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.

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 pro-tect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safe-guard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exer-cise 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).

UNHCR North Kivu Operation covers refugee protection, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees and other affected populations. There are estimated 1,700,000 IDPs in North Kivu following long running clashes between armed groups as well as with Congolese regular army forces. In Grand North Kivu, following the ongoing displacement of populations, Human-itarian action and protection of civilians remain affected by the activism of local and foreign armed groups. In addition, there is a resurgence of conflicts and tensions between different communities. Amidst that turmoil, UNHCR continues to play Its protection leading role, provid-ing protection analysis and response to affected persons as well as coordinating clusters un-der Its responsibility. UNHCR will also reaffirm its engagement through direct response to IDPs needs, with a focus on emergency response, needs assessment and profiling, GBV pre-vention and solutions. Whenever possible, UNHCR will seek to create synergy between its refugee and IDP responses through area-based approach.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Field Office UNHCR Beni, and with technical support from the Senior Protection Officer in Goma, 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 concerns 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 adequately addressed; • Provide policy guidance and operational support to UNHCR and partners on all protection related issues; • Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors; 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 Procedures (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 persons 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, authorities 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 operations applying the humanitarian cluster system, contribute to ensuring that the response 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 protection 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.

• Integrity and professionalism; • Accountability; • Commitment to continuous learning; • Planning and organizing; • Teamwork and respect for diversity; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; • Flexibility, adaptability, and ability; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards the UN core values.

• working 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 multi-cultural 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.

Beni is a non-family duty station, international staff live in private accommodations. Beni offers banking services ( TMB, RAWBANK and EQUITY BANK) and limited medical facilities that are equipped to deal with serious medical cases. Evacuation opportunities are limited, however air ambulance evacuation can be organized for life threatening emergencies during day time. The city also fosters a Base of United Nations peace-keeping mission. Restaurants and bars are usually available in the city as well as some selection of fresh vegetables and fruits in the local market. Mobile phones and cellular services are widely available (Vodacom, Orange, Airtel). Given the poor state of the roads in the region, Beni Airport is of prime importance. There are 4 to 5 humanitarian flights per week from Beni to Goma. For out of the country travel, flights are taken from Goma and also from Kigali in Rwanda.

The current R&R cycle is every 6 weeks.