Community-based Protection Assistant

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is an international organization with the mandate to assist persons in need of international protection: asylum seekers, refugees, stateless and internally displaced persons. The UNHCR operation in Mozambique has its main office in Maputo and field offices in Nampula and Pemba, where this position is located. The working language in the UNHCR offices in Mozambique is English.

The Community-Based Protection Assistant is a member of the Protection Unit and will report to Community-Based Protection Officer in the Protection Unit. Under the overall direction of the Protection Unit, and in coordination with other UNHCR staff, government, NGO partners and other stakeholders, the incumbent works directly with communities of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities. S/he supports the application of community-based protection standards, operational procedures and practices in community-based protection delivery at the field level. To fulfil this role, the Community-Based Protection Assistant is required to spend a substantial percentage of the workday outside the office, building and maintaining networks within communities of persons of concern (PoC). The development and maintenance of constructive relationships with PoC that measurably impact and enhance protection planning, programming and results, form the core of the work of the incumbent. S/he also supports the designing of a community-based protection strategy by ensuring that it is based on consultation with PoC. The other crucial role the incumbent will play include data management in the process of implementing functional and operational complaints and feedback mechanisms the agency has developed. For this, the incumbent will deal with a substantial amount of data collected from the persons of concern and support the community-based protection team to facilitate referral of cases and incidents identified in the field.

• Assist in operationalizing agency/unit-specific common data standards and promoting them with partners. • Assist in compiling and aggregating information elements required to produce standardized information products and implement data/information collection plans for baseline and context-specific data.
• Support the operation in the analysis of processed data and information and perform data quality and consistency control. • Support the design, development, and participation in Needs Assessment processes, specifically in data collection, processing/collation, and data exploration. • Ensure community understanding of UNHCR's commitment to deliver on accountability and quality assurance in its response. Conduct information dissemination and awareness raising on the accountability to affected populations and the agency’s complaints and feedback mechanisms.
• Sanitize and compile data on complaints and incidents collected through the complaints and feedback mechanisms and support the team to refer cases to relevant agencies and services providers. • Collect data for monitoring of programmes and budgets from an AGD perspective. Contribute to the unit project data management that will be updated regularly.
• Draft and type routine correspondence, documents and reports and maintain up-to-date filing systems. • Through relationships with PoC 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 the protection team. Understand the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the PoC and advise the protection team, accordingly, highlighting the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, marginalized groups. • Support implementing and operational partners as well as displaced and local communities to develop community-owned activities to address, where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, organisational and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to SGBV. • Assist in working with host communities to involve national civil society groups in improving the protection of PoC. • Assist in the analysis that identifies the capacities of communities of concern and risks they face. • Support participatory assessments and ongoing consultation with PoC. • Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures. • Act as an interpreter in exchange of routine information, contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries. • Assist in the enforcement of participatory AGD sensitive analysis as an essential basis for all of UNHCR’s work. • Identify and recommend which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria. • Enforce compliance of implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services. • Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNHCR technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNHCR procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; r • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNHCR in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), s; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNHCR’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

professional work experience at the national and/or international level in operational data management, community development/social work or international laws, human rights or other relevant programmes; experience with humanitarian emergency response is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization.

The position is based in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado Province, in the north of Mozambique. Pemba is a D, Non-Family duty-station.

Mozambique has a total population of about 29 million people and Maputo is its capital city. The total area of Mozambique is 799,380 Km square from North to South. It is tropical hot and humid. The hottest and wettest months are December to February, when the average daily minimum temperatures are around 22°c and the average daily highs of 30°c. The rain season is between October and April. Winters (June to August) are mild with the average daily temperature ranging from 13°C to 24°C.

Cabo Delgado is bordering Tanzania, with a population of over 2.2 million individuals according to the 2017 census. The province, considered one of the poorest in the country, was hit by cyclone Kenneth in April 2019, which affected several villages, causing material damage and the displacement of many residents. The province has also been targeted by armed groups that have been attacking local villages since October 2017. The number and intensity of attacks increased consistently in 2020.

Communication and transport services are available at various costs. The housing market is healthy but quite expensive (from US$ 800 to US$ 1,500 per month). Pemba has one large supermarket and one international airport.

The metical is the local currency and exchange rate stands at USD 1 equivalent to about 63.2 meticais (MZN) as per April 2022. Pemba has 3 major health facilities: ISOS clinic, CLIDIS private clinic and the Provincial hospital. There is a wide range of Banks and ATMs to meet financial needs. Credit/debit cards are accepted in most places. UNDSS-cleared hotels are available, with the rates differing depending on the availability and season. MOSS compliant apartments are available.

The current operational circumstances require frequently long working hours. This is a stressful work context, making capacity for self-care critical.

According to the security level system, Cabo Delgado is at level 4. Crime in Pemba and villages outside of the capital is concerning and UN personnel must remain vigilant and aware of their surroundings. Traffic accidents are common in Mozambique due to the poor condition of the roads and poor driving and vehicle standards.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.