Advocacy Specialist: Treaty Bodies

ILGA World is seeking an Advocacy Specialist on Treaty Bodies, who will work as part of our advocacy programme and coordinate the organisation’s day-to-day engagement with the United Nations human rights treaty body system.

Deadline for applications: Tuesday, 10 November 2026 – 23:59 (Central European Time, CET)

Start of the position: January/February 2027, subject to successful work authorisation and any applicable notice period

Who can apply?

Anyone

• with dedication to – and experience in regard to – the human rights of persons with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and sex characteristics

• who meets the requirements set out below

is welcome to apply.

Overview

The Advocacy Specialist: Treaty Bodies is part of ILGA World’s advocacy prgramme and coordinates the organisation’s day-to-day engagement with the United Nations human rights treaty body system.

The role advances the rights of people and communities of diverse SOGIESC by connecting grassroots, national and regional advocacy with international human rights mechanisms. It provides technical assistance to ILGA World members, regions and human rights defenders; supports strategic engagement with treaty bodies; and helps ensure that movement priorities, evidence and lived realities inform country reviews, normative developments, jurisprudence and follow-up at national level.

Working under the strategic direction of the Advocacy Senior Manager and closely with colleagues across the advocacy programme, ILGA regions, member organisations and partner organisations, the Specialist monitors treaty body processes and opportunities, coordinates submissions and briefings, supports strategic litigation and national follow-up, analyses recommendations and jurisprudence, develops capacity-strengthening resources, and maintains relationships with treaty body members and OHCHR staff. The role also works across ILGA World programmes to connect advocacy with knowledge production and movement strengthening.

Responsibilities

The Advocacy Specialist: Treaty Bodies reports to the Advocacy Senior Manager and is responsible for the day-to-day coordination and delivery of ILGA World’s Treaty Bodies portfolio within the Advocacy Programme.

Specific to this position, this includes:

• Implement ILGA World’s Treaty Bodies advocacy workplan and coordinate the organisation’s day-to-day engagement with the UN human rights Treaty Body system, serving as the organisational focal point for Treaty Bodies-related advocacy.

• Monitor Treaty Body sessions, reporting cycles, country reviews, lists of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPRs) under the Simplified Reporting Procedure, follow-up procedures, general comments, individual communications and other developments, identifying timely and strategic opportunities for SOGIESC advocacy.

• Develop and implement advocacy strategies to advance the human rights of people and communities of diverse SOGIESC through country reviews, normative development, individual communications and other relevant Treaty Body procedures.

• Provide technical assistance to ILGA World members, regions, LGBTI organisations and human rights defenders engaging with Treaty Bodies, including advocacy planning, reporting, preparation of written and oral submissions, briefings and follow up strategies.

• Coordinate and contribute to ILGA World and joint submissions, shadow report inputs, briefing materials, statements, position papers and other advocacy products in consultation with affected communities, members, regions, partners, and external legal experts

• Facilitate the meaningful participation of human rights defenders in Treaty Body processes, including organising briefings and engagement with Treaty Body members and OHCHR staff.

• Coordinate ILGA World’s strategic litigation engagement before Treaty Bodies, including identifying appropriate opportunities, supporting individual communications and third-party interventions, and contributing to follow-up on decisions in collaboration with members, partners and relevant legal experts.

• Monitor, systematise and analyse SOGIESC-related concluding observations, recommendations, general comments, jurisprudence, decisions and other Treaty Body outputs, and contribute to compilations, briefings and analytical resources.

• Support ILGA World members and human rights defenders to use Treaty Body recommendations, decisions and jurisprudence in national advocacy, including follow up and implementation, and document relevant results, challenges and good practices.

• Develop and deliver training, webinars, guidance and other capacity strengthening resources to strengthen civil society engagement with the Treaty Body system.

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with Treaty Body members, OHCHR staff, civil society organisations, legal experts, academics and other relevant stakeholders, and represent ILGA World in relevant meetings, consultations and external spaces.

• Monitor and contribute to discussions concerning Treaty Body strengthening, accessibility, effectiveness and other institutional developments affecting the system.

• Work across ILGA World programmes and advocacy portfolios to strengthen coherence between Treaty Bodies, the Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, Special Procedures and thematic advocacy, and ensure that relevant ILGA World research and monitoring data inform Treaty Body engagement.

• Contribute to planning, budgeting, monitoring, evaluation and learning, donor reporting and funding proposals relating to the Treaty Bodies portfolio, and work with the Communications team to make relevant opportunities, developments and outcomes accessible to members, partners and wider audiences.

