Opportunity at ILGA World:
Senior Officer – Gender Identity and Gender Expression
NEW deadline for applications: Sunday, 28 May 2023 – 1 PM (Central European Summer Time, CEST)
Start of the position: Late June/July 2023
The image shows a background in six rounded frames, each of them with a colour of the Pride flag.
Text reads: "We are hiring! Senior Officer - Gender Identity and Gender Expression" and offers details about the opportunity, deadline to apply, and who can apply. The ILGA World logo sits at the bottom centre of the image.
Who can apply?
Anyone
- with dedication - and experience in regard - to the human rights of persons with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and sex characteristics (SOGIESC)
- who meets the requirements set out below
is welcome to apply.
The Gender Identity and Gender Expression Senior Officer position and the Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sex Characteristics (GIESC) programme
ILGA World has an ongoing commitment to advancing the human rights of LGBTI people by paying particular attention to determinants of gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics. These determinants are essential to advance the human rights of trans, gender diverse, intersex people and lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) women.
Since 2015, ILGA World has had a dedicated programme to advance the rights of trans people by strengthening work at the global and regional levels.
We have been part of milestone achievements, such as the removal of pathologising trans categories in the International Classification of Diseases in 2018 and the creation and renewal of the UN Independent Expert on SOGI. We have also co-founded the UN Trans Advocacy Week, in which a coalition of trans-led organisations and programmes has brought trans human rights defenders to Geneva annually since 2017.
In 2020, this work expanded into the Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sex Characteristics (GIESC) programme, created from our ever-growing engagement with intersex communities. In 2022, our programme led the first-ever Intersex Advocacy Week at the United Nations and will soon launch the Intersex Legal Mapping Report. This report compiles legal information about intersex worldwide and seeks to create awareness about the human rights violations experienced by intersex people.
Addressing human rights violations against trans, gender diverse, intersex people and LBQ women roots in the assessment that violence, discrimination, and prejudice against persons of diverse SOGIESC have a common cause: the cis-endosex-heteronormative, ableist, cultural, medical, and social model in which gender and sex are perceived as binary, mutually exclusive, medically normative, or a consequence of a person's particular body. Being of a certain (binary) gender is consequently considered unchangeable, and societies have expectations towards a person's social role and behaviour based on their sex and gender, which includes the conceptualisation of sexual attraction as exclusively heterosexual. Trans, gender diverse, intersex people and LBQ women are particularly affected, as well as gay men, by the binary gender model that defines being straight, cis and endosex as the norm.
Rooted in feminist principles, the programme seeks to expand ILGA World’s work in the field, build bridges, and strengthen allyship with feminist and women’s movements. In addition, the GIESC programme collaborates with other intersectional social justice movements, which are equally impacted by the anti-rights rhetoric.
In 2023, our programme aims to expand our programmatic work by engaging across different movements, especially with feminist and women’s rights organisations, particularly those working to advance women’s human rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). We are alarmed by how trans, gender-diverse and intersex rights are currently debated in some contexts as opposed to women’s rights. It is our analysis that only with a strong and united trans, gender diverse, intersex and women’s rights movement will we be able to counter the anti-gender rhetoric that undermines our rights and pushes for conservative and anti-democratic agendas.
In this context, we seek a Senior Officer to engage in women’s rights, feminist, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), trans, and gender-diverse spaces, and to identify opportunities for collaboration and mutual support. We strongly encourage applications of women in all their diversity who have experience with intersectional feminist movements. The Senior Officer will work closely with the United Nations Department at ILGA World to identify advocacy opportunities for trans, gender diverse and LBQ women, as well as intersecting and decolonial identities. Experience with policy and legal analysis is fundamental for this role. The Senior Officer will engage with the Research Department and help us expand our database and new fields of data and knowledge used to boost activism globally. The Senior Officer will engage with the Communications Department to ensure the visibility of trans, gender diverse and LBQ women and respond to media requests and analyses.
The aims of the GIESC programme are to:
- Advocate for meaningful inclusion of GIESC issues in the programmatic, policy and normative work of multilateral institutions, in particular UN human rights mechanisms;
- Build institutional relationships in and across multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, and key stakeholders to mainstream trans, gender diverse, intersex and women’s issues:
- Raise visibility, awareness and allyship within the ILGA regions and the broader LGBTI movement on issues pertaining to gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics;
- Work towards the depathologisation and decriminalisation of trans, gender diverse and intersex persons at all levels;
- Support ILGA World’s research to cover GIESC issues in the organisation’s research portfolio holistically, ensuring trans, gender diverse, intersex and LBQ communities help conceptualise and deliver such research;
- Empower trans, gender diverse, intersex people and LBQ women organisations and communities in all their diversities to advocate for their rights;
- Support community organising led by trans, gender diverse, intersex people and LBQ women globally;
- Raise visibility and awareness on (SO)GIESC issues within the feminist movement(s) and engage with feminist and women’s rights organisations;
- Serve as a bridge between feminist and intersectional movements by encouraging and supporting collaboration and coalition building.
