Conflict Prevention Associate

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.

Insecurity in the North-West (NW) region of Nigeria – especially Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto is characterized by a complex blend of communal conflicts, farmer-herder conflict, armed banditry and organized crime. These conflict drivers are further amplified by demographic pressure, relative deprivation, perceptions of economic exclusion and climate-induced risks. While numerous peace agreements and amnesties including in Sokoto and Zamfara provided some short-term stability, violence that resurged in the North-West, especially in 2020 poses a significant stability risk to the region and country as a whole. The conflict – and especially the bandit phenomenon in the North-West is also rooted in the degraded socio-economic and political context. The adverse effects of climate change on natural resource availability and scarcity have been identified among the root causes of the conflict. The violent conflict has altered the local coping capacities of the rural communities to deal with climatic risks affecting their livelihoods, creating a vicious cycle where natural disasters hit harder, aggravating existing tensions and leading to new conflicts.

UNDP is engaged in the Northwest of Nigeria through an integrated conflict prevention program comprising of three interrelated projects.

Firstly, the “Strengthening Local And State Level Peace Architectures For Peacebuilding and Prevention in Katsina and Kaduna States of North West Nigeria Project” The inter-agency project is implemented jointly by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women and International Organisation for Migration (IOM), with UNDP being the coordinating agency. Additionally, UNDP has entered into an UN-to-UN agreement with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR).

Secondly, to foster resilience against climate and security risks, the North West Climate-Peace Hubs: A Climate Security Approach to Conflict Prevention project, with funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will through a conflict-sensitive manner contribute towards: 1) improved access to data supporting decision-making for anticipatory actions to climate and conflict risks, 2) increased access conflict sensitive and climate resilient livelihoods and green jobs and 3) strengthened systems and practices for communal management of natural resources. The project pilot states are Katsina and Sokoto, with focus on borderland areas.

Thirdly, the Preventative Action Facility funded by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs catalyses timely, collaborative, and decisive, State led, cross-state and cross-border prevention efforts to the front-line states of Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina. The aim is to prevent the region from descending into loss of governance control over large swaths of territory, a possible humanitarian crisis and a new foothold for regional violent extremist actors with grave implications to Nigeria’s security.

Therefore, UNDP is seeking to hire a Communications Officer to provide technical guidance and support to the three projects that are interrelated and mutually supplementary, and wider engagement of the various stakeholders, including the Government, Private Sector, Academia, Civil Society, Media and the public.

Under the direct supervision of the Conflict & Political Economy Specialist, the Conflict Prevention Associate will be responsible for driving the evidencing agenda in the conflict prevention and peacebuilding projects and other related projects in the Country Office. Some of the tasks expected to be undertaken by the Conflict Prevention Associate include; 1. Support the design and implementation of sound conflict and political economy analyses and provide accurate information on the latest conflict dynamics and trends and socio-economic implications  Undertake thorough analyses and research on the political, social and economic, and conflict situations in the Northern parts of Nigeria and other areas of conflict, including in programme target communities and other related programmes/projects in the CO;  Identify the areas for support and interventions on conflict analysis, conflict surveillance mechanism, and conflict mitigation in line with the current contexts of the conflict environment;
 Region and regularly update the analysis results and data;  Design the detailed implementation plan of the identified interventions for conflict and political economy analyses, including identification of potential implementing partners, methodologies, and coordination mechanisms;  Establish a mechanism to constantly capture information on conflict dynamism and other socio-economic trends in the target communities and consolidate the analyses;  Liaise and coordinate with experts/staff in relevant projects in CO, to ensure collaboration and sharing of the analysis activity results and lessons learnt. 2. Support day-to-day activities related to conflict and political economy analyses and community conflict surveillance mechanisms to capture early-warning signs for harmful factors for the programme interventions, including technical guidance to local and international consultants and NGO/CSO partners and coordination with other programme teams and the key stakeholders;  Support NW Conflict Prevention Programming and cohesion building programmes through providing technical support to ensure the project activities are implemented in a conflict-sensitive manner and promptly report to the Head of Office and Conflict and Poltiical Economy Specialist and relevant actors whenever the issues that require their attention arise;  Provide technical advice to national/international consultants and NGOs/CSOs for conflict analyses and implementation of project activities;  Support selection, recruitment and training of local volunteers on conflict surveillance, dispute resolution and mediation, including Sexual & Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and human rights in the target communities;  Prepare reports, information materials, and publications on the conflict and political-economy analysis activities.
3. Provide policy advice and technical inputs to the Stabilization Facility Team and UNDP senior management as well as the respective stakeholders for designing effective immediate stabilization interventions, monitoring impacts (both positive and negative) of stabilization interventions in the beneficiary communities as well as the NE Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin Region as a whole.  Provide policy advice and technical inputs to the Stabilization Facility Team and ongoing Peacebuilding, Social Cohesion and Recovery programmes as well as the respective stakeholders for designing conflict sensitive interventions, monitoring impacts of the interventions and undertaking necessary countermeasures.  Ensure timely and effective dissemination of analysis results on the latest trends in conflict, political and socio- economic situations and other relevant areas that can have an impact on the delivery of the project results.  Support organization of roundtable discussions, briefing sessions, and presentation to internal and external audiences on conflict/socio-economic trends in the target communities, Northern Regions, NE Nigeria, and Lake Chad Basin region.  Undertake outreach activities and coordinate with UN System actors and other organizations in the field of conflict analysis and peace-studies to create synergies and collaboration including participation in Task Forces and other ad-hoc internal working groups on cross-cutting themes as requested. 4. Engage in Community of UNDP Practice within the area of crisis management, conflict analysis and peacebuilding to support knowledge sharing and documentation of best practice. 5. Any other tasks as assigned

 Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and Integrity
 Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment  Self-development, initiative-taking  Acting as a team player and facilitating teamwork  Facilitating and encouraging open communication  Managing conflict  Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others.  Informed and transparent decision-making

Conflict prevention; Peacebuilding; Conflict analysis; Climate security

Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria located in the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It is a planned city and was built mainly in the 1980's, replacing the country's moat populous city of Lagos as the capital on 12 December 1991. Abuja is housed by many expatriate and diplomatic communities. Cost of living in Abuja varies but could be termed as high considering the class of people residing in the city. Terrorism is the main threat in Abuja. General crime is also prevalent. UN As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials.