Associate Protection Officer – GBV

Details

Mission and objectives

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).

Context

UNHCR Sub-Office Kakuma currently host more than 279,169 refugees from more than 22 different nationalities, with 66,984 POCs being hosted at Kalobeyei settlement. Kakuma camp itself was established in 1992 with total population 236,860 registered refugees and asylum seekers. There is high prevalence of GBV and POCs who identifies as LGBTIQ experiences unique protection challenges including challenging relationship with fellow refugees and host communities within a challenging legal context. In line with the Global Compact for Refugees and the MYMP Strategy, Kakuma operation focuses its strategy on further expanding the protection of refugees and promoting solutions. In close collaboration with the government, UN and with other International doners and NGOs, the operation in Kakuma developed a major initiative – Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Plan (KISEDP), and the government-led SIRIKA Plan as the main vehicle for operationalizing GCR in Kenya. Priority is given to securing efficient and effective levels of core life-saving activities, expanding risk management and levels of accountability, enhancing protection response, and most notably adopting an area-based development approach for refugees and host communities, strengthening capacity of national service providers, promoting access to sustainable livelihoods and education programmes, shifting from blanket to targeted assistance and expanding the community-based engagement strategy.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: Under the direct supervision of Child Protection Officer the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
• Assist the operation in developing/ strengthening and implementing a country/ location specific Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) strategy is in line with UNHCR guidelines and updated global SGBV strategy. The SGBV strategy should be part of the operation’s Protection & Solutions Strategy.
• Establish and/or strengthen strategic and innovative partnerships for SGBV with community-based, local, national, and international organizations.
• Promote mainstreaming of Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) across all sectors and activities such as health, safety and security, psychosocial and legal shelter, WASH, and Energy and coordinate with Programme and Protection sections to ensure that SGBV programming is incorporated in partner agreements in all sectors.
• Support the operation in conducting assessments and safety audits on SGBV in coordination with other units and other agencies.
• Conduct mapping and maintain a “who, what where” matrix of existing services to address SGBV, including community capacities and structures.
• Strengthen and lead SGBV coordination mechanisms in refugee contexts or, in the context of IDPs, support the Sub-cluster SGBV coordination structure.
• Support the development and strengthening of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with comprehensive referral mechanism for response services through a consultative process with NGOs and community groups.
• Support SGBV data management (collection, storage, analysis and sharing) in line with safety and ethical standards. Build capacity for the implementation of the Gender-Based Violence Information Management System (GBVIMS).
• Support the planning and monitoring for multi-sectoral SGBV programming using UNHCR’s Results Framework, FOCUS.
• Conduct training on basic elements of SGBV prevention and response, the design of SGBV programmes and coordination mechanisms.
• Prepare regular consolidated reports on the progress, challenges, gaps and recommendations on SGBV prevention and response.
• Consult with Senior Protection Officer and with the Regional Advisor (SGBV) of with DIP on policy developments and strategic direction.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
• Support implementation of UNHCR diversity policy, in particular to ensure protection of LGBTI refugees and asylum seekers.
• Support and provide guidance to partners on individual SGBV case management and implementation of proGres V4.