Job Announcement
Background
Pro-Femmes /Twese Hamwe (PFTH) is an Umbrella of Rwandan Civil Society Organizations aiming at advancement of women status, peace, and development. It was established in October 1992, and currently represents 53 member organizations within the country. The mission of Pro-Femmes /Twese Hamwe is to eradicate all forms of discrimination towards women, to promote their socio-economic-political and legal status, and to enhance the institutional and organizational capacities of its member organizations through the promotion of a sustainable human development approach based on gender equality and a culture of peace, justice, and human rights.
To achieve its mission of promoting the social-economic status of women, PRO-FEMMESE /TWESE HAMWE in partnership with Initiatives for Peace and Human Rights (iPeace) with the financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is implementing the project on “Empowering Women in Informal Cross-Border Trade in The Great Lakes Region (EWICBT)”.
The project activities are implemented in Rubavu and Rusizi borders with the aim to contribute to the social-economic empowerment of women in cross-border trade between DRC and Rwanda. This will be achieved through improving their business environment and increasing their income and social-economic welfare. To accomplish this, the project is built on improving the legal and policy framework for cross border trade, providing access to legal aid services to women in cross border trade, strengthening their entrepreneurial and financial capacity, and increasing women in cross border trade’s access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
In line with the above background, PFTH is recruiting four (4) legal Officers. These will be field staff based at each boarder where the project is implemented (Bugarama: Rusizi I and II and Petite Barriere in Rubavu).
Job description
Legal officer will meet with Women in Cross Border Trade to gather information and take instructions. Advise them on the law and legal matters relating to their case. Draft letters, contracts, or documents based on the client’s needs. She will work closely with lawyers for cases that will go in courts.
Key duties and responsibility
- Receive Women in Cross Border Trade and other legal aid service providers;
- Manage Women in Cross Border Trade’s files in an ethical and professional manner;
- Give relevant legal advice and opinion on case of Women in Cross Border Trade received;
- Preform due diligence on cases received and advice Management on any decisions to offer or not to offer legal aid;
- Identify and prepare cases for legal representation and handle them to lawyers;
- Accompany Women in Cross Border Trade to any administrative institutions for legal advocacy purposes;
- Collaborate with other legal aid providers, at the border, district and others;
- Carry out mediation and reconciliation on cases that so require and only if parties are willing;
- Prepare reports on cases for management;
- Organize legal aid mobile clinics in the community around borders
Qualification
Female candidates fulfill the following qualifications:
- A Bachelors’ Degree in Law;
- A minimum of 3 years as a practicing lawyer/advocate in nonprofit organizations (NGO);
- Be in good standing with the regulatory body of the profession;
- Be passionate about legal aid services for the poor and vulnerable persons and access to justice in general;
- Knowledge of Rwandan legal framework on gender, GBV, Women rights, SRHR, and matrimonial and child protection;
- Skills and knowledge on Cross Border Trade laws, policies, and strategies; MINICOM, EAC, COMESSA, etc.
- Be familiar with civil society works in gender, women empowerment, and GBV prevention n
- Able to prepare legal opinions and briefs;
- Self-motivated and able to work with minimum supervision;
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in French, English, and Kinyarwanda, Swahili is an added value;
Expression of interest and application
Interested candidates should send their applications enclosed with a cover letter, Curriculum Vitae, Academic documents, and other certificates. The application should be addressed to the Chairperson of Pro-Femmes/Twese Hamwe and delivered to PFTH offices by close of business day, Friday 4th February 2022. The Pro-Femmes head office is located in Kicukiro District, Gahanga Sector next to Gahanga Sector’s office.
N.B:
- The subject of the cover letter should be mentioned “Application for the position of LEGAL OFFICER”
- Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for written test.
- Female candidates fulfilling the requirements are encouraged to apply
Kigali, 26th January 2022.
Emma Marie BUGINGO
Executive Director
Pro-Femmes / Twese Hamwe
