Associate Field Officer

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).

For decades, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has maintained an "open-door policy" for refugees, welcoming hundreds of thousands of people fleeing conflicts and violence in neighboring countries to its territory. The DRC is a party to the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol, as well as the 1969 OAU Convention. In 2002, the DRC adopted National Law 021/2002 relating to the Status of Refugees, establishing the CNR (Commission National pour les Refugees) to process asylum applications and provide protection for refugees. By the end of December 2018, the total refugee population is expected to reach nearly 555,000 people living in communities, camps and urban areas. As a reminder, many of the DRC's nine neighboring countries are facing socio-political instability, while the DRC itself is going through a turbulent period, with a long pre-electoral period until 2023, reasons.

Under the direct supervision of the Protection Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

•Ensure that UNHCR’s policies, standards and procedures are constantly and coherently applied in the Area of Responsibility (AoR). •Ensure that the needs of persons of concern in the AoR are assessed and analyzed in a participating manner and using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective to form a firm basis for planning. •Ensure that protection incidents and gaps in assistance are immediately identified and addressed. Identify vulnerable groups or individuals who may need special attention or special arrangements and make recommendations on the needs of different groups of refugees. •Assess protection and assistance needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in the region and monitor implementation of refugee assistance program. •In coordination with implementing partners, handle the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR. •Provide inputs for project submissions and periodic narrative and financial reports for the annual program. •Develop and maintain relations with local authorities ensuring smooth negotiations in all aspects of UNHCR's mandate for the benefit of refugees. •Monitor the security situation in the area and intervene as appropriate with the local authorities. •Participation in needs assessment as a member of the Multi-Functional team. •In close coordination with program and project control, monitor project implementation and provide feedback on the progress to the relevant units/sections •Undertake other relevant duties as required.

Integrity and professionalism; Accountability; Commitment to continuous learning; Planning and organizing; Teamwork and respect for diversity; Communication; Flexibility.

in operations management or humanitarian operations.

Aru is currently classified E by the ICSC. It is a small town located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and it is near to the border with Uganda. It experiences two equatorial seasons in a year- rainy season from May to November and dry season from December to April.

The center has few retail shops which only stocks basic commodities used by the locals. The center has few restaurants and no recreation facilities International staff at Aru leaves in rented houses where houses for rents are not readily available and for the few that are available members of staff often rehabilitate them to make them habitable. The main source of water at Aru is wells with no piped 14 Feb 2019 Page 1 of 7 Assignment Title Associate Field Officer water. Members of staffs buy bottled water for drinking from the local market. Aru for the moment has only one banking service available, and additionally the staff should plan in advance their cash needs before arrival at Aru, to be cautious. The mobile telephone services are available but not reliable with the available telephone services providers network at times is not available. The town has inadequate health facilities and staff members are encouraged to carry their own first aid kit. The area is infested with mosquitoes and malaria infection is very common. Due to long grass and bushes, snakes and other vectors are very common. The nearest international Airport is located about 700kms from Aru at Entebbe. Aru is served by UNHAS flights to and from the nearest national airport at Bunia and Goma twice a week, but members of staff should expect to travel long distance by roads which are in poor condition due to potholes while on mission in the field. The roads also become slippery in the rainy season. The town is not serviced by an electric grid. Generators and solar panels are the main source of electricity.