International Consultancy: Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Coordinator – UNICEF and Interagency - Caracas, Venezuela (6 months)

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, PROTECTION

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The Secretary-General in its 2017 Report on special measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, has confirmed and strengthened the United Nations’ commitment to take action for prevention, response and end of impunity for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) by UN staff and related personnel. UNICEF has developed Minimum Operating Standards for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (MOS-PSEA), which establishes necessary measures for the organization to meet its responsibilities and accountability regarding SEA. One of these measures is to have PSEA focal points in UNICEF country-offices, in line with the IASC PSEA task force initiative.

The Secretary-General in its 2017 Report on special measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, has confirmed and strengthened the United Nations’ commitment to take action for prevention, response and end of impunity for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) by UN staff and related personnel. UNICEF has developed Minimum Operating Standards for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (MOS-PSEA), which establishes necessary measures for the organization to meet its responsibilities and accountability regarding SEA. One of these measures is to have PSEA focal points in UNICEF country-offices, in line with the IASC PSEA task force initiative.

UNICEF Venezuela is seeking temporary support in implementing the PSEA UNICEF Action Plan and the Inter-Agency Network Action Plan. Towards advancing PSEA UNICEF, with the UN Humanitarian Country Team jointly developed and approved an inter-agency PSEA action plan which includes prioritized activities to improve safe and accessible reporting, access to survivor-centered assistance, and enhanced accountabilities, including country-level investigations. The plan includes a mapping of PSEA efforts amongst partners, awareness raising in local communities and coordination of reporting responsibilities, the establishment of a complaint’s mechanism and victims' assistance, development of hiring practices and engagement with authorities through the HCT to strengthen prevention and response to SEA.

The HCT is committed to meet its obligations to advance PSEA services and systems yet require funding to operationalize the action plan and ensure there are additional human resources, tools and programmes in place for PSEA. To achieve these important priorities a dedicated person is required.

The position will be dedicated to Interagency PSEA work and to UNICEF PSEA program. For 50% of his/her time, under the overall supervision of the Humanitarian Coordinator in country and daily supervision from the Deputy Head of OCHA, and 50% of his/her time under the supervision of the UNICEF Emergency Chief of Field operations.

His/her work will include supporting the PSEA In-Country Network (ICN) established in November 2019 and strengthening the existing complaints mechanisms across Venezuela building upon existing models to establish greater transparency on reporting and investigations in an effort to end impunity for those guilty of sexual exploitation and abuse and uphold the rights and dignity of survivors.

S/he will work together with the PSEA ICN to create a multi-stakeholder network which runs a CBCM in line with Global Standards and key PSEA global commitments, including the Secretary-General’s Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13)the Statement of Commitment on Eliminating Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by UN and Non-UN Personnel (2006), the IASC Statement on PSEA (2015), and the PSEA Minimum Operating Standards. S/he will undertake this both within his/her hosting Agency, and as a resource person for PSEA Network agencies and implementing partners’ organizations, including national NGOs and INGOs and liaising with in-country inter-agency/multi-sectoral AAP initiatives.

The in-Country PSEA Network in Venezuela was established under the UNCT/HCT in 2019. The Network is currently composed of eight UN agencies, the Protection Cluster and AoR representatives, two representatives of the NGO community. To date, the In-Country PSEA Network has developed an Action Plan that include the development of key activities such as the development of PSEA Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs); Inter-Agency SEA Referral Pathway; Community Based Complaints Mechanisms (CBCM) training; Provision of referral pathway to survivors; Training of PSEA focal points.

The humanitarian actors have varying capacities and experience in terms of compliance with PSEA standards and the oversight of PSEA minimum standards remains challenging. The In-Country PSEA Coordinator for Venezuela will be responsible for supporting and tracking progress of the implementation of the prevention of sexual exploitation & abuse (PSEA) Action Plan and overseeing and supporting the collective PSEA activities of organizations in Venezuela, and to promote the United Nations’ (UN) Zero Tolerance Policy. Working closely with the PSEA Network members, the PSEA Coordinator will undertake the following:

