Programme Adviser, Human Rights
United Nations Population Fund
Location
Remote
Type
Full-time
Posted
Dec 19, 2025
Mission
What you will drive
**
*
## Programme Adviser, Human Rights, Gender & Human Rights and Inclusion Branch, Nairobi, Kenya
*
• Organization:
UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund
• Country:
Kenya
• City:
Nairobi
• Office:
UNFPA Nairobi
• Grade:
P-5
*
Programme Adviser, Human Rights, Gender & Human Rights and Inclusion Branch, P5, FTA, Nairobi, Kenya**
Nairobi, Kenya
**Job Info**
Job Identification 30734
•
Posting Date 12/12/2025, 05:46 PM
•
Apply Before 01/10/2026, 04:59 AM
•
Job Schedule Full time
•
Locations Nairobi, Kenya
•
Grade P5
•
Vacancy Type Fixed Term
•
Contract Duration 1 Year with Possibility for extension
•
Education & Work Experience Master's Degree - 10 year(s) experience
•
Required Languages English
•
Desired Languages French, Spanish or other UN official language
•
Vacancy Timeline 4 Weeks
•
Job Network 2
**Job Description**
**The Position:**
The Programme Adviser post is located in the Gender, Human Rights Branch of the Programme Division and reports directly to the Branch Chief who provides overall strategic direction. They are the principal technical adviser and authoritative expert in the Fund for human rights and its linkages with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Programme Adviser works in an integrated, coordinated, and systems strengthening approach which is fundamental to the Division's and UNFPA's overall strategy.
**How you can make a difference:**
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA's strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women's and girls' access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
**You would be responsible for:**
A. Strategic technical support*
Identify priority areas in the area of human rights, particularly reproductive rights in the context of ICPD, the SDGs and develop UNFPA strategic positions and related policies, frameworks, evidence-based arguments, and operational strategies, in collaboration and coordination with other branches, and Geneva Liaison Office, including in the context of increasing polarization, pushback, crises, and climate induced humanitarian situations;
•
Support the mainstreaming of human rights and leaving no one behind (LNOB) in national and regional efforts to improve sexual and reproductive health, including in the context of UNFPA's four Strategic Outcomes of its 2026-2029 Strategic Plan: family planning maternal health , and Gender Based Violence including Harmful Practices and demographic change;
•
Leading Leaving No One Behind efforts within UNFPA, including in taking forward ongoing focus areas related to Indigenous Issues, supporting UNFPA's work on persons with disabilities, persons of African Descent, supporting LGBTQI+ efforts, and overall efforts to address discrimination and inequalities;
•
Support the integration of the human rights-based vision of the ICPD mandate in UN intergovernmental discussions and fora, including the Agenda 2030 development agenda and any other special events and conferences;
•
Understand and respond to the needs of the country offices through the regional offices, in developing and updating policies, methodology, frameworks, guidance, standards, instruments and tools related to incorporation of human rights including leaving no one behind and its linkages to the ICPD mandate;
•
Support the implementation and coordination of the UNFPA-OHCHR Framework of Cooperation 2026-2030;
•
Support UNFPA's work in measuring, strengthening, and implementing laws to guarantee access to SRHR and protect women and girls from violence and discrimination.
*B. Results-based management*
Ensure incorporation of evaluation results, lessons learned and new knowledge in the updating of strategies, policies, tools and approaches on human rights and their linkages with the achievement of the SDGS;
•
Develop substantive indicators, tools and guidance, and substantive quality assurance framework, for human rights and LNOB-related programming and evaluations;
•
Contribute to technical and programming support efforts, in coordination with the Division External Relations, in the area of human rights and LNOB and linkages with UNFPA's four outcomes.
*C. Capacity development*
Support the work of international human rights mechanisms with a mandate to promote, monitor and protect sexual and reproductive health and rights, including the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council, UN Treaty Bodies and Special Procedure mandate-holders;
•
Liaise and support civil society networks and organizations advocating for human rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights;
•
Provide technical assistance and support to UNFPA regional, sub-regional and country offices to mainstream human rights in their programming frameworks and advocacy strategies;
•
Guide the organizational effort to develop technical capacity of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) to conduct country assessments of sexual and reproductive health and rights, national public inquiries and policy dialogues;
•
Provide substantive technical capacity development of government officials, Civil Society Organizations, NHRIs and other relevant national stakeholders to track the implementation of recommendations issued by international human rights mechanisms with a focus on the Universal Periodic Review;
•
•
Develop the capacities of UNFPA staff capacities on human rights and application of a Human Rights-Based Approach to programming through the development and roll-out of training and learning materials, including through in-person workshops at global, regional or national level and online courses;
•
Coach and manage mid level and junior professional staff and associates, direct expert consultants and facilitate working groups and task teams.
*D. Evidence and knowledge development and dissemination*
Lead the analysis methodology and conceptual thinking related to UNFPA's work on SDG indicators 5.6.1 and 5.6.2 (women's decision-making for SRHR and laws that guarantee full and equal access to SRHR) and jointly with UNFPA's data teams, strategically position women's sexual and reproductive agency, and its measurement, in the post 2030 Agenda;
•
Ensure that e...
