Psychosocial support and Livelihood

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.

In Namibia, GBV prevalence is high with one in three women having experienced violence in their lifetime, which is a staggering 32% of women by age 15. The data from the Namibian Police indicates that 5,266 cases of GBV against women were reported from April 2020 to March 2021, of which 21% of those were rape or sexual assault against young people. SGBV impacts women and girls’ physical, sexual reproductive health and mental health, as well as on their personal and social well-being. Survivors of GBV may also face stigma and rejection from her community and family. Some of the health consequences of violence against women include injuries, untimed/unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, pregnancy complications and chronic conditions and, ultimately, can cause death. Since January 2021, there has been an influx of Angolan refugees entering Namibia, due to drought and food insecurity. An estimated 7,000+ individuals are facing insurmountable challenges in accessing basic needs such as food, housing, social services and other resources. Women and young girls, many of whom are heavily pregnant or lactating, and often have 1-3 children each are predominantly migrating into Namibia. They are walking anywhere from 6-12 days with very little food during their journey. Moreover, they do not have access to healthcare facilities and security services due to lack of information and mobile services. Some women gave birth in the camps or sites where they settled, for instance under trees. Furthermore, it is well documented that GBV – including sexual exploitation and abuse and trafficking in persons – increases when populations are displaced. Drought and the loss of livelihoods also increase negative coping strategies, especially by women, and girls, including risky sexual behavior, transactional sex, distress and mental health, separation of families and related migration risks induced by the drought.

In partnership with the GRN and United Nations organizations, UNFPA supports implementation of upstream interventions at the national level. At the subnational level, UNFPA mobilize resources to support regions to strengthen integrated sexual and reproductive health services, including HIV prevention and gender-based violence response within the health, gender and social protection systems to ensure sustainability. The Programme also addresses the needs of the most marginalized youth, including adolescent girls, by increasing their capacity to adopt protective sexual behaviors through targeted rights-based approaches to address unmet need for contraception. Based on the principle of ‘leave no one behind’, there is a greater focus on enhancing national capacities for disaggregated data collection, research and innovation, through partnerships with government, civil society and academia. Addressing GBV and promoting a gender responsive environment is critical in achieving other development goals including adolescents and young people’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Beyond its regular development Programme context, UNFPA CO also supports the national emergency response declared to mitigate the effects of climate change and prolonged drought in the context of COVID-19. In this regard, UNFPA will implement a Humanitarian project funded by the Japan Embassy (Japan Supplementary Budget) to secure the continuity of essential lifesaving interventions and safeguarding of vulnerable women and girls’ rights including girls living with disabilities and other vulnerable persons in the context of COVID-19. The UN volunteer will support both development and emergency response interventions aimed at promoting the wellbeing of women, adolescent girls and young. These include Programme planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting; contribute to knowledge generation and management; Advocacy, Innovation and resource mobilization; coordination and partnership. These interventions will be mainstreaming COVID-19 prevention and response activities. Under the direct supervision of Ms. Sheila Roseau, UNFPA Representative, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

Programme and operational excellence • Assist with work plan and budget management, oversight and monitoring of implementing partners (IPs) working in the area of Gender, GBV and SRH including the Japanese supported project.

Knowledge management and technical support • Analyses and interprets the political, social and economic environment relevant to population and development, reproductive health gender and GBV and identifies opportunities for UNFPA assistance and intervention. • Keeps abreast of new policy developments and strategies analyzing policy papers, strategy documents, national plans and development frameworks, and prepares briefs and inputs for policy dialogue, technical assistance coordination, and development frameworks. • Helps create and document knowledge about current and emerging GBV trends and gender issues, by analyzing Programme, projects, strategies, approaches and ongoing experience for lessons learned, best practices, and shares with management for use in knowledge sharing and planning future strategies. • Expedites and coordinates project implementation and monitoring establishing collaborative relationships with executing agencies, experts, government counterparts and other UN agencies facilitating timely and efficient delivery of project inputs and ad-dressing training needs of project personnel.

Advocacy, Innovation and resource mobilization • Assists advocacy and resource mobilization efforts of Country Office by preparing relevant documentation, i.e. project summaries, conference papers, speeches, donor pro-files, and participating in donor meetings and public information events. • Support communication and innovation efforts

Coordination and partnerships • Participate in GBV technical coordination mechanisms and policy dialogues as required, including those involving the UN, Development Partners, Government, Parliamentarians, and Civil Society.

☒ Accountability ☒ Adaptability and Flexibility ☒ Building Trust ☒ Client Orientation ☒ Commitment and Motivation ☒ Commitment to Continuous Learning ☒ Communication ☒ Creativity ☒ Empowering Others ☒ Ethics and Values ☒ Integrity ☒ Judgement and Decision-making ☒ Leadership ☒ Managing Performance ☒ Planning and Organizing ☒ Professionalism ☒ Respect for Diversity ☒ Self-Management ☒ Technological Awareness ☒ Vision ☒ Working in Teams

3-5 years in Experience preferably in GBV programme/project management in development and/ humanitarian settings. Prior experience on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and experience working in middle income countries is an asset.

With a small population of 1,4 million, Namibia is relevantly safe and politically stable. However, the usual safety precautions that apply everywhere else should be adhered to. There is ample access to various social amenities including easy access to transportation in the capital and other regions. The climate is pleasant with a mild winter from May to August and a hot summer (high temperature but very low humidity) from September to April. As of 6 February 2022, 156,371 were recorded with 148,048 recoveries and 3980 deaths.