General

• Actively contribute to promoting and achieving the organisation’s objectives.

• Engage and collaborate with colleagues across the Advocacy Programme and other ILGA World teams to strengthen a shared organisational culture and ensure coordinated, movement-informed work.

• Ensure that all activities are carried out with full regard to ILGA World policies.

• Work as a part of the ILGA World staff team.

• Perform other duties as required.

Relationships with colleagues

ILGA values creative and inclusive approaches to work and management that have been achieved through cross-service area working and the participation of staff at all levels in the organisation. Staff have line management arrangements and specific key relationships, which are detailed in their job descriptions, but they will also need to work collaboratively with their colleagues in order to achieve their agreed targets and outcomes to the required standards.

Performance of duties, remuneration, and benefits

• This position requires relocation to Geneva, Switzerland.

• This position is subject to the successful granting of the necessary Swiss work authorisation.

• Where required, ILGA World will submit and support the work permit application for the selected candidate. However, the relevant Swiss authorities make decisions on work authorisation, and ILGA World cannot guarantee that an application will be successful. Any offer of employment and appointment to the position is therefore conditional upon the required work permit being granted. If the necessary authorisation cannot be secured, ILGA World will not be able to confirm or proceed with the appointment.

• The position is advertised at 100% of a full-time position.

• ILGA World remunerates under a three-tiered salary matrix structure. The annual salary offered for the 100% position is 81,060 CHF.

• In addition, ILGA World offers 32 days, inclusive of legal holidays (“bank holidays”) and annual leave and contributions to health care costs.

• ILGA World operates under a flexible working system that – among others – includes flexible working hours.

• The weekly working time is 40 hours on a 100% position.

Requirements

Education and qualifications

• A master’s university degree or equivalent in international human rights law, law, political science, international relations or a related field, combined with 6 years of relevant work experience

or

• A first-level university degree in combination with 8 years of relevant and qualifying experience

or

• 10 years of relevant and qualifying experience instead of a master’s or first-level degree

Experience

• A minimum of 4 years of relevant experience in human rights advocacy, policy or legal work, preferably within an international, regional or national civil society organisation, multilateral institution or similar setting.

• At least 2 years of direct engagement with United Nations human rights mechanisms, including substantive experience working with one or more UN Treaty Bodies.

• Experience developing and implementing advocacy strategies relating to Treaty Body country reviews, normative development or other treaty body procedures.

• Experience drafting shadow reports, written submissions, briefing materials, statements, position papers or other advocacy documentation for international human rights mechanisms.

• Experience providing technical assistance, guidance or capacity strengthening to civil society organisations and human rights defenders engaging with international human rights mechanisms.

• Experience analysing international human rights standards, concluding observations, recommendations and/or jurisprudence and translating complex legal developments into accessible advocacy guidance.

• Experience with or strong familiarity with strategic litigation, individual communications or other forms of legal advocacy before international or regional human rights mechanisms.

• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with grassroots organisations, LGBTI human rights defenders and diverse stakeholders across different national, cultural and political contexts.

• Experience in project coordination, including planning, monitoring, evaluation, learning and narrative reporting, including in donor-funded work.

• Experience building and maintaining working relationships with UN officials and experts, civil society organisations, legal practitioners, academic partners and other relevant stakeholders.

Technical requirements

• Advanced skills in legal and policy analysis, with strong knowledge of international human rights law and its application to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.

• Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of the UN human rights Treaty Body system, including country review processes, normative outputs, follow-up procedures and individual communications.

• Ability to monitor, systematise and analyse Treaty Body recommendations, general comments, jurisprudence and other outputs and identify strategic advocacy opportunities.

• Strong research and drafting skills, including the ability to present complex legal and policy developments clearly and accessibly to different audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain partnerships with member organisations, human rights defenders, UN officials, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

• Strong understanding of SOGIESC human rights issues and commitment to feminist, decolonial, intersectional and anti-oppressive approaches to advocacy.

Other requirements

• Strong communication, facilitation and diplomatic skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with diverse audiences

• Excellent organisational skills, sound judgement and the ability to prioritise work, meet deadlines and adapt to changing advocacy opportunities

• Proven existing professional relationships with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Secretariat staff and/or independent Treaty Body experts.

• Ability to work proficiently in English (mandatory). Knowledge of Spanish, French or another UN official language is an asset

• Adherence to and alignment with the ILGA World Code of Conduct, including a strong capacity for confidentiality, tact, discretion and respectful collaboration