CONSULTANCY: Racial Justice Program

CONSULTANCY: Racial Justice Program

Terms of Reference

Amnesty International Canada (English Section) (“AI Canada”) is developing the next phase of our 2030 strategic vision to advance national and international human rights conditions for all peoples living in Canada and globally to experience the fullness of their rights, including equality, justice, and freedom of expression. To fully achieve this vision Amnesty Canada is committed to transformational change and to authentically reflect our vision to centre youth and feminist leadership, anti-racism, and anti-oppression. Cross-cutting this vision are our commitments to the rights of Indigenous Peoples, migrants and people on the move, racial justice, gender equity, climate justice and crisis response. We will approach these themes from an intersectional lens.

In Canada, ongoing colonialism, systemic racism, and racial discrimination perpetuate human rights violations and require urgent action.

AI Canada seeks to appoint a consultant to assist us in shaping how we take forward our commitment to be in solidarity with racialized and Black communities in Canada to advance racial justice, in line with the movement’s overall strategic framework as well as AI Canada’s operational framework. Our approach going forward will be to ensure that we are led by the human rights priorities of Black communities and be founded on a highly participatory methodology. It will centre the fact that Black communities in Canada have always led the struggle to realize their rights.

The aim of the consultancy is to develop an operational plan for the next 1 to 2 years in this area of work. The consultant will be expected to apprise themselves with AI Canada’s ongoing efforts in support on the elimination of racial discrimination against racialized and of Black communities, identify and map out appropriate stakeholders working on the human rights concerns relevant to Black communities in Canada, engage in consultations to understand the approaches and priorities of those communities, and propose an operational plan for AI Canada to take this work forward. This strategy will include a clear theory of change developed in partnership with racialized and Black communities.

Organizational Positioning

The consultant will work under the immediate supervision of AI Canada’s Director of Policy, Research and Advocacy supported by the Programs Manager (Campaigns & Advocacy), and in close collaboration with other AI Canada staff, particularly a team of thematic experts.

Outputs ​

• A stakeholder engagement report, identifying the communities contacted, a summary of conversations held, and converging priorities identified.
• A memorandum identifying 2-3 possible focus areas for AI Canada, presenting a theory of change and an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for each option.
• A concept note and timeline for a 1-2 year campaign to advance the human rights of Black communities in Canada, or options for mainstreaming racial justice into existing areas of programmatic work over the course of the next 1-2 years.
• A needs analysis identifying any specific gaps in AI Canada’s ability to execute the proposed campaign and recommendations
• A draft job description and support with hiring an ideal candidate who will oversee key components of this portfolio

Competencies

• Demonstrated experience working in research, program development, or project management, preferably with Black communities

• Experience in strategic planning

• Demonstrated ability to foster strong and trusting relationships with racial justice movements, activists, and organizations in Canada

• Knowledge and understanding of inclusion of intersectional approach to human rights campaigning

• Experience designing and conducting workshops and consultations

• Experience in change-driven human rights campaigning

• Ability to quickly familiarize with AI Canada’s history and structure of human rights work and global strategy

• Knowledge and analysis of historical and contemporary context of racial discrimination in Canada, in particular towards Black communities

• Understanding of human resource processes and ability to provide recommendations to support an ideal candidate

Timeline

The following is a proposed timeline. This timeline can be discussed and reassessed in conversation with the senior management of AI Canada.

Application

Expressions of interest should be accompanied by a CV and sent to Consultancy: Racial Justice Program by May 6-2022. However, applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

ABOUT US

Amnesty International is a movement of 10 million ordinary people in more than 150 countries who come together to achieve extraordinary results in defending and promoting human rights. We get discriminatory laws changed and prisoners of conscience released. We’ve helped stop torture, commute death sentences and worked to end violence against women. We are in solidarity with Indigenous peoples demanding that their rights be respected.

OUR COMMITMENT TO ANTI-RACISM, ANTI-OPPRESSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION (ARAO-DEI)

Amnesty International Canada is committed to employment equity, actively seeks diversity in the workplace, and welcomes and encourages applications from members of equity seeking groups including women, transgender, non-binary, and LGBTI individuals; First Nations, Metis, and Inuit individuals, persons with disabilities, and members of racialized and marginalized groups. We believe our work is stronger when it benefits from the experience, knowledge and wisdom of people who have faced systemic barriers and encourage applications from qualified candidates who have lived experience as a member of historically underrepresented communities.

AIC values qualified diverse candidates who bring skills that contribute to our anti-racist and anti-oppression transformational journey. At AIC, all are expected to contribute to an inclusive environment and bring the knowledge, experience, and ability to incorporate anti-racism, anti-oppression, intersectionality, gender mainstreaming, inclusion, and accessibility practices to external and internal work and to all interpersonal interactions