The Carter Center is guided by a fundamental commitment to promote human rights, alleviate human suffering, enhance freedom and democracy, and improve health conditions. The Center The is seeking a short-term consultant to assist with, and support, the maintenance of its Election Standard and Obligations database. The Election Obligations and Standards (EOS) database is a searchable resource that consolidates nearly 200 sources of public international law related to human rights and elections. Originally created in August 2010 as the Database of Obligations for Democratic Elections, EOS is a user-friendly tool that helps observers, as well as citizens and election officials, identify states’ obligations under public international law and assess elections against these commitments. By anchoring election assessment to international obligations, citizens and observers are better able to hold governments accountable.
Work can be conducted remotely and must be completed between June 1 – August 31, 2021.
Key Responsibilities
- Contribute to a catalogue of sources of international standards for elections that have been released since 2015 that could be included in the EOS database (if missing);
- Review key sources (e.g. UN and regional human rights jurisprudence, reports from human rights bodies or mandates, political commitments from intergovernmental organizations, organizational documents from key international organizations related to elections) to highlight key quotes to be included in the EOS database;
- Capture quotes and other source information in data collection spreadsheets shared by Carter Center staff to facilitate upload to the EOS database;
- In consultation with Carter Center staff, upload data to the EOS database and ensure that it is appropriately categorized within searches;
- Highlight key issues or criteria that may be missing from the EOS database that should be considered by Carter Center staff for inclusion in the EOS database;
- Update existing guidance documents on the EOS database as needed based on experience with the update process.
- Make any other recommendation or suggestion relevant to maintaining the EOS database.
- Participate in regular meetings with Carter Center staff on the status of the work.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity with The Carter Center’s EOS Database content and structure is preferred.
- Demonstrable knowledge and experience of international human rights law, and/or international obligations for democratic elections.
- Strong research skills and high level of attention to detail.
- Good knowledge of and comfort with Excel strongly preferred.
- Comfort with databases and ability to learn new systems quickly.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, and ability to work well both independently and as part of a team.
- Good sense of humor and flexible approach a must.
Please complete an application for the position by following this link. You will be required to upload a CV and cover letter. The deadline for application: May 24, 2021. Interested applications are encouraged to complete their applications as soon as possible.