Assc Protection Officer at UNHCR Rwanda: (Deadline 20 April 2023)

Assc Protection Officer at UNHCR Rwanda: (Deadline 20 April 2023)

April 20, 2023

Associate Protection Officer Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Associate Protection Officer reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for protection staff including community-based protection registration, resettlement and education. S/he provides functional protection guidance to information management and programme staff on all protection/legal matters and accountabilities. These include: statelessness (in line with the campaign to End Statelessness by 2024), Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) commitments, age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP) through community-based protection, Child protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response, gender equality, disability inclusion, youth empowerment, psycho-social support and PSEA, registration, asylum/refugee status determination, resettlement, local integration, voluntary repatriation, human rights standards integration, national legislation, judicial engagement, predictable and decisive engagement in situations of internal displacement and engagement in wider mixed movement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses. S/he supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards. The Associate Protection Officer is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern, ensuring that operational responses in all sectors mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. The incumbent contributes to the design of a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the organization externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. S/he also ensures that persons of concern are meaningfully engaged in the decisions that affect them and support programme design and adaptations that are influenced by the concerns, priorities and capacities of persons of concern. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection. All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity. Duties – Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment. – Promote International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct. – Foster their consistent and coherent interpretation and application through mainstreaming in all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations. – Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to persons of concern. – Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation. – Conduct eligibility and status determination for persons of concern in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles. – Promote and contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness. – Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy to ensure programmes use a child protection systems approach. – Contribute to a country-level education plan. – Implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities which integrate AGD sensitive procedures. – Oversee and manage individual protection cases, including those on GBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners. – Recommend durable solutions for the largest possible number of persons of concern through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement. – Assess resettlement needs and apply priorities for the resettlement of individuals and groups of refugees and other persons of concern. – Participate in the organisation and implementation of participatory assessments and methodologies throughout the operations management cycle and promote AGD sensitive programming with implementing and operational partners. – Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy through a consultative process with sectorial and/or cluster partners. – Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems. – Promote and integrate community-based approaches to protection and contribute to capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights. – Support activities in the area of risk management related to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, fraud, case-processing, data protection, and human rights due diligence at country level. – Participate in initiatives to capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures. – Intervene with authorities on protection issues. – Negotiate locally on behalf of UNHCR. – Decide priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals. – Enforce compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services. – Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures. – Perform other related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications Years of Experience / Degree Level For P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree Field(s) of Education Law, International Law, Political Sciences or other relevant field (Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential) Certificates and/or Licenses Protection Learning Programme (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential Professional experience in the area of refugee protection, internal displacement, human rights or international humanitarian law. Good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles. Desirable Field experience, including in working directly with communities. Good IT skills including database management skills. Functional Skills *PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators *PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination MG-Project Management PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards PR-International Humanitarian Law PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement CO-Drafting and Documentation (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential) Language Requirements For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English. For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language. For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English. All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power. As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise. This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

The position incumbent shall provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR colleagues and partners on implementing and monitoring community-based protection-related activities. Strengthen protection and assistance delivery to Persons with specific needs (PSNs). Strengthening the identification and screening of persons with specific needs. Coordinate the working group coordination meeting with relevant partners to streamline response and address protection issues affecting persons of concern with specific needs.

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

Kyangwali Settlement is located in the Kikuube District of western Uganda, which borders DRC through Lake Albert and is 90 km from the DRC border and 287 km from Kampala. Kyangwali Refugee Settlement was opened in the 1960s to respond to the Rwandan refugee emergency. The settlement covers 142 sq. km

The UNHCR SO Kyangwali manages refugee operations in a refugee settlement in Kyangwali that hosts 129,751 refugees and asylum seekers, of which 129,610 are refugees while 141 are Asylum seekers.  96% of the overall population are of Congolese Nationality from DRC, followed by South Sudanese with (2.7%), Other nationalities include; Rwandese, Sudanese, Burundian, Somalis, Ethiopian, and Kenyan.

The position incumbent shall provide technical guidance and support to UNHCR colleagues and partners on implementing and monitoring community-based protection-related activities. Strengthen protection and assistance delivery to Persons with specific needs (PSNs). Strengthening the identification and screening of persons with specific needs. Coordinate the working group coordination meeting with relevant partners to streamline response and address protection issues affecting persons of concern with specific needs. A close follow-up of mental health and psychosocial support. Enhance community engagement and accountability to affected populations through monitoring and follow-up of complaints received through the FRRM system, suggestion boxes, community dialogues, protection desks and regular contacts with refugee leaders. Take the lead on the sensitisation on prioritisation, targeting and appeals mechanism in relation to food to ensure community participation for effective delivery

Living and Working Conditions:

Kyangwali is a Family Duty Station with a minimum offer of facilities. There are two guesthouses (one located outside the settlement and one in the settlement). The office is also located in the settlement:

Weather: There are two seasons during the year with the driest spell experienced during the months of Dec-Jan exceedingly up to the end of February. The weather is relatively cool but sunny and dusty during the dry season.

Water Provision: For domestic use water is pumped from the main motorized pump, the same source that supplies water for POCs. Both the guesthouse and Office have piped system connections.

Housing Facilities: There being no decent rental housing facilities, all UNHCR staff are accommodated in the designated guest/staff houses inclusive of Partners staffs.

Health Facilities: The biggest Health facility is Kituti Health Centre IV which is accessed by both Refugees and the Host community and run by UNHCR implementing partners and the government. Most times, staff access medicals outside Kyangwali but Kituti is the first phase of staff medical intervention.

Shopping: The nearest decent shopping, markets, and restaurants are found in Hoima town which is 90 Km away. There are mini shops run by Refugees with basic items and 1 day (Tuesday) is officially designated as a market day.

Banking: There are no Banking or credit card institutions/Foreign exchange bureaus within Kyangwali. The nearest services are in Hoima town.

Postal services: The nearest Postal services are found in Hoima town.

Mobile Phone services: Mobile phone service providers occasionally visit Kyangwali but have retail services for the sale of airtimes.

Internet Services: Internet services are dependent on the strength of boosters installed with intermittent disruptions based on weather conditions. However, we have Wi-Fi in both offices and accommodations.

Radio and television services; Mostly local frequencies for radios are accessible and television services are dependent on subscription services with the nearest point of accessibility being Hoima for subscription payment and through Mobile money.

News Papers and Magazines are obtainable from Hoima as the nearest point. They can also be picked when drivers travel to Hoima.

Road Condition: Road conditions are fair during the dry spell and periodically unfair during the rainy season, especially on the marram roads but with alternative routes to use which may take relatively longer hours on rainy days. However, to Hoima the road is tarmac save for a 10 km stretch-Murram to Butole.

Public Transport: Public transports are easily accessible but with serious overloading of passengers and most vehicles are in bad mechanical condition with speedy drivers. There is a daily bus that sets off from Kasonga center at 6:00 am Via Hoima to Kampala.

Bicycles and motorbikes: There are motorbikes (locally known as Boda-bodas) available as transport for short-distance movements but not bicycles

Additional Qualifications

Skills

BA: International Refugee Law (Required)

Certifications

HCR Protection Learning Program – UNHCR

Annual Budget OL in Operation/Office, Number of Persons of Concern Served, Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Workforce to Supervise, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees

Competencies

Accountability (Good – 4)

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

March 2023 Compendium – Part B

Additional Information

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