The Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Task Force (SWEAT) is a dynamic non-governmental organisation that works to ensure that sex workers rights are defended and that people selling sex have access to health and other services. We view sex work as work and all our direct services are focused on engaging, empowering and linking sex workers to services that will meet their needs.
SWEAT on behalf of Sisonke is seeking to appoint an Advocacy Officer.
SWEAT seeks to appoint a Advocacy Officer to be in Johannesburg (Sisonke Gaund Square office).
The purpose of this position will be to be responsible for advocacy and engagement of stakeholders and players in the district around the needs of sex workers and the programme implementation. Along with programme team, he/she will manage the engagement of stakeholders, sensitisation, trainings, human rights defenders, and the respective reporting on these issues. Purpose of this position is to manage & actively be involved on the Love Alliance Advocacy Working Group with below responsibilities, manage the decriminalisation of sex work campaign which involves below responsibilities and implement the Advocacy program, be responsible for advocating and lobbying for changes, legal reform in laws and policies affecting sex workers in South Africa.
Responsibilities:
- Provide strategic advice on overall direction of the Love Alliance advocacy agenda, including by guiding the establishment of permanent advocacy teams focusing on strategic or institutional processes directly relevant to our ToC goals, and temporary teams to respond to emerging developments or specific policy processes.
- Coordinate advocacy work, messaging and actors around shared agendas, issues or platforms.
- Advise on collective advocacy activity, such as a campaign to run as the Love Alliance independently or with partners.
- Identify strategic opportunities, gaps and solutions for facilitating the programme’s advocacy strategy and advocacy loop between country, sub-regional and global levels
- Identify potential additional global and regional partners who will bring added value to our global advocacy work.
- Review progress on the implementation of Love Alliance advocacy strategy and propose adaptations, as necessary.
- Facilitate the organisation of the annual policy meeting, including defining the unifying theme and shaping an agenda able to ensure planning, monitoring, measuring and reporting on progress with the advocacy loop
- Bring the landscape of overarching and global issues in a changing environment and identify strategies to address them
- Revisit the assumptions of the Theory of Change (ToC)
- Provide guidance to the Coordinators Team and the Strategic Board on strategic matters, including escalating issues to them when necessary.
- Actively participate and represent Sisonke on decrime Working group Bill and Asijiki Coalition
- Coordinate parliamentarian lobbying engagements and correspondence with parliamentarians and influential players in government and civil Society.
- Identify and managed emergent strategic opportunities policy and otherwise to push the campaign forward.
- Formulate and manage a visibility strategy, including direct action, Media and monitoring and media responses.
- Coordinate court support comes Sisonke’s way and provide support and guide on referral support system to relevant legal advice Probono and SWEAT Legal Defence Clinic.
- Work hand in hand with Sisonke National Membership /Communication M & E Officer
- Coordinate a civil society working groups which contributes to the campaign.
- Train Sisonke Steering committee members in provinces as Lobbyist in order to advocate at provincial levels on sex work issues Supervise and support Sisonke Human Rights Defenders / Re-Actors in the following provinces.
- Mpumalanga
- Free State
- Northern Cape
Requirements:
- Matric (Grade 12)
- Tertiary education will be an added advantage.
- Advocacy relevant qualification
- Minimum 2years’ experience in lobbying/advocacy/human rights.
- Experience in advocating for minority sex work/KP health, social and legal rights.
- Experience in Sex Work programming.
- Experience in conducting trainings, facilitations, workshops, events and host dialogues.
- Facilitation skills
- Computer literate in MS Word, Excel and Power point
- Report-writing skills
- Planning and organisational skills
- Must have great communication skills.
- Good interpersonal skills, including being a team player.
- Non-judgemental, trustworthy and empathetic personality
- Demonstrate strong professional attitude and behaviour at all times.
- Ability to travel as and when required.
- Must be self-motivated hard-working person.
- Must be politically informed, interested and a keen reader.
- Knowledge of the Law (demonstrates in academic or experience terms) and especially as it pertains to sex work.
- Further developing and managing engagement with stakeholders
- Demonstrate ability to write, and articulate human rights arguments.
- Experience and knowledge in policy level processes and human rights defence processes will be highly advantageous.
- Civil Society campaign skills and experience on Media Advocacy Skills
- Networking skills and ability to form and use strategic alliances.
- Ability to strategize and implement the components of Advocacy strategic plan as well as constant revision thereof according to operational requirements.
- Good and results orientated including the ability to produce work within agreed upon time frames so that output targets are met.
- Communicate through effectively through information technology.
- Must believe in the rights of sex workers and be committed to the decriminalisation of sex work.
- A sex worker or previous sex worker experience will be advantageous.
Applicants must send a covering letter, explaining their relevant experience, as well as their CV to Nomakwezi Sopuwa: [email protected] or hand deliver to 19 Anson Street, Observatory by 10/04/2021
- The post is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Only those with the legal right to work in South Africa can apply. SWEAT reserves the right to make appointments which are transformation focused.
Successful candidate expected to be available 01 April 2021.
Please send the CVs and motivational letter to Nomakwezi Sopuwa at [email protected] and to Lloyd Rugara at [email protected].
More Information
- Job City Johannesburg
