Permanent Paralegal – Anova Vacancies
Job Description
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Anova Vacancies – Paralegal
Paralegal
Company: Anova Vacancies
Main Purpose of the Role
The Paralegal is a key contributor to community-based human rights initiatives, providing legal and strategic support to Human Rights Ambassadors and Reactors. This role involves reviewing and assessing documented human rights violation cases, offering basic legal guidance on next steps, and ensuring accurate referrals or escalation to NACOSA Legal Officers when further legal intervention is required.
The Paralegal also engages with key district stakeholders to strengthen referral networks and advocacy linkages, facilitates sensitisation and human rights training sessions, and represents the programme in district-level forums. Additionally, the role includes mentoring Ambassadors/Reactors, overseeing case documentation and follow-up processes, and drafting referral or recommendation letters to external stakeholders to ensure access to justice.
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 of adolescent girls, young women, key populations, and other vulnerable groups.
- Collaborate with the programme team to engage communities and district stakeholders including clinics, Department of Home Affairs, SAPS, and DSD.
- Participate in regular programme meetings to review progress and address challenges.
- Identify service gaps for AGYW and strategize solutions with the programme team to include in advocacy plans.
- Ensure operational plans are effectively implemented.
- Build and strengthen the capacity of key population networks.
- Maintain relationships with local legal aid organisations, SAPS units, social workers, and service providers to enhance referral networks.
- Represent the programme professionally at all meetings and engagements.
Sensitisation and Training
- Identify relevant stakeholders at subdistrict and district levels for engagement in sensitisation workshops.
- Conduct quarterly sensitisation workshops to raise awareness on human rights.
Legal Information, Advice, and Referral
- Support and monitor the collection 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 potential remedies or next steps within the Paralegal’s scope, including referrals to legal aid, mediation, or administrative complaint mechanisms.
- Facilitate referrals to services such as Legal Aid South Africa, Human Rights Commission, Department of Justice, shelters, and psychosocial or health support services.
- Follow up with clients and service providers to ensure cases are addressed or resolved.
- Identify complex cases and escalate to NACOSA Legal Officers for further review.
Gender-Based Violence Response
- Provide trauma containment counselling in line with WHO LIVES principles where necessary.
- Ensure survivors of gender-based violence receive immediate care, including referral to medical support and Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCC) within 72 hours of a sexual assault.
- Follow up on the receipt of care and assist with developing safety plans and placements where available.
- Support 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 submitted by Ambassadors/Reactors.
- Train Ambassadors/Reactors on SOPs and data tools for human rights violations.
- Review cases for accuracy, completeness, and appropriate categorisation.
- Provide technical support on documenting, following up, and closing cases appropriately.
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 is strongly preferred.
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience in lobbying, advocacy, human rights, or public health/HIV programming.
- Experience in conducting trainings and workshops.
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