External Consultant for the EuroMed Rights submission to OHCHR Draft General Comment No. 38 on Article 22 (on the right to freedom of association) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Overview
Position: External Expert or Consultant
Project: Empowering Civil Society to Fight Impunity Turkey Project
Output: Input submission to the OHCHR Draft General Comment No. 38 on Article 22 of ICCPR
Location: Remote
Language: English
Estimated starting date: As soon as possible
Duration: 10 days
Renumeration: 2000 EUR
Deadline for Application: 20 May 2026
Background
EuroMed Rights is looking for an external expert/consultant that will prepare an input for the UN Human Rights Committee’s Draft General Comment No. 38 on Article 22 (on the right to freedom of association) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the Draft). You can find the link to the online call here.
This input will support EuroMed Rights’s international visibility and research capacity within the Empowering Civil Society to Fight Impunity Turkey Project.
Objective
The expert/consultant will provide a ready-for-submission input document/comments to the Draft General Comment No. 38.
General Comments by the UN Treaty bodies are authoritative interpretations of the respective human rights treaties. They provide clarifications as to the scope, meaning, and state obligations regarding specific treaty articles or thematic issues. General Comments are crucial tools for civil society organizations as they provide a roadmap for the implementation of the treaty obligations at national and regional levels.
The Draft General Comment No. 38 on Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights presents a comprehensive account of what the right to freedom of association is, its relation to the enjoyment of other fundamental rights as well as its importance for the upholding of the rule of law and a democratic society.
Our goal as EuroMed Rights is to unearth the implicit shortcomings of the Draft and provide comments that highlights the State practices which bar the enjoyment of the right to freedom of association as exemplified by Türkiye’s repressive policies. Therefore, it is imperative that the expert/consultant refers to Türkiye’s reliance on the exemptions mentioned in the 2nd paragraph of Article 22 in order to justify its crackdowns on civil society organizations and human rights defenders, and the shrinking of Türkiye’s civic space, in their comments. The expert/consultant may refer to the Mapping Study published by EuroMed Rights.
The comments to the Draft will be:
- Made into a separate document (Word document format)
- Refer to the relevant paragraph number(s) of the Draft
- Limited to 3500 words approximately
- In English
- Deliverable
1 ready-for-submission input comment document (max 3500 words)
Deadline: 22 June 2026 End of Day.
Qualifications & Experience
- Master’s degree in international law or international human Rights Law or a closely related field
- A registered consultant in Türkiye
- Demonstrable knowledge of UN Human Rights mechanisms
- Previous work related to the subject of the right to freedom of association is a plus
- Minimum 2 years of relevant expert/consultancy experience
- Fluency in English
- Strong knowledge of UN terminology
- Strong qualitative and quantitative research skills
Payment Terms
Payment shall be made in full upon satisfactory delivery and acceptance of the final report, accompanied by a complete and valid invoice detailing the services rendered, applicable reference numbers, and any agreed expenses. EuroMed Rights reserves the right to withhold payment until the deliverable has been reviewed and formally accepted as meeting the specifications outlined in this TOR. Invoices must be submitted within thirty (30) calendar days of final acceptance. Payment shall be processed within thirty (30) days of receipt of a compliant invoice. Any disputes regarding payment shall be raised in writing within fifteen (15) days of the relevant payment date. EuroMed Rights shall not be liable for costs incurred beyond the agreed contract value unless authorised in writing in advance.
Application Process
- CV
- Example of previous relevant consultancy work
Please send the above documentation to applications.euromedrights@gmail.com by 20 May 2026, 23:59 CET, at the latest, including “OHCHR Consultancy 2026” in the subject line of the e-mail.