Associate Protection Officer (Community-Based)

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UNHCR - UN High Commissioner for Refugees

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ML Gao (Mali)

Application deadline 11 months ago: Monday 3 Apr 2023 at 00:00 UTC

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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).

The current operational context in the area covered by the UNHCR Sub-Office of Gao can be summarised in three aspects, namely return zone, asylum zone and transit zone. The Gao region was initially perceived as a return zone for both IDPs and Malian refugees in relation with the 2012 crisis. As a result of the presence of armed groups in Northern Mali, there were massive displacements of populations both in-country and to the neighbouring countries. As of 31 January 2019, national statistics show a total number of 526.505 returnees (ex-IDPs) of whom 40% are in the operational zone of Gao. The same statistics show a total number of 71.156 Malian refugees who were repatriated, with 47% of them having returned to the operational zone of Gao. In parallel, since the beginning of the year 2018, Gao has received a large number of refugees from Burkina Faso and Niger as a result of the overall deteriorating security situation in the Sahel region. As of today, a total number of 8.457 refugees from Burkina Faso have been registered in Mali and 72% of them are present in the Gao zone. The total number of refugees from Niger is 1.024 and they are all located in Ménaka region also covered by UNHCR Sub-Office in Gao. It is important to highlight that internal displacements continue until today. The total number of internally-displaced people is 123.574 at the national level as at 31 January 2019 and the Gao zone has received 28% of them. Finally, Gao has also become a tran

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

Be fully informed about community structures and the protection and security situation of the population of concern and develop strong links with a cross-section of members of refugee/Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)/stateless communities, using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) approach;
Through relationships with persons of concern 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;
Ensure through direct action and advocacy with more senior protection staff that the necessary resources are allocated to enable community work to identify and address protection and assistance gaps;
Assist in supporting 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;
Provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR and partners and implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on all community-based protection related issues;
Support the design, implementation and evaluation of protection centred and solutions oriented programming with implementing and operational partners guaranteeing that community-owned activities are integrated;
Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures
Promote confidence build

, Accountability, Adaptability and Flexibility, Commitment to Continuous Learning, Communication, Integrity, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Working in Teams

relevant professional experience, including in the areas of community-based protection, community services, social work, and human rights.

Mali is a country that is currently trying to recover from a conflict in its northern part. The whole territory is a non-family duty station. This position is based in Gao, whose living and security conditions are higher, SLS 4 (Substantial - as per UN security classification). At the end of 2018, Mali’s security situation still remains fragile and of concern despite the commencement of the Disarmament, Demobilizations and Reintegration (DDR) process. The complex attacks on civilians, national security as well as on international forces including carjacking remain a challenge. On the humanitarian front, although the access is a challenge, humanitarian actors continued to work under strict security mitigation measures put in place in order to protect and assist both Malian nationals as well as IDP returnees, returning refugees and refugees. The continued displacements within Mali and from the neighbouring countries due to intercommunal and armed conflicts were additional problems that had adverse effects on our operations amid global budgetary constraints. The candidate will be entitled to R&R after every 4 weeks. To enter Mali, a valid passport is required. A visa is also compulsory, except for nationals of ECOWAS member states (Economic Community of West African States) as well as Morocco and Cameroun. Nationals of other countries should contact the representation of Mali in their country of residence. For those who do not have a Malian representation in their country of residence, the visa can be issued at Bamako airport. In all cases, a Note Verbale will be issued with the aim of facilitating the visa issuance for the selected UN Volunteer. The yellow fever vaccine is compulsory and a vaccination card should be brought with you for Malian health authorities’ check at the airport. The selected UN Volunteer must attend, from the beginning of the assignment, all security-related trainings, which are compulsory for all UN personnel.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 11 months ago - Source: unv.org