1) At the Inter-agency level: Represent UNICEF at the PSEA in-country network • Collaborate with the fulfillment of its tasks under its PSEA Network TORs Action Plan • Provide advice on PSEA concerns in strategic discussions of the PSEA Network • Support the UNICEF senior leadership in implementing PSEA Network TORs and Action Plan • Participate in the monthly PSEA Network meetings • Ensure printing and distribution of the PSEA poster (communities) and leaflet (staff) for UNICEF field offices and partners • Be the leading agency in the inter-agency initiative (UNICEF funded), of developing a PSEA glossary with TWB • Mapping of investigation procedures as per respective internal policies of members of the ICN • Collect data for the PSEA Global Indicator • Inform relevant UNICEF working groups (Focal Points and Personas de Apoyo) about advances and initiatives of the PSEA Network and to foster linkages and information-sharing • Regularly report to UNICEF senior management on developments and challenges in the implementation of the PSEA Network Action Plan to ensure continued engagement and address gaps in PSEA implementation • In collaboration with the AAP specialist in UNICEF, UNVs and the Personas de Apoyo, support the PSEA network to gather data for the PSEA Global Indicators, to identify where there are gaps in community access for reporting sensitive complaints, in close collaboration with existing AAP mechanisms

2) At UNICEF level Coordinate the PSEA actions at UNICEF level • Provide technical support and guidance to the PSEA focal point and alternates at national and field level • Provide technical support and guidance to the Personas de Apoyo and alternates at the sections • In collaboration with HACT, guide Personas de Apoyo in evaluating partners and providing continuous support for the improvement of partners capacity in preventing and responding to SEA • Support the implementation of the PSEA country action plan • Deliver the PSEA capacity building plan to support different stakeholders to implement the field office PSEA Action Plans • Jointly with GBV and CP AoR a collaborate with the finalization of the referral pathways including NNA services PSEA System Strengthening (UNICEF and Implementing Partners) • Support Appropriate Reporting and response SEA allegations, including review of existing internal reporting • Ensure that all information pertaining to complaints is handled and referred strictly in line with agreed protocols: the internal UNICEF Notification Alert and inter-agency information sharing procedure agreed with the PSEA network • Work with the UNICEF Child Protection team to define the modality for monitoring the assistance provided to child SEA survivors by service providers (other than UNICEF implementing • Ensure the finalization of the existing referral system for survivors in coordination with the GBV and CP AoR and Child Protection UNICEF team • Strengthen implementation of PSEA prevention with UNICEF and partners through capacity building and system strengthening • Deliver the PSEA Capacity Building Plan • Complete the PSEA assessment of UNICEF Implementing Partners and the roll out of the PSEA Toolkit • Develop mechanisms to strengthen PSEA risk mitigation and complaints handling mechanism in line with UNICEF and international best practice standard

Mainstream PSEA in HR management • Continue to support HR staff in raising awareness on PSEA among UNICEF personnel • Conduct PSEA sessions within the HR inductions for new commers

Mitigate PSEA risks within UNICEF programming • Deliver PSEA sessions as part of the sessions for suppliers organized by Supply • Orientation on PSEA and the PSEA clause for UNICEF contractors • Monitor that new partnerships are informed immediately by the HACT team, so new partners can be trained within 30 days of signing a PCA • Ensure that all staff, volunteers, partners and contractors are trained on PSEA, through the delivery of the PSEA Capacity Building Plan

Ensure community-based complaint mechanism is in place and functioning • In coordination with the AAP Specialist, support the development and implementation of a Community Based Complaints Mechanisms on SEA within UNICEF programing • Support the development and roll out of the guidelines for the contact center (a channel that UNICEF is developing to receive complaints and feedbacks) • Implement the PSEA communication strategy within UNICEF programming at national and field levell

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master or Superior) in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.
• Equivalent of minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience, including in one or more of the following areas: Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), Protection, Human rights, Child Protection, Gender-based violence/Victim assistance, Staff misconduct and discipline, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)
• Field experience in humanitarian or development settings is considered an asset
• Understanding of the international development and humanitarian architecture
• Familiarity with the UN system and global coordination structures (e.g. IASC)
• Proven ability to implement an Action Plan
• Experience in developing and facilitating training and capacity-building activities is an advantage
• Familiarity with data protection and confidentiality measures is an advantage

SKILLS

• Coordination (experience in an inter-agency coordination role is an advantage)
• Professionalism (proven integrity, objectivity, and professional competence)
• Communication, facilitation, and inter-personal skills
• Ability to work with different stakeholders and build consensus
• Advocacy across a wide variety of actors
• Leadership (ability to lead a technical network)
• Leveraging (ability to engage at senior leadership level and secure buy-in)
• Problem-solving (ability to know what needs to be done and identify the resources to do it)

LANGUAGE

• Fluency in Spanish and English is required.

To be considered you must:

• Attach an All-Inclusive Financial Proposal within the application form indicating your daily and monthly fees.
  • Take into consideration in your Financial Proposal: Initially, the consultancy will be for 6 months home-based, with the possibility to travel to Venezuela at any stage of the contract.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

• Sensitivity to cultural diversity, discrimination, and gender issues
• Ability to interact in a sensitive manner with survivors
• Ability to work in a stressful environment
• Ability to delegate

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.