Associate Protection Officer

Volunteering Communications & PR Crisis & Emergency Response

Overview

Provide support to UNHCR's field offices in protecting refugees and displaced populations.

You have:

• Previous direct work with affected populations

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 protection unit in Mexico City provides support to UNHCR’s field offices, as well as more direct support and capacity building to national authorities within the federal government on topics related to refugees, statelessness and internal displacement. Part of this support focuses on the implementation of UNHCR’s Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) Policy, ensuring accountability to affected populations and promoting an enjoyment of their rights on an equal footing with others.

Projects and activities will include:

•Ensuring accountability to affected populations; •Protection mainstreaming •Community outreach •Coordination support for protection, GBV and child protection working groups; •Other activities assigned by the supervisor.

Under the direct supervision of Assistant Community-Based Protection Officer the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

1. Ensuring accountability to affected populations (AAP):

•Supporting the implementing the Community-based Compliant Mechanism •Supporting operational participatory consultations •Implementing AAP interventions with an Age, Gender and Diversity in Tapachula, Chiapas in coordination with the Field Office.

2.Protection mainstreaming:

•Conducting regular mapping on Who is doing What, Where, When and Why? •Coordinating programs and activities with various humanitarian actors’ expert in working with groups with specific protection needs. •Ensuring that the protection practice related to refugees is guided by relevant national and international policies and standards. •Maintaining communication with focal points and relevant actors, encouraging their active engagement in the various protection working Groups. •Mainstreaming a MHPSS approach in protection and solutions responses. •Supporting protection monitoring activities in Tapachula, Chiapas in coordination with the Field Office.

3.Community outreach:

•Mapping, planning, organizing and monitoring community outreach sessions. •Supporting role in implementing the Community Outreach Volunteers. •Recommend follow-up actions to enhance meaningful engagements with communities.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

•Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); •Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; •Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities; •Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; •Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; •Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

☒Accountability ☒Adaptability and Flexibility ☒Client Orientation ☒Communication ☒Integrity ☒Judgement and Decision-making ☒Working in Teams

•Previous direct work with affected populations

Mexico City (also known as CDMX) is the capital of the United States of Mexico. It is a category A, family duty station and has a high-level infrastructure:

-Health: Mexico City has a highly ranked medical infrastructure with many internationally acclaimed hospitals. -Education: There is plenty of Govt and private schools. Most private schools are bilingual (English-Spanish), and there are US, British, German, Japanese, and French schools. -Housing: Apartments can be rented both furnished and unfurnished, and services of real estate agents are widely available. All international staff members must present their residential places for ACNUR security inspection BEFORE signing the lease contract. There is a large seismic area in Mexico City that is restricted for the selection of residences by UN staff. - Weather and earthquakes: Mexico City has a pleasant climate, yet there are frequent weather changes. Heavy rains sometimes cause flooding in some colonies. Mexico City is situated in one of the most active seismic regions in the world, interlocked inside the area known as the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt, the area with the highest seismic activity on the planet. Earthquakes are frequent and sometimes cause major damage to the urban infrastructure. -Currency and exchange: Mexican Peso. Dollars, Euros, and traveler's checks can be exchanged at a currency Exchange office. -Communications: Internet is available everywhere, but in houses and offices, a contract has to be made to access to this service. -Transportation: There are public buses, subway, and if taxis are to be taken, it is recommended to take "taxis de sitio". Uber is also available.

Mexico City belongs to the Security Risk Management area, SRM Central area, with the current General Threat Level 02, LOW. Status Approved by DO by Peter Grohmann, 04 Feb 2025. Period 05 Feb 2025 - 31 Jan 2026. There are no known direct threats to UNHCR, however UNHCR staff may be affected by common crime. Mexico City has high crime rates, including robbery of pedestrians with or without violence, vehicle theft, burglary, home theft, business theft, extortion and intimidation by telephone, fraud, targeted kidnappings. In addition, gender violence is high. Demonstrations and civil marches are held regularly in main avenues of Mexico City, 90% of which are peaceful. In addition, there are road closures in the main accesses to Mexico City, and toll booths are taken over, mainly by transportation companies.

So far in 2025 there has been an increase in demonstrations, blockades, marches, and traffic accidents. The diversification of illicit economies by criminal cells is increasing.

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 10 months ago - Source: unv.org