Thailand: Legal Semantic Project Intern (French Speaking)

ECPAT International

Vacancy Notice

Position:Legal Semantic Project Intern (French Speaking)

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Starting date:Mid of August

Duration: Six Months

Reports to:Project Coordinator, Terminology and Semantics Project, ECPAT Luxembourg/ Head of Legal Programme, ECPAT International

Grading: INTERN

Organisational Background

ECPAT International is a global network of organisations working to eliminate all forms of sexual exploitation of children. The ECPAT network has 85 member organizations in 77 countries in Africa, Americas, Europe and the CIS, Asia and the Pacific. All of these members are independent organisations or coalitions working for the eradication of sexual exploitation of children. The ECPAT International Secretariat coordinates the global work of ECPAT International and is based in Bangkok, Thailand. A key priority for ECPAT International is to engage in international research projects, to strengthen and support the work of its network members.

Terminology and Semantics Project

Words matter. The decision to use one word over another can radically alter our reaction to a situation. The meaning ascribed to a term can dramatically change our conceptualisation of an issue, often leading to an entirely different understanding of the same problem. For example, the term ‘child prostitute’ conjures a different mental image from, ‘sexually abused child through prostitution.’ Equally, hearing the words ‘child sexual abuse material’ evokes a different emotional response from ‘child pornography’.

Disagreement over terminology and semantics has consumed significant time and resources. Stakeholders often make hasty decisions to use one term over another, or worse even continue to use a term that is outdated or damaging to the dignity of the child victim.

Working across languages raises further challenges. Direct translations often do not convey the same meaning, especially when addressing complex terms or behavior. Without clear guidance from linguists or experts on sexual exploitation of children, stakeholders are left to manage these difficult questions relating to terminology on their own. With the global epidemic of child sexual exploitation growing at an exponential rate, the need for conceptual clarity and precision in terminology is all the more important.

ECPAT International in partnership with ECPAT Luxembourg began a process in 2014 to establish international guidelines on terminology through an inter-agency working group of leading international institutions: non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, inter-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and law enforcement agencies. This Inter-agency Working Group has met over the past 6 months to jointly discuss and develop guidelines on the terminology on sexual exploitation of children. The objective is to create a process where key child rights stakeholders and organizations themselves have ownership over all aspects of the process, from conceptualization to drafting the guidelines. As part of this process, ECPAT is also leading a consultation process to develop the guidelines in Spanish and French. The French and Spanish Guidelines are meant to be substantive rather than literal translations of the English Guidelines.

ECPAT International seeks an intern to assist in the development of the Terminology Guidelines in French.

Major Tasks and Responsibilities

The Legal Intern will work closely with the Project Coordinator to develop Terminology Guidelines and *Travaux Preparatoires*in French, based on the work of the International Working Group. The Legal Intern will assist the Coordinator in:

· Revising the initial translation of the French Guidelines and Travaux Preparatoires to ensure it accurately reflects the substance of the English version;

· Assist in eliciting feedback on the French experts on the Guidelines and Travaux Preparatoires;

· Coordinate the collection of feedback on the French text from members of the IWG;

· Work to compile and incorporate the revisions and comments from Francophone Experts and IWG members into the French texts as well as the English texts;

· Support the Project Coordinator in the organization of Interagency Working Group meetings, teleconferences, briefing notes, representation at the key events, dissemination of the project outcomes/progress to the network and key stakeholders;

· Provide assistance to the Project Coordinator as required on any other matters relating to the Terminology and Semantics Project.

Required qualifications

· Masters level degree (or equivalent) in law, human rights or other related discipline;

· Native French speaker;

· Demonstrated knowledge of child rights instruments and monitoring processes;

· Work experience with non-government organizations would be an asset;

· Fluency in written and spoken English and Spanish is an asset.

Competencies

· Demonstrated commitment to ECPAT’s vision, values and principles;

· Communication: excellent writing, speaking and presentation skills;

· Planning and Organizing: setting of clearly defined objectives, activity planning and monitoring, and ability to adapt as required;

· The ability to analyse complex and/or multi-sourced information and summarise it for a range of different audiences;

· Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team.

Internship Conditions

A modest stipend of 10,000 Bath/month (around $300 USD) will be made available to interns who are not sponsored by other organizations or institutions. All other costs related to the internship, i.e., travel, passport, visa or living costs in Bangkok, are to be borne by the intern or his/her sponsoring institution or organization. Interns who are performing their duties for academic credit or as part of requisite coursework are ineligible for a stipend.

To apply, please e-mail your CV and cover letter, with your name and the position title in the subject line to vacancy@ecpat.net

For further information on the application process, please visit:

http://www.ecpat.net/employment