International Anti-homophobia Legal Clinic--El
Salvador
Seeks Legal
Advocates
Great opportunity with a new start-up international human rights
NGO, helping shape its future, combating the spread of HIV/AIDS, fighting discrimination in education,
employment, medical
care and the impunity of hate crimes. The
legal clinic in El Salvador will, for the first time, make justice accessible
to the LGBTQ community.
The Project: The leading LGBTQ human rights groups--Asociación Entre
Amigos (‘AEA’), as well as other LGBTQ activists, have expressed the dire
need for pro bono legal services for LGBT persons in El Salvador. This community is the
most vulnerable, at-risk-population including transgender persons and those
living with HIV/AIDS who are grossly marginalized and persecuted. The need for pro bono legal services has been
confirmed by a report on the
human rights situation of the LGBT community--- Sexual Diversity in El
Salvador July 2012, International Human Rights Law Clinic University of California,
Berkeley, School of Law.
Background: Post conflict El
Salvador is undergoing an exciting transformation after years of conservative
Right Wing politics. Through the new democratically elected FMLN liberal
party, the country has real opportunities for strengthening the rule of law by
asserting and defending the rights of LGBTQ. We seek pro bono advocates to
bring about historic change for the LGBTQ community in El Salvador's legal
justice system through the work of this new Anti-Homophobia Legal Clinic (in El
Salvador known
as ‘Asistencia Legal Para la Diversidad Sexual’).
Duties & Responsibilities: Assist in promoting
Thematic Hearing for LGBT in OAS Inter-American Commission of Human
Rights. Work to solicit the American Bar Association or other international
pro bono NGOs to and establish high-impact legal advocacy projects. Help organize the first LGBT Human
Rights Conference at the University of Central America (‘UCA’)
w/academics, LGBT presenters, human rights advocates/NGOs, along with cultural
activities—art exhibit, musical performance, poetry/literature film etc. Assist organizing Anti-Homophobia Day May 17, 2013
Celebration at the University and or other additional forum. Help develop a LGBT
Human Rights Training Curriculum and creating a panel of local legal
professionals capable of applying internationally recognized protections for
LGBT rights. This may include prosecutors, Supreme Court justices, members of
the Ministry of Justice and Interior, NGO representatives and other policy
makers and legal professionals in El Salvador.
Research & Writing Projects
including compiling a Human Rights Violations Report on
documented hate crimes from currently available materials on the 47 (or more) hate crimes committed, in recent years,
against LGBT in El Salvador. An
important facet of your work at the clinic is Accompaniment (‘acompanamiento’) of individuals
looking to assert their civil rights
This is your opportunity to work one-on-one with members of the LGBTQ
community wherein you accompany them to institutions and venues where they seek
to assert their civil rights for education, health care and fair
labor/employment. Your advocacy efforts
will be guided by an attorney from the Salvadorian bar. You may choose to participate in
Outreach Activities to LGBT & NGO community. Other projects that
are of interest to you are welcome and will be considered.
Your Qualifications:
· Experience with HIV & LGBT issues
·
Able to work independently,
and also as part of a team
·
Competence with Microsoft Office,
Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel & other applications
·
Highly motivated with energy
and ability to multitask , Ethical and compassionate
·
Possess excellent
interpersonal skills
·
Spanish language competency desirable—but
non-Spanish speakers are also invited to apply
·
Self-starter, able to work
effectively with minimal supervision
·
Sensitive to cultural differences, comfortable working with low-income
clients
·
Skilled communicator with
effective oral, presentation and written communication skills
·
Willing to work with people
living with HIV/AIDS, including sex workers and those who may be terminally ill
and who suffer severe discrimination, prejudice and stigma.
·
Willing to travel and live in
El Salvador for the duration of 12 weeks minimum
·
Economically self-sufficient,
as this is a self-funded position.
The Clinic opened
in April 2012; positions are available on a rolling basis. Applicants please send a cover letter and resume to Ana Montano,
Director & Supervising Attorney-- ana@alrp.org
with the Subject
Line 'Legal Advocate for El Salvador'. Please describe
your international experience, Spanish language proficiency and preferred dates
of travel. This is a self-funded position for attorneys, law school
graduates, law students and others who have a passion for LGBT
rights.
Benefits to you: Explore
different kinds of legal work to help you figure out what you really want to
do. Gain International
development experience, and ‘on-the-ground’ field experience &
knowledge about human rights violations.
Have an impact and contribute to the protection of human rights in
action. Learn about LGBT & HIV/AIDS
issues. Make professional
contacts and develop your legal career network.
Strengthen your Spanish language, and cross-cultural communication
skills. Work abroad with fun, intelligent, inspiring co-workers. All legal advocates with
the Anti-Homophobia
Legal Clinic-El Salvador are encouraged
to view their legal work as a dynamic factor in their agent-of-change
activities through global human rights lawyering. We a comfortable, secure, home stay program
and there is the opportunity to attend an intensive Spanish Language program if
needed.
* The Mission of the Legal Clinic for
HIV/LBGTQ in El Salvador is to fight the spread of AIDS and promote the health,
safety, dignity, civil rights and legal empowerment of HIV/LBGTQ,
including children abandoned & orphaned because of their HIV status.
Intersection of Health & Human Rights: The International AIDS Conference in Vienna 2010
focused on legal and human rights issues faced by the 'vulnerable and most at
risk' i.e., LGBTQ persons. It recognized the need of securing human
rights to achieve medical access goals.
Challenges: The
AIDS Conference found that LGBT persons often have the poorest access to HIV
medical care because of stigmatization and marginalization. A panel 'Opposing
Grave Human Rights Violations On The Basis Of Sexual Orientation and Gender
Identity' at UN headquarters, discussing arbitrary arrests, degrading
treatment, torture and murder concluded that a major challenge in controlling
the spread of AIDS in the Global South remains the social stigma and
discrimination faced by these vulnerable, high risk groups.
Popular Perceptions in Salvadoran Society that Contribute to
Discrimination & Stigmatization
· 81% believe that employers have the right to request HIV
tests as a requirement to employment,
· 65% believe that children with HIV should be educated at separate
institutions,
· 54% believe that God has punished prostitutes and
homosexuals with HIV/AIDS due to their lifestyles,
· 51% state that people with HIV/AIDS should not be able to
use public places.
Hate Crimes against LGBTQ & Lack of Legal Protection--Although the need for legal services is immense, there is no
legal organization asserting the civil rights of LBGTQ in El Salvador. By
most accounts there have been more than 47 murders of gay men, transsexuals
& transvestites. In all these murders, no one has been brought to
trial! Many other LGBTQ are regularly assaulted, battered, threatened and
shunned. (See report ´La Alianza por la Diversidad Sexual LGBT de El
Salvador 'a report on the aggression suffered by LGBT community in El
Salvador between Jan--Sept 2009)
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