collect information pertaining to R2HE and impact on human rights from a variety of data sources (e.g. communications, publications, the press) to keep abreast of issues/events and provide up-to-date information; assists in the analysis of information. - Assist in drafting a variety of reports and correspondence relating to R2HE, environmental sustainability and their impact on human rights. - Support to regional mapping, comparative analysis and identification of cross-border environmental human rights trends across Central Asia. - Support engagement with government counterparts, UN partners, development actors and civil society working on climate, clean air, environmental and social governance. - Assist in supporting engagements by the human rights mechanisms (treaty bodies, special procedures, and universal periodic review).