{"id":26979,"date":"2024-08-13T07:20:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T05:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humanrightscareers.com\/?p=26979"},"modified":"2024-10-07T15:42:06","modified_gmt":"2024-10-07T13:42:06","slug":"gender-rights-jobs-our-short-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humanrightscareers.com\/magazine\/gender-rights-jobs-our-short-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Gender Rights Jobs: Our Short Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Learn what jobs are available in gender rights, where you can find work in gender rights and how to prepare for these types of careers. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gender rights are the basic rights and opportunities people deserve regardless of their gender or gender expression. Rights include the right to equal treatment, the right to reproductive freedom and the right to freedom from discrimination and gender-based violence. Women represent the largest group that experiences gender discrimination, but the rights of trans people, two-spirit people, and people with other marginalized genders also need protection. In this guide, we\u2019ll discuss specific jobs in gender rights, where you can find gender rights jobs, how to get a job in gender rights and what salaries are offered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What jobs are available in gender rights? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gender rights are a thematic focus, not a specific job. That means there are dozens of careers where you can work on gender rights and gender equality. Here are seven examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educator<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Educators conduct research, develop curriculum, manage learning environments, and support student development. Teachers typically work in classrooms teaching young kids, teenagers, and adults. Teacher responsibilities<\/a> can include creating educational material, meeting one-on-one with students, presenting lessons and helping students develop professional and personal skills. Historically, education has been a site for gender discrimination and inequality. Teachers play a big role<\/a> in protecting gender rights, whether that\u2019s by educating students on gender discrimination, advocating for gender equality in hiring practices, and taking steps to prevent gender-based violence in educational environments. Educators who spend more time on research can also focus on gender rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Doctors are medical professionals who work in health facilities, universities, research labs and other settings focused on health and health research. While accessible healthcare is a human right, many people face discrimination and bias based on their gender. As an example, studies show women do not get the same evidence-based care <\/a>as men in areas like cardiac care and pain management. Transgender people also experience unique challenges, worse health outcomes and other inequalities<\/a> when it comes to getting health insurance and healthcare. Doctors can play an important role in protecting gender rights by addressing inequalities, specializing in healthcare issues that affect marginalized genders, and advocating for better education and reform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawyer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Women, trans people and people belonging to other marginalized genders face frequent discrimination. They often need legal representation to address inequalities. Legal systems themselves can be biased, so even if the nature of a person\u2019s case doesn\u2019t involve their gender, they can end up marginalized. Lawyers who specialize in gender rights have the same responsibilities as regular lawyers<\/a> – they interpret laws, research legal issues, advise clients, prepare documents and so on – but they focus on laws, cases and other factors related to gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Policy analyst<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Policy analysis is a job category related to public policy, political science, statistics, economics, public administration and related fields. Policy analysts<\/a> study current and potential policies, develop new policy ideas and analyze the impact of policies. They often work for governments, but lobbying groups, universities, advocacy NGOs, consulting firms and similar organizations hire policy analysts. A policy analyst who specializes in gender rights would analyze the impact of policies on different genders, research trends, identify gaps and inequalities, advocate for gender-responsive policies and monitor policies related to gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grant specialist <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Grant specialists work in grant management and administration. They often work for NGOs, which depend heavily on grants, but they also work for colleges, research institutions and even individuals. Their responsibilities<\/a> can include identifying grants for their employer, writing applications, developing budgets, processing grant money and making sure the money is distributed the way it needs to be. Many organizations focused on gender rights need grant specialists to help them find funding for various projects and programs. A specialist needs a thorough understanding of what grants are available for gender rights and what those grants require from candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consultant <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Consultants are experts who work with corporations, governments, NGOs, and any other organizations who want the consultant\u2019s expertise. It\u2019s typically a job for people who have years of experience. Responsibilities<\/a> can include data collection and analysis of an organization\u2019s gender policies, meetings with stakeholders, help with policy development and marketing, and creating personalized trainings and presentations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a consultant specializes in gender rights, they\u2019re usually hired to help an organization achieve gender equality and address issues related to gender discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program manager<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Program managers work in a variety of industries. In this higher-level role, managers oversee clusters of projects that contribute to the organization\u2019s mission. Their responsibilities<\/a> can include developing a program\u2019s scope and strategy, managing a team, monitoring a program\u2019s success, and directing communication between a program\u2019s stakeholders. Within gender rights, a program manager could be in charge of an organization\u2019s diversity and gender equality program or work for an organization focused on gender rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interested in jobs focused on gender equality? Here\u2019s our <\/em>short guide<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where can you find jobs in gender rights? