The human rights lifestyle is not for everyone. It can be very emotionally, financially and physically demanding.
Job Security:
Job security can be precarious in the human rights sector and temporary and short-term contracts of 3-6 months are not uncommon especially in international organisations like the UN. It can be difficult to make long-term plans and the uncertainty of a ‘contract-to-contract’ existence may not appeal. If you are looking for stability in your career then the human rights sector may not be for you.
Dangerous:
Working in the human rights sector is not for the faint hearted and can be dangerous in certain cases. If you choose to work in the field in a conflict or fragile-affected state, you may find yourself living in a hostile and dangerous environment. To put it simply: your life may be at risk. Think carefully whether you are willing to work in danger zones.
Some multilateral organisations like the UN will offer Hazard Pay if you work in duty stations where there are very hazardous conditions including war or active hostilities. This is the case for example in Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia; these are often known as ‘hardship missions’.
In some hardship missions you may not be able to bring your partner or family with you so think carefully about your personal situation and being separated from loved ones.
Gold Fish Bowl & Creature Comforts:
If you choose to pursue a career in a challenging location then you are likely to be without your usual creature comforts. You may have limited or intermittent internet connection, limited freedom of movement and will be far away from family and friends. You may be living, working and socialising with your colleagues at very close quarters, which could be quite claustrophobic – it may feel like living in a goldfish bowl!
Again, think about whether this lifestyle is for you and suits your own personal circumstances and character.
Stress, Burn Out and Self-Care:
It is very difficult to switch off from human rights work and it is certainly not your usual 9-5 role. You can never quite shut the door from your work and it can be mentally and physically draining. You may be witness to traumatic incidents or distressing situations or have a huge workload, which requires you to work late into the night.
Human rights work can be hugely rewarding but there is also a very big risk of burn-out among human rights professionals. The signs of ‘burn-out’ might include anxiety, guilt, pessimism, anger and sadness. It can also manifest itself through physical symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, pain or numbness.
You need to be strong, healthy and balanced to do the work well. It is important to adopt healthy behaviours and working habits and to promote your own ‘self-care’.
Ensure that you have a good support network around you and people that you can turn to for support including friends, family or a mentor.
Go to the gym. Eat well. Spend time with family and friends.
I always remember being told about the concept of ‘proper selfishness,’ which remains with me to this day. Think about and take good care of yourself in a responsible and respectful way. You are not Superman or Superwoman and cannot do everything to save the world!
You should also ensure that your managers act with compassion and kindness and are well aware of the issues and risks attendant with human rights work. For more on this see an article by Liz Griffin, Five Things Managers of Human Rights & Humanitarian Organisations Can Do to improve Staff Wellbeing.
Salary:
A career in human rights will not make you rich and it may not be for you if want to earn well. The earning potential is not the same as the commercial sector and it is important to be aware of this at the outset of your human rights career. We do this work as it is our calling.
The not-for-profit sector may not offer competitive salaries but this will depend on the particular role and the size of the organisation.
Some international positions in the UN or other international organisations will offer attractive pay and benefits. These benefits may include rental subsidy, travel and shipping allowances to a duty station and dependency allowances for partners or children. You will also have a generous annual leave allowance and health insurance. Salaries are also tax-free.
You can find out more about salaries in the UN here.