Profile
What makes you a great fit
**
*
## Programme Adviser, Human Rights, Gender & Human Rights and Inclusion Branch, Nairobi, Kenya
*
• Organization:
UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund
• Country:
Kenya
• City:
Nairobi
• Office:
UNFPA Nairobi
• Grade:
P-5
*
Programme Adviser, Human Rights, Gender & Human Rights and Inclusion Branch, P5, FTA, Nairobi, Kenya**
Nairobi, Kenya
**Job Info**
Job Identification 30734
•
Posting Date 12/12/2025, 05:46 PM
•
Apply Before 01/10/2026, 04:59 AM
•
Job Schedule Full time
•
Locations Nairobi, Kenya
•
Grade P5
•
Vacancy Type Fixed Term
•
Contract Duration 1 Year with Possibility for extension
•
Education & Work Experience Master's Degree - 10 year(s) experience
•
Required Languages English
•
Desired Languages French, Spanish or other UN official language
•
Vacancy Timeline 4 Weeks
•
Job Network 2
**Job Description**
**The Position:**
The Programme Adviser post is located in the Gender, Human Rights Branch of the Programme Division and reports directly to the Branch Chief who provides overall strategic direction. They are the principal technical adviser and authoritative expert in the Fund for human rights and its linkages with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Programme Adviser works in an integrated, coordinated, and systems strengthening approach which is fundamental to the Division's and UNFPA's overall strategy.
**How you can make a difference:**
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA's strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women's and girls' access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
**You would be responsible for:**
A. Strategic technical support*
Identify priority areas in the area of human rights, particularly reproductive rights in the context of ICPD, the SDGs and develop UNFPA strategic positions and related policies, frameworks, evidence-based arguments, and operational strategies, in collaboration and coordination with other branches, and Geneva Liaison Office, including in the context of increasing polarization, pushback, crises, and climate induced humanitarian situations;
•
Support the mainstreaming of human rights and leaving no one behind (LNOB) in national and regional efforts to improve sexual and reproductive health, including in the context of UNFPA's four Strategic Outcomes of its 2026-2029 Strategic Plan: family planning maternal health , and Gender Based Violence including Harmful Practices and demographic change;
•
Leading Leaving No One Behind efforts within UNFPA, including in taking forward ongoing focus areas related to Indigenous Issues, supporting UNFPA's work on persons with disabilities, persons of African Descent, supporting LGBTQI+ efforts, and overall efforts to address discrimination and inequalities;
•
Support the integration of the human rights-based vision of the ICPD mandate in UN intergovernmental discussions and fora, including the Agenda 2030 development agenda and any other special events and conferences;
•
Understand and respond to the needs of the country offices through the regional offices, in developing and updating policies, methodology, frameworks, guidance, standards, instruments and tools related to incorporation of human rights including leaving no one behind and its linkages to the ICPD mandate;
•
Support the implementation and coordination of the UNFPA-OHCHR Framework of Cooperation 2026-2030;
•
Support UNFPA's work in measuring, strengthening, and implementing laws to guarantee access to SRHR and protect women and girls from violence and discrimination.
*B. Results-based management*
Ensure incorporation of evaluation results, lessons learned and new knowledge in the updating of strategies, policies, tools and approaches on human rights and their linkages with the achievement of the SDGS;
•
Develop substantive indicators, tools and guidance, and substantive quality assurance framework, for human rights and LNOB-related programming and evaluations;
•
Contribute to technical and programming support efforts, in coordination with the Division External Relations, in the area of human rights and LNOB and linkages with UNFPA's four outcomes.
*C. Capacity development*
Support the work of international human rights mechanisms with a mandate to promote, monitor and protect sexual and reproductive health and rights, including the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council, UN Treaty Bodies and Special Procedure mandate-holders;
•
Liaise and support civil society networks and organizations advocating for human rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights;
•
Provide technical assistance and support to UNFPA regional, sub-regional and country offices to mainstream human rights in their programming frameworks and advocacy strategies;
•
Guide the organizational effort to develop technical capacity of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) to conduct country assessments of sexual and reproductive health and rights, national public inquiries and policy dialogues;
•
Provide substantive technical capacity development of government officials, Civil Society Organizations, NHRIs and other relevant national stakeholders to track the implementation of recommendations issued by international human rights mechanisms with a focus on the Universal Periodic Review;
•
•
Develop the capacities of UNFPA staff capacities on human rights and application of a Human Rights-Based Approach to programming through the development and roll-out of training and learning materials, including through in-person workshops at global, regional or national level and online courses;
•
Coach and manage mid level and junior professional staff and associates, direct expert consultants and facilitate working groups and task teams.
*D. Evidence and knowledge development and dissemination*
Lead the analysis methodology and conceptual thinking related to UNFPA's work on SDG indicators 5.6.1 and 5.6.2 (women's decision-making for SRHR and laws that guarantee full and equal access to SRHR) and jointly with UNFPA's data teams, strategically position women's sexual and reproductive agency, and its measurement, in the post 2030 Agenda;
•
Ensure that e...