Child Protection Officer (Reporting)

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.

Assignment is non-family (GOMA)

Within the terms of the organization’s delegated authority, and under the direct supervision of the reporting chief of unit in Goma, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Will be involved in Research activities on child protection, carrying out research on selected aspects of child protection issues that may include collecting, analysing, and presenting situational analysis, trends on violations, statistical data and graphics and other information needed by the chief child protection section or UN HQ colleagues.
• Working with the chief reporting Unit, UNICEF and the CTFMR to harmonize the collection and insertion of violations in the child protection central database and to draft concise, accurate and timely reports to the MONUSCO leadership, the Security Council working Group on CAAC, the DPO child protection Team in New York and the SRSG CAAC office.
• Ensure impartiality, neutrality, confidentiality, and security of information collected as well as protection of such information and its sources.
• Training staff on reporting standards; verifying with field offices the info shared in the Daily Reports, Activity Reports, Weekly Incident Reviews, Monthly Reports, flash reports, Incident Reports.
• Ensure that the best interest, rights, protection, and well-being of all children affected by parties to the conflict are given priority both by MONUSCO, UNICEF, Government counterparts, NGOs partners, and other relevant actors within the area of deployment.
• Following up on the Monitoring of the 6 grave violations with team leaders; When necessary, carry out field visits to gather and report on grave violations perpetrated against children in a timely and accurate manner.
• Participation in the Child DDR, advising on child protection standards to separate children associated with armed forces or groups and liaison with UNICEF and the DDR-Cs national programmes in place for the prioritization of child protection concerns.
• Participate in the judicial follow up of when children conflict with the law (perpetrators, victims, witnesses) as per the DRC Law on the Protection of Children as well as International Juvenile Justice Standards; Participate in the judicial follow-up of perpetrators of grave violations against children
• Capacity building for local counterparts, carrying out awareness raising, capacity building on children and armed conflict, training, and sensitization of various target groups, including counterparts within GoDRC as well as other relevant Child Protection actors and partners
• Ensure timely referral of children separated from armed groups or armed forces to appropriate UN Agencies, NGOs, Government institutions and other relevant actors and partners for transit care, family tracing and reunification.
• Provide guidance to field staff during the implementation of CVR and reintegration projects. Help in reviewing child protection agreements with host country and international contributions for grants or other activities within assigned areas for the development, protection, and wellbeing of children in conflict zone. Identifies and reports issues/problems as they arise and recommends appropriate actions; coordinate regularly with service units and liaises as needed with internal team members.
• Any other related duties as may be required.

Professionalism Integrity Team Work Respect for diversity and gender

Child Protection and reporting with strong excel sheets and database capacity.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the third largest country in Africa, and as a result is quite diverse.

Living conditions therefore vary between MONUSCO duty stations, with all usual amenities present in the capital Kinshasa, but only very basic conditions in remote duty stations in the provinces, where, for instance, there may be no guarantee of public power supply nor running water. The ability to live and work in difficult and harsh conditions of developing countries is essential.

Accommodation is very expensive in both Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. Supermarkets exist in the large towns (e.g. Bukavu, Kisangani), but consumer items are generally very expensive (as everything is imported). For food, local markets offer a much cheaper alternative.

All MONUSCO duty stations are considered non-family duty stations, and most are currently under UN Security Phase III (“relocation phase”: internationally-recruited staff are temporarily concentrated or relocated to specified sites/locations). In addition to insecurity related to the relatively volatile political situation as well as various conflict situations, certain places are subject to increasing street and residential crime, including in Kinshasa and Goma.

Some degree of medical service is provided in all MONUSCO duty stations. Certain vaccinations are mandatory for MONUSCO personnel to enter the DRC, while others are compulsory for all other incoming persons. It is possible for incoming MONUSCO personnel, including UNV volunteers, to be asked to provide proof of some or all vaccinations at N’Djili airport in Kinshasa, though this is unlikely (a MONUSCO protocol/travel officer is usually present and may be able to assist). All UNV volunteers must ensure that they are up-to-date with all appropriate vaccinations, which should be clearly and properly endorsed in the International Certificate of Vaccination (“carte jaune”). Malaria is present virtually throughout the DRC, and it is therefore recommended to take prophylaxis. The unit of currency is the Congolese Franc. The US dollar is the other preferred currency. It may be impossible to exchange traveller’s checks away from the capital city. Credit cards are usually accepted in major hotels only in Kinshasa. In larger towns and cities (e.g. Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani),UN Volunteers are recommended to open US Dollar bank accounts, while in other places, banks may be absent (including ATMs) and VLA payments will be processed in cash. UN Volunteers have the possibility to send part of their allowances to a bank account abroad. In addition to French, there are four major spoken languages in DRC, namely Lingala, Kikongo, Tshiluba and Swahili.