Legal Monitor Post

[Monitor]

Svitanje & Mental Disability Advocacy Center

 

POSITION AVAILABLE

Legal Monitor for Croatia

 

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007

 

Seeking an individual with human rights experience, exceptional organizational and project management skills, preferably in the field of rights of people with mental health problems or intellectual disabilities

 

In a project jointly implemented by Svitanje (Zagreb) and the Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC, Budapest), we are seeking a Legal Monitor (Lawyer) for our program in Croatia aimed to assist Croatian civil society organizations in monitoring obstacles to justice for people with mental and intellectual disabilities and to provide legal aid to the target group. The Legal Monitor will work in conjunction with local non-governmental organizations to evaluate human rights concerns regarding mental disability rights, carry out investigations and legislative research, engage in strategic litigation and advocacy and develop training programs. The position will be based in Svitanje, Zagreb, and will report jointly to Svitanje and MDAC

 

Primary responsibilities of the Legal Monitor will include:

• Contributing to the formulation of goals and execution of project work in all areas of the project’s activities;

• Monitoring and researching laws and practices related to rights of people with mental health problems and intellectual disabilities, to include legal research and field fact-finding in accordance with project priorities;

• Developing strategic litigation and undertaking legal representation of clients before Croatian and international courts and tribunals;

• Building and maintaining relations with project partners and with disabled people organizations, human non-governmental organizations, governmental institutions and other stakeholders in Croatia to advance project goals;

• Devising and implementing results oriented advocacy strategies, preparation of printed and web-based materials, cultivation of relationship with media and public mobilization;

• Participating on development of training curricula and materials for lawyers and judges and organization of training workshops;

• Regular reporting

 

The ideal candidate will have the following minimum qualifications:

• Law degree;

• Excellent English-language written and oral communications skills;

• Good understanding of international human rights standards and their enforcement mechanisms at the regional and international levels;

• Ability to work effectively in a variety of settings and to build relationships with various stakeholders internally and externally;

• Analytical, innovative and creative approach and ability to operate at a strategic level;

• Ability to deal with time pressure and demanding work environment;

and possibly the following desirable qualifications:

• At least 2 years’ experience working in the human rights sector (experience in mental disability rights issues highly desirable);

• Experience with working with people with mental disabilities and working on individual cases;

• Experience in project implementation and demonstrated capacity to plan and juggle multiple tasks simultaneously;

• Experience in designing training workshops.

 

Please send a cover letter, CV, brief English writing sample, and names of two references to JoinTheTeam@mdac.info, with the subject line ”Croatian Legal Monitor”. If emailing is not possible, send materials to:

Udruga za zaštitu i promicanje

mentalnog zdravlja “Svitanje”

Horvaćanska 17a

Zagreb

 

All applicants will be notified of our receipt of application; only selected applicants will be contacted for phone or in-person interviews.

Submissions deadline: 17th October.

_______________________________________________________________________

“Svitanje”, Association for Protection and Promotion of Mental Health, is Croatian non-governmental organization based in Zagreb. Our prior activities are raising awareness about a good mental health, promoting our anti-stigma program for patients with mental health difficulties, supporting the international idea of psychiatry in community and right of the patients with mental health disability on protection of their rights; and supporting people with mental health difficulties during their treatment and recuperation period.

The Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC) is an international non-governmental organization based in Budapest that promotes and protects the human rights of people with mental health problems and intellectual disabilities across Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. MDAC works to improve the quality of life for people with mental disabilities through litigation, research and international advocacy. MDAC has participatory status at the Council of Europe and is a cooperating organization of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights.

 

For more information about the MDAC, please visit our website: www.mdac.info

 

MDAC is an equal opportunity employer, and people who have experience mental health difficulties are particularly encouraged to apply.

 

[Kazimir]

Is there a kind of course in which you can develop needed skills to meet the standards?

[Monitor]

If you have any questions please enclose it with your CV in English to the e-mail address described in the Add.

Regards

[Monitor]

and of course you will be instructed and briefed what to do. apply with no fear