Responsibilities
The Senior Officer on Gender Identity and Gender Expression supports and reports to the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Manager, in the implementation of the GIESC programmes. This includes:
- Developing and drafting policy positions, briefing notes, talking points, etc.
- Mainstreaming GIGE issues across the office and organisation
- Providing technical support to colleagues, key stakeholders, partners, etc.
- Coordinating the development and implementation of programmes in collaboration within and across teams and departments
- Researching, identifying, and analysing good practices, strategic opportunities emerging issues and trends that impact trans, gender diverse and LBQ women, their organisations, and communities
- Mobilising and engaging relevant stakeholders, partners and/or coalitions to advance the programme objectives
- Working on the sports sector on the intersections of gender identity and gender expression
- Building the capacity of the Office and stakeholders on GIGE issues
- Lead on the Trans Advocacy Week on behalf of ILGA World
- Actively contribute to promoting and achieving the organisation’s objectives
- Ensure that all activities are carried out with full regard to policies on diversity and equal opportunities
- Ensure compliance with such laws and regulations as may be applicable to the operations of the Service Area
- Undertake all duties in compliance with health and safety regulations and legislation
- Undertake other duties that may be reasonably required from time to time
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
- ILGA World is currently introducing a flexible workplace regime – under the new rules, this position can be implemented remotely and does not require relocation to Geneva, Switzerland
- The position is advertised at 100% of a full-time position
- ILGA World remunerates under a three-tiered salary matrix structure. The annual salary being offered for the post ranges between 65’520 CHF and 82’800 CHF for the 100% position, depending on location
- In addition, ILGA World offers 25 days 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 37.5 hours on a 100% position
Requirements
Education and qualifications
- A master’s university degree or equivalent in international gender studies, international law, sociology, social sciences, or a related field combined with 5 years of relevant work experience
- A first-level university degree in combination with 7 years of relevant and qualifying experience
- 10 years of relevant and qualifying experience in lieu of a master’s or first-level degree
Experience
- 5-10 years relevant and qualifying experience designing, managing international programmes, advocating for women’s rights, trans and gender diverse equality
- Demonstrated experience working in multicultural and international programmes
- Experience working closely with and supporting trans, gender diverse, intersex and/or LBQ-led organisations and groups, particularly in the Global South
Technical requirements
- Demonstrated experience advocating with multilateral institutions, including the United Nations human rights mechanisms
- Extensive technical knowledge and expertise on gender identity, gender expression programmes, policy analysis, capacity building and extensive experience in strategic planning, drafting reports, policy briefs and documents
- Working and building partnerships with member organisations, stakeholders, governments, multilateral institutions, and allied civil society movements
- Experience countering the anti-gender/ anti-rights rhetoric
- Demonstrate rooted connections with allied and intersectional feminist movements
Other requirements
- Strong communication skills, able to communicate clearly and effectively
- Tailoring language, tone, style, and format to the audience
- Ability to work in proficient English (mandatory) and ideally Spanish. Other UN languages- more specifically, French, Arabic, Russian or Mandarin, are also welcome
- Adherence to, and alignment with, the ILGA World Code of Conduct
ILGA World strongly encourages applicants from and living in the Global South, particularly candidates who identify as women in all their diversity.
How to apply
The application for this position needs to be submitted online here: https://recruitment.ilga.org/GIGE_SO_application
We recommend you download the application form in Word format, prepare your application and copy/paste it into the application form.
Should there be well-found reasons why this was not possible, you may submit the application form as well by e-mail to recruitment(at)ilga.org.
Rename this file SURNAME_Name_GIGE_SO.docx. For instance: SMITH_John_GIGE_SO.docx before you submit it.
Should you have questions in regard to this call, please reach out to recruitment(at)ilga.org.
Key dates
14 April 2023 Call for candidates
14 May 2023, 1:00 pm CEST NEW DEADLINE: 28 May 2023, 1:00 pm CEST- Deadline for applications
22 May 2023 NEW DATE: 5 June 2023- Shortlisted candidates are invited for interviews
29 May – 2 June 2023 NEW DATE: 12-16 June 2023- Interviews with shortlisted candidates
4 June 2023 NEW DATE: 19 June 2023- Offer is made
Late June/July- Successful candidate takes up position (if notice period allows)
ILGA World equal opportunities policy
ILGA World is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
ILGA World is committed to social justice, regardless of any individual or group characteristics, including gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, sex characteristics, race, age, disability, ability, economic status, national origin, religion, ethnicity, and historical, cultural, and geographic experiences, nonetheless recognizing the unique challenges faced by individuals with each of these characteristics and by those with intersecting identities.
We offer fair treatment to all current and potential employees, interns and contractors and aim to ensure that all such individuals receive equal treatment (including access to employment, training, and opportunities for promotion, as relevant) regardless of any personal attribute as listed above.
ILGA World promotes gender and equality mainstreaming and actively promotes equality in all policies and actions. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Lesbian and bisexual women, intersex persons, trans and non-binary persons, and persons from the Global South are especially encouraged to apply. Only qualified candidates will be contacted.
If more than one applicant is considered equally qualified for the position, priority will be given to applicants from marginalised and/or underrepresented groups.