Printer-friendly versionSend by emailPDF version
Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT)

A vibrant and cutting edge Cape Town-based NGO seeks an Advocacy and Human Rights Defence Manager to manage its Advocacy Programme. The position is available from the 1st August 2012. The organisation promotes the health and human rights of sex workers within the existing legal system in which sex work is criminalised, by providing and facilitating access to health care services for sex workers in several provinces in South Africa; facilitating the defence of sex workers’ human rights in and outside of court; providing safe spaces for sex worker empowerment and organising, and conducting action-oriented research and monitoring of sex worker human rights issues.

It also engages in policy activities to promote the recognition and protection of sex work as to legitimate work, and also leads a civil society campaign to calling for the decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa.

Our work is informed by a human rights approach and feminist and development models and theories, in which the leadership, agency and decisions of sex workers are encouraged and respected.

The incumbent will be responsible for implementation of the Advocacy Programme and will be responsible for advocating and lobbying for changes / legal reform in laws and policies affecting sex workers in South Africa. The primary focus of this job is to manage the Decriminalisation of Sex Work Campaign, which involves -
1. Coordinating parliamentary lobbying engagements and correspondence with parliamentarians and influential players in government and civil society
2. Managing a team of staff and coordinating a civil society working group which contributes to the campaign
3. Identifying and managing emergent strategic opportunities to push the campaign forward
4. Formulating and managing media strategy, including monitoring and media responses

The second aspect of the incumbent’s work is to co-manage a human rights defence programme which seeks to facilitate the defence of sex worker human rights. This work includes-
1. Managing day- to-day reports of violations,
2. Documenting and monitoring trends in human rights violations and using these for advocacy follow up
3. Facilitating sex workers’ consciousness building, skills and knowledge to strengthen capacity to defend their human rights
4. Partnering with legal assistance organisations to provide legal redress for violations
5. Participating in the provision of human rights defence in other provinces and supporting other organisations to participate in human rights defence.

The Position is a Management level and involves-
1. The supervision of at least 2 staff members
2. Participation in management activities, processes and decisions.

Qualifications:
· A relevant degree in humanities and/or law
· At least 5 years of experience of working in the non-profit field (with gender/women, health or human rights)
· Experience in working with sex workers
· Knowledge of the law (demonstrated in academic or experiential terms) and especially as it pertains to sex work
· Demonstrated ability to write and articulate human rights arguments
· Management Level experience and supervision of others
· Experience and knowledge in policy level processes and human rights defence processes highly advantageous Must be computer literate and able to communicate effectively through information technology
· Good Networking skills and ability to form and use strategic alliances

Highly advantageous:
· Civil society campaign skills and experience
· Media advocacy skills
· Previous experience advocating for rights of minority groups
· Must be able to strategise and implement the components of the Advocacy Strategic Plan as well as constant revision thereof according to operational requirements;

Must be goal and results orientated; including the ability to produce work within agreed upon time frames so that output targets are met;

Please send applications on or before the 24th July 2012 at 5 p.m. to:

The Director, 19 Anson Street, Observatory, Cape Town, 7945.
P.O. Box 373, Woodstock, 7915.
Or send your application via email to: [email][email protected]

Your application must include a cover letter indicating your suitability for the post as per job requirements, and at least 2 recent, contactable references. Please note that late applications will not be accepted and only shortlisted applicants will be notified. We reserve the right not to make an appointment.