Associate Protection 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.

Venezuela is facing a critical political, social and economic crisis resulting in hyperinflation, shortages of food, medicine and basic supplies, and deterioration of health, education and basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, transport and urban services that has severely affected most of the country´s population of nearly 30 million persons. Drastic reduction in production capacities in the agricultural, pharmaceutical and other sectors have further ag-gravated the supply situation. In addition, the protection risks of the population are growing. The country faces high levels of insecurity with an increase in homicides and extortion. Since mid-2018, the Government has expressed its interest to increase cooperation with the UN to mitigate the effects of the crisis. In Venezuela, UNHCR works with refugee and asylum-seeking women, girls, boys and men. Following the establishment of the Humanitarian Re-sponse Plan in mid-2019, UNHCR has also included Venezuelan affected populations. This second population group include persons in a mobility situation, spontaneous returnees, and their hosting communities. The “persons in a mobility situation” category includes those on the move in search of better economic opportunities/access to rights and services, those who engage in pendular movements, those are at risk of displacement, and those who have been forced to leave their homes -either temporarily or permanently, due to natural disasters or armed clashes.

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

• Through relationships with persons of concern, authorities and network of partners stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to senior management. • Ensure that the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the persons of con-cerns are reflected in the protection strategy, planning processes and operations plan addressing the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, minority groups such as sexual minorities and persons living with HIV/AIDS; • Utilize the IDPs footprint during the planning process; • Coordinate the promotion of international refugee law principles and standards and also IDP legislation or policies ensuring that all sectors and clusters fulfill their responsibilities mainstreaming protection; • Coordinate the implementation and monitoring of programmes ensuring that identified protection needs, including an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) approach, are ade-quately addressed; • Provide policy guidance and operational support to UNHCR and partners on all protec-tion related issues; • Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocu-tors; ensure legal assistance is accessible to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documents to persons of concern (civil documentation, in particular birth certificates); • Monitor, and assist with the intervention in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners; • Assist in the coordinated implementation and oversight of Standard Operating Proce-dures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities; • Ensure that durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement are sought and provided to the largest possible number of per-sons of concern; • Ensure through direct action and advocacy with more senior protection staff that the necessary resources are allocated to enable protection activities to identify and address protection and assistance gaps; • Support a consultative process with government counterparts at local levels, partners and persons of concern to develop and implement integrated strategies that address the key protection priorities, including, for example, child protection, education and SGBV, and solutions approaches; • Promote confidence building and conflict resolution among populations of concern, au-thorities and host communities; • Maintain protection presence through regular field missions and reports, making direct contact with persons of concern, host communities, local authorities and partners. In op-erations applying the humanitarian cluster system, contribute to ensuring that the re-sponse of the Protection Cluster is grounded in an AGD-compliant strategy which covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations;
• Contribute to the Protection team's information management component which: provide disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems; researches, collects and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protec-tion delivery and provide technical advice if necessary; • Ensure participatory, community-based protection and AGD approaches are included in, strategies and plans in the country operation; • Support persons of concern to develop structures that enhance their participation and protection. • Establish a protection referral system to support effective case management. • Strengthen legal information and aid capacities to address barriers to access to late birth registration and documentation linked to nationality for persons born in Venezuela, includ-ing children born to refugees/asylum-seekers in the country. • Facilitate outreach brigades for late birth registration and other civil registration related ac-tivities for Venezuelan nationals who live in rural and remote areas, including indigenous populations. • Advocate for regional cooperation to facilitate confirmation of nationality procedures. • Strengthen community networks to address security threats and promote peaceful con-flict resolution mechanisms; • Timely identify individual and community needs and make referrals accordingly, including submissions to the Office of the Ombudsperson and other relevant authorities; • Enhance community spaces’ capacities to develop recreational and educational activities on peaceful coexistence; • Promote different communication channels and early warning mechanisms among community members. • Ensure centrality of protection by ensuring that that leadership, coordination, and en-gagement in all sectors is more strategic, aligned and directed toward a stronger re-sponse. • Facilitate, in coordination with the Office of the Ombudsperson, multi-service outreach brigades, including promoting the inclusion of the Judiciary, or where applicable, promot-ing resuming Judiciary outreach brigades to facilitate access to justice in remote areas. • Strengthen safe spaces for women; promote sorority among women at community level to address GBV incidents; and to establish WhatsApp groups or other communication channels for early warnings • Promote the establishment/strengthening of youth networks and the development of child protection related community-based initiatives. • Support Safe Spaces, including emergency shelters and vocational training for teenage girls and boys to discourage survival sex practice, criminal activity and eventual dropouts. • Advocate at community level for specialised health services for elderly people and people living with disabilities; • Promote integration of people living with disabilities in community activities; • Raise awareness and solidarity campaigns on the rights of the elderly people and persons living with disabilities; and • Develop community gardens and communal soup kitchens to complement elderly and people living with disabilities’ food intake • Strengthen capacity building and support local authorities to assist them meet communi-ties’ energy needs, including provision of solar panels and street lighting; • Strengthen NGOs’ capacities to address rehabilitation needs, installation/rehabilitation of way stations and provision of NFI, as well as land legal related matters; • Promote the safe use of alternative heating/cooking sources; and • Liaise with local institutions to address public services related matters

• Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated experience and ability to apply good judgment; high degree of autonomy, personal initiative, and ability to assume responsibility; willingness to accept responsibility and ability to work independently, in accordance with established procedures in a politically sensitive environment, with discretion, impartiality and neutrality.
• Responsibility: maturity and accountability; ability to act in accordance with organizational rules and regulations.
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and keep abreast of new developments in expertise; ability to adapt to changes in the work environment.
• Planning and organization: ability to organize and problem solve and manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to set priorities and to plan, coordinate and supervise (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relationships in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender.
• Communication: interpersonal relationship skills; good oral and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear and concise reports.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere, remote, and potentially hazardous environments for extended periods of time, involving physical hardship and little comfort, and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations.
• Genuine commitment to the principles of volunteer engagement, including solidarity, compassion, reciprocity, and self-reliance; and commitment to the core values of the UN.

• Experience with refugees and/or other people of concern in a protection capacity required. • Field experience. • Commitment to help persons of concern and willingness to cooperate with counterparts. • Knowledge of UN policies and procedures; • Good analytical skills; • Strong interpersonal and communication skills in a multicultural setting; • Ability to live and work in the difficult and harsh conditions of developing countries is essential. • Office Package (excellent knowledge of Word, good knowledge of Excel and Power Point) and Internet browsing.

Ciudad Guayana is Family duty station classified as D. Recreational activities are limited. Sports activities is recommended in sport facilities and not in the public parks. Health facilities are limited. Clinics provide some specialized assistance but conditions and services available are gradually deteriorating. Medicines, including basic types, are limited. Epidemics and other disease outbreaks are very common in the operational area, such as malaria and dengue. Availability of basic goods is somehow limited. Internet and other services are poor. There are frequent electricity and Internet cuts. There are limited banking facilities and insufficiency of services in the context of hyper-inflation. Only extremely reduced amounts can be withdrawn in cash points or banks, insignificant for use. Staff rely on the use of debit cards and transfer arrangements. Alt-hough use of US Dollar is officially restricted in the country, unofficially it is circulating in the local market (black market). International staff live in rented accommodation, the prices are high and currently con-verted to USD. Operation requires frequent mission travels to the deep field locations. Distances are long and the road infrastructure is limited. Hotel and accommodation arrangements in field locations are basic. High security awareness is constantly needed as the criminal threat is classified as extreme. Current security level is 3. Sensitive political context could put certain nationalities perceived as opponents. Considerable level of general criminality due to the prevailing economic situation and political dynamics. Security conditions have been increasingly deteriorating and some security incidents of UN or other international staff have been reported. Drug trafficking, smuggling, kidnapping and robberies have been reported. Although there is no official curfew in place, staff are advised not to go out after dark (18h00 pm) and to use reliable transportation instead of walking even during the daylight.

In 2022 UNHCR Field Office Ciudad Guayana is expanding its presence in Santa Elena de Uairen of the Gran Sabana Municipality as well as in Sucre and Delta Amacuro states, which refer to the increase in protection risks, forced mobility, social control, sexual slavery, or sex for survival, child labor, and forced recruitment by the sindicates that operate in the mining areas. In this sense, UNHCR jointly with partners and UN Agencies will coordinate activities in oder to support the local authorities in reponding to the protection and solutions needs to the most vulnerable groups