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because gender rights aren\u2019t limited to one industry or job type, you can find work at a variety of places. Here are the five main sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intergovernmental organizations <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Intergovernmental organizations are entities that consist of two or more nations who sign a treaty. The United Nations is the best-known IGO<\/a>. IGOs collaborate on several issues, including gender rights and gender equality. They hire professionals who specialize in gender rights, as well as areas that affect gender equality such as economics, political science, public policy and more. UN Women, which is the UN entity responsible for working for gender equality and women\u2019s empowerment, posts jobs<\/a> on places like the UNDP job board and its own website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Governments<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like IGOs, local and national governments work on issues related to gender rights, gender equality, discrimination and so on. There are permanent, temporary and fixed-term jobs at various government agencies, as well as opportunities for consultants who specialize in gender rights. The job platform Gender Jobs <\/a>has a search category for government jobs at all levels. To work for a government entity, you\u2019ll need to meet all their requirements, which could include citizenship or a right-to-work visa, as well as a security clearance and a background check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NGOs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

NGOs are organizations that are formed independently of a government. They\u2019re usually nonprofits, as well, and tend to focus on humanitarian, international development and social justice issues. Because gender inequality is so widespread, many NGOs focus their work on gender rights, women\u2019s empowerment and related areas. The Malala Fund, Plan International, the Global Fund For Women, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are just five NGOs with jobs available in gender rights. Jobs boards like Idealist.org<\/a>, Globaljobs.org<\/a>, and Feminist Jobs<\/a> can help you find more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corporations <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gender equality is good for business<\/a>, so many corporations are working to improve their gender equality and reduce gender discrimination. Job candidates with the knowledge and motivation to improve gender rights are desirable, while corporations also work with consultants to improve equality in the workplace. Corporations also need lawyers who understand the laws around gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educational and research institutions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Institutions like universities, think tanks, medical research organizations and similar entities perform research on gender rights, discrimination, policies and more. They may be part of intergovernmental organizations, governments, NGOs and corporations, but because they\u2019re focused on research, we\u2019ve included them as their own category. These entities hire researchers, policy analysts, librarians, administrative staff, communications professionals, grant specialists and many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jobs in gender rights deal with gender discrimination. Check out our article on <\/em>gender discrimination 101<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you prepare for a job in gender rights? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The specific job track for a lawyer looks different than for a doctor, but there are three main \u201cmust haves\u201d for everyone looking for a job in gender rights: education, experience and skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Education <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want a long career in gender rights, you\u2019ll need a good education. Entry-level jobs typically require at least a bachelor\u2019s degree, while you are likely to need a master\u2019s or even a doctorate for higher-level positions in management. With certain exceptions (like for lawyers and doctors), you likely won\u2019t need one specific degree, but good educational backgrounds include gender studies, sociology, political science, social work, public policy, public health and education. What works best depends on what field you want to go into, i.e. if you want to work as a policy analyst, a degree in public policy is likely your best option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experience<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most employers care more about your experience than your area of study or where you went to school. Even entry-level jobs prefer candidates with at least a few years of experience working in the area they\u2019re hiring for. As an example, we found a job for a grants administrator that asked for 3-5 years of similar work, while the experience level in the job description was 0-5 years. Internships, volunteer work, temporary work and part-time work usually count toward your experience, so don\u2019t leave anything off your resume. Education supports your basic knowledge and qualifications, but experience shows employers you can solve problems, work with others, adapt when necessary and complete tasks on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skills<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Jobs in gender rights require a variety of skills depending on your chosen field. As an example, a job in policy analysis requires critical thinking, problem-solving, good communication, policy knowledge and excellent research skills. When you look at job descriptions, you may notice how vague some of the required skills are, such as a \u201cwillingness to learn from mistakes.\u201d When applying for a job and going through an interview, the challenge is to show <\/em>this skill in action. Employers don\u2019t want to hear you say, \u201cYes, I can learn from my mistakes,\u201d they want specific examples<\/a> that prove you possess this skill.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Do you have a good idea of what you need to begin pursuing a gender rights job?<\/strong><\/p>