Permanent Paralegal – Anova Vacancies
Job Description
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Anova Vacancies – Paralegal
Paralegal
Company: Anova Vacancies
Main Purpose of the Role
The Paralegal plays a critical role in strengthening community-based human rights initiatives by providing legal and strategic support to Human Rights Ambassadors and Reactors. This position is responsible for reviewing and assessing human rights violation cases, offering basic legal guidance, and ensuring accurate referrals or escalations to NACOSA Legal Officers when further legal review is needed.
The Paralegal also engages key district stakeholders to enhance referral networks and advocacy linkages, facilitates sensitisation and human rights training sessions, and represents the organisation in district-level forums. The role includes mentoring Ambassadors/Reactors, overseeing their case documentation and follow-up processes, and drafting referral or recommendation letters to external stakeholders to ensure access to justice and redress.
Key Performance Areas
Human Rights Advocacy and Networking
- Develop and implement quarterly advocacy plans for the district.
- Apply harm reduction principles in all advocacy activities.
- Advocate for the rights and needs of adolescent girls, young women, key populations, and vulnerable groups.
- Collaborate with the programme team to engage communities and district stakeholders including clinics, SAPS, Department of Home Affairs, and DSD.
- Attend regular programme meetings to review progress, address challenges, and improve advocacy efforts.
- Identify service gaps for AGYW and work with the programme team to address them within advocacy plans.
- Strengthen the capacity of key population networks in the district.
- Build and maintain relationships with legal aid organisations, SAPS units, social workers, and service providers to enhance referral networks.
- Represent the programme with integrity in all external engagements.
Sensitisation and Training
- Identify relevant stakeholders for sensitisation workshops at subdistrict and district levels.
- Conduct quarterly sensitisation workshops to promote human rights awareness.
Legal Information, Advice, and Referral
- Support the collection and monitoring of human rights violation cases.
- Assist community members in drafting affidavits, statements, and complaints to SAPS, Legal Aid, or the Human Rights Commission.
- Provide advice on possible remedies or next steps, including referrals to legal aid, mediation, or administrative complaint mechanisms.
- Facilitate referrals to Legal Aid South Africa, Human Rights Commission, Department of Justice, shelters, and psychosocial or health support services.
- Ensure follow-up with clients and service providers to resolve cases.
- Identify complex or uncertain cases and escalate to NACOSA Legal Officers for further review or intervention.
Gender-Based Violence Response
- Provide trauma containment counselling where necessary, aligned with WHO LIVES principles.
- Ensure immediate care for survivors of gender-based violence, including medical support and referral to Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCC) within 72 hours of sexual assault.
- Support the development of safety plans and facilitate placement in safe locations where available.
- Assist survivors in opening cases at SAPS and provide court support as required.
Support and Supervision of Human Rights Ambassadors/Reactors
- Ensure quality control of all case documentation.
- Train Ambassadors/Reactors on SOPs and data tools for human rights violations.
- Assess submitted cases for accuracy, completeness, and appropriate categorisation.
- Provide technical guidance on documenting, following up, and closing cases.
Qualifications and Experience
- Certificate or Diploma in Paralegal Studies, Human Rights, or related legal/social justice field.
- Accredited community paralegal training or recognised short courses in human rights, legal rights awareness, or access to justice strongly preferred.
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience in lobbying, advocacy, human rights, or programming in public health or HIV-related fields.
- Proven experience in conducting trainings and workshops.
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