Refugee Community-Based Protection Assistant

Contract

This is a UNV Refugee contract. More about UNV Refugee contracts.

In a context of protracted displacement as well as mixed and onward movements, survivors of violence (including gender-based violence), trafficking, smuggling or persons facing other serious protection risks do not always have clear information about the consequences of violence and how to access urgent protection and assistance services, including care services. Women, girls, boys, LGBTIQ+ persons, people with disabilities and individuals with specific needs. UNHCR and its partners, including other UN agencies, civil society, community and grassroots organizations (including refugee, women, youth -led organizations) are engaged in regional efforts to strengthen community-led initiatives which support community engagement and outreach and provide protection and multi-sectoral assistance services, including referrals, to forcibly displaced and stateless persons along the displacement cycle across the region. Such activities must be implemented in line with rights- and community-based approaches as well as the UNHCR Policy on Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), to foster an environment that promotes inclusion and non-discrimination, social cohesion and peace-building.

Following regional research in the North Africa and the identification of 67 member organizations, the Service has supported the establishment of the MENA Community Protection Network to facilitate the safe identification and referral of persons with international protection and specific needs. The Network is currently present in eight of the nineteen countries covered by UNHCR in the region and aims to ensure access to protection and multisectoral assistance services by supporting community engagement and outreach.

Under the supervision of the Senior Community-Based Protection Officer in the Service, the Refugee UNV will be a key resource of the MENA Community Protection Network to support the expansion of the network membership and its operationality, including engagement of forcibly displaced and stateless communities in protection planning, implementation, and monitoring, in line with the Network’s objectives and principles.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Senior Community-Based Protection Officer, the Refugee UNV (Community-based Protection Assistant) will:

• Assist in liaising with refugee-led and community-based organizations to engage them in ongoing discussions and activities of the MENA Community Protection Network; • Assist in updating the existing MENA Community Protection Network map; • Assist in implementing training sessions on safe disclosure, identification, and referrals of people with international protection and specific needs to protection and multisectoral assistance services; • Support the identification, testing and dissemination of two-way communication messages on access to protection and multi-sectoral assistance services as well as durable solutions, onward movement, and fraud prevention within the MENA Community Protection Network; • Support the monitoring of community dynamics, trends and messages, both through social media and communication with Network members, and compiling monthly reports; • Assist in developing a referral and activity tracking system; • Assist in consultations with group of forcibly displaced and stateless persons to receive their input in ongoing processes, including internal program planning processes; • Any other related tasks as may be assigned by the supervisor.

• Results/expected outputs:

The knowledge of the Refugee UNV of the forcibly displaced community and her or his previous experience in community related work will be critical to achieve the following results: • The online MENA Community Protection Network map will be updated. • The skills of MENA Community Protection Network members about safe disclosure, identification and referrals will be further developed. • Two-way communication needs are identified, and the quality and effectiveness of two-way communication messages are improved. • Participation and engagement of forcibly displaced, and stateless persons in planning processes will increase. • Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated, and documented in all activities throughout the assignment.

• Professionalism: understanding of operations relevant to MENA Regional Bureau; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNHCR procedures and rules; 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; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • 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 implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • 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), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • 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.

assisting community participation and engagement. and; • University degree in community development, social science, human rights, public information, audio-visual communication, anthropology, cultural studies or any other relevant field is desirable. • Knowledge of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) context and the situation of forcibly displaced and stateless persons there; • Ability to work within MENA working hours; • Understanding of accessibility and inclusion concepts and related approaches; • Capacity to assist the gathering of inputs to update the online map; • Ability to support the implementation of training sessions and coordination meetings; • Good interpersonal skills; • Capacity to meet agreed deadlines; • Familiarity with approaches to two-way communication with forcibly displaced and stateless persons; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a dynamic environment; ability to work in a multicultural team; • Solid computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; • Excellent drafting skills; • Excellent knowledge of English and Arabic language. French will be an asset.

• Desirable: • Previous experience in UNHCR, other UN agencies, NGOs or community-based organizations; • Solid knowledge of UNHCR’s protection mandate and the inter-agency context; • Solid knowledge of coordination information management tools and platforms.

The legal framework of the modality is governed by UNV’s Conditions of Service for Refugee UN Volunteers, which provides the refugee volunteers with the same entitlement package as that of National UNVs. Like any other UN Volunteer, as a recognition for their volunteering contribution, the RUNVs are entitled to receive the Volunteer Living Allowance, set by UNV.

This Refugee UNV assignment is under teleworking arrangement and a full-time role with working hours starting from 09.00 am to 17:00 CET (Amman time) from Sunday to Thursday 40 hours per week).

As this is a Refugee UN Volunteer assignment under remote working arrangement of UNHCR, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging its housing and other living essentials. This assignment is for candidates with recognized refugee status in the country of current residency and the duty station will be revised according to the current residency of the selected candidate.

The RUNV will be selected from any location in the world, except from Headquarter (H) duty stations and locations where there are no United Nations developmental or humanitarian activities or locations which are in countries which are members of the European Union. (H duty stations include the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America).

To ensure consistency and fair treatment of UN Volunteers in the country in terms of benefits, selected candidate will be required to self-declare the humanitarian assistance she/he is in receipt of, which, upon recruitment will then be assessed, and adjusted as needed.