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| Legal Assistant and Legal Counsellor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Afghanistan | Province | Ghazni, Khost, Paktia, Paktika, |
| Categories | Legal, | Type | Full Time |
| Post Date | 2023-05-14 | Close Date | 2023-05-23 |
| Vacancy No | WSTA_Legal_14 | Gender | male female |
| No Of Jobs | 14 | Contract Duration | 7 months with possibility of extension |
| Education | Bachelor of Law | Experience | 2 years experience in nongovernment |
| Organization | Opportunities for you | Salary | As per NGO policy |
About Company
About WSTA: Watan’s Social and Technical Services Association (WSTA) is a Nonprofit and Non-Governmental Organization which was established in 1992 with the aim to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable Afghan communities. WSTA is registered with the Ministry of Economy under license number 352, and with UNOPS office, based on code No. WON and registration No. OPS-CR-0535. WSTA is member of ANCB and ACBAR. Since its establishment, WSTA has supported the most vulnerable and conflict affected men, women and children. We have partnered with UNHCR, UNOCHA, UNWFP, IOM, IRC, Care International, Australia Aid, Canada Fund and Relief International to provide humanitarian aid by over 200 projects implemented across 20 provinces of Afghanistan. With our headquarter in Kabul, we have 10 active provincial offices in Parwan, Bamyan, Ghazni, Nangarhar, Paktia, Khost, Paktika, Panjshir, Herat, Daikundi and active presence in Kandahar and Balkh. Currently WSTA has 400 active employees which includes 320 males and 80 females. WSTA provides livelihood, vocational training, education, shelter, water and food assistance to most vulnerable communities particularly women in Afghanistan.
Job Description
The main responsibility of the Legal assistant and legal Counsellor is to provide legal support to persons in need, by implementing UNHCR legal assistance program in accordance with relevant Standard Operating Procedures, standards, and policies, with the aim of providing quality, timely and effective legal responses to the people we serve.
Legal assistance includes (a) legal awareness raising by sensitizing displaced communities and families on their fundamental rights and procedures to access legal and civil documentation (b) individual or group counseling and (c) legal assistance means facilitation and access to the issuance of civil documentation such as birth certificates, Tazkira, Marriage certificate, death certificate, educational documents etc.
Main responsibilities:
- Identify and provide legal awareness, legal counselling, and legal assistance to support PWS on legal and civil documentation including birth certificates, Tazkira, Marriage certificate, death certificate, educational documents etc.
- Providing awareness to PWS to sensitize people we serve on their fundamental rights and procedures to obtain civil documents
- Provide individual counselling to beneficiaries where the issue is complex, especially for cases related to civil documents.
- Identify Legal Identity Document (LID) cases and assist beneficiaries as needed. Facilitate clients before Justice and Judicial offices including filling Tazkira form, preparing petitions or any other legal letter if requested by clients in accordance with laws.
- Organize and conduct capacity building trainings and related mentorship sessions for external stakeholders especially NSIA staff.
- Coordinate with local stakeholders as needed, including with government officials and humanitarian partners.
- Keep UNHCR FO protection staff informed of the development and challenges of the implementation of the legal assistance program regularly and in a timely manner.
- Stay abreast of the local legal and protection context
- In case of need refer cases to other service providers.
- To ensure confidentiality in their work should store the soft and hard records of cases properly.
- Supervise, monitor, and ensure his/her data entries in the electronic database each month and verify and organize hard copies of sources of verification.
- Conduct needs and other assessments as required.
- Send weekly and monthly reports on progress to the Legal assistance project manager.
Working Modality:
- The legal assistant and legal counselor will work from office to field in the mobile team. They will conduct awareness raising sessions, providing counseling and legal assistance to the PWS in project target locations.
Job Requirement
- Bachelor of Law Degree
- Have good knowledge of Afghanistan laws especially civil code
- Holds a license of Defense lawyer from Afghanistan Independent Bar Association that allows you to practice law in Afghanistan justice system
- Proven experience from working in a legal assistance implementation position, with qualification to represent clients in Justice and Judicial offices
- At least 3 years’ experience in the similar roles with representing and advocating on behalf of beneficiaries with I/NGO.
- Excellent analytical, negotiation and communication skills
- Experience in monitoring and reporting on project activities
- Willing to travel to the “hard to reach areas” covered under legal assistance project in the SER
- Basic computer skills, especially in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
Submission Guideline
Interested Candidates are requested to submit their applications (CV and Cover letter) by email to jobs@wsta.ngo by mentioning the job title and vacancy number in the subject line of your emails otherwise your applications will not be accepted.
WSTA has a zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse therefore, all project staff will be subjected to background and security checks. We are also against all forms of gender-based violence, exploitation, and abuse of children in the context of our operation in the country. We are committed to the “Do No Harm” principle in our workplace and throughout our operation in the country therefore, our staff must also respect the organizational code of conduct and safety policy. WSTA provides equal employment opportunities and does not ask for money or gifts at any stage of the recruitment process.