Humanitarian Officer (Nexus and Refugee response), Swiss Secondment to UNRCO/UNHCR, Bangladesh

I.           Background

 Bangladesh is facing recurrent humanitarian challenges on two main fronts:

 As of January 31, 2024, Bangladesh is host to 975,350 Rohingya Refugees from Myanmar, who reside in 33 camps across Ukhiya and Teknaf and on Bhashan Char. 95% of Rohingya households remain entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance provided by the Government of Bangladesh (GoB), International Community (IC) and local NGOs . In the absence of any pool funding, the Joint Response Plan (JRP) is the only funding mechanism available for the response and it used primarily to address emergency needs in food & nutrition, shelter, protection, health, and education. However, the international financial support available for the response has significantly decreased (25% in 2023) due to competing global emergencies, leading to only 49.4% of the 2023 JRP needs being met. Since 2021, the Rohingya Response has been classified as a protracted crisis. Diminished humanitarian funding alongside escalating humanitarian dependency and needs where funding is insufficient to address even emergency needs have hindered prioritization of durable solutions. Addressing a protracted crisis necessitates long-term planning and a developmental approach, which enables sustained investment and solutions aimed at reducing the dependency of vulnerable populations on humanitarian aid over time and increasing local ownership.

 According to the World Bank estimates, Bangladesh is also the world’s seventh most climate risk-affected country, with 185 extreme events recorded over the past two decades. The costs of these climate change events are real: the average tropical cyclones cost Bangladesh about $1 billion annually. By 2050, one-third of agricultural GDP may be lost due to climate variability and extreme events – a devastating figure as the agriculture sector represents around half of employment in the country; and 13.3 million people may become internal migrants in next 30 years due to climate impacts on agriculture, water scarcity, and rising sea levels, with higher impacts on women.

 

II.          Rationale

The development partners in Bangladesh are working to support the government in their efforts to sustainably build resilience and address the underlying causes of vulnerability for the people of Bangladesh as they are confronted with recurrent and more severe climate related disasters; while in parallel, providing international support and solidarity to the Joint Response Plan (JRP) to support the Rohingya Refugees.

 As the return to Myanmar for the Rohingya Refugees promoted as unique solution by the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) is improbable in the mid to long term, continued efforts are needed (1) on one hand to attract longer term development partners to sustain the response and (2) on the other to keep the dialogue going with the GoB to open up to more sustainable solutions, such as livelihoods or trade between the host communities and the Refugee. More anticipatory interventions are needed at the nexus of peace, development and humanitarian programming to sustainably build resilience and to address the underlying causes of vulnerability, while reinforcing national capacities and systems. In this context, the Resident Coordinator’s Office has a key role to play.

 The Bangladesh Humanitarian Coordination Task Team (HCTT), co-led by the Government and the RC, have agreed to a country level nexus strategy that aims to continue to strengthen the government efforts and ensure that the humanitarian and development nexus reinforce these efforts.

As the RC is leading the UNCT, co-leading the HCTT and the SEG, the RCO is well placed to strengthen the effectiveness of both responses and coordinate improved development, peace and humanitarian work.

 The proposed secondment is fully aligned with the Swiss nexus objective in the International Cooperation Strategy (2021-24) and the Swiss portfolio outcomes of the Swiss Cooperation Programme for Bangladesh 2022-2025 (BCP). Nexus does not only focus on the transition from humanitarian aid to development but also on the social cohesion between the Rohingya population and the host community. In addition, the programme is aligned with the Humanitarian Aid Thematic Concept 2021-2024.

 

III.            Objectives

• Facilitate and coordinate the joint efforts of various stakeholders towards solutions for the Rohingya Response including by engaging with and supporting innovative approaches across the UN, NGO and development partners to enhance the response. Based on the new and informed approaches, develop key messages for different stakeholders to strengthen coherence and a coordinated approach.
• Support the resource mobilization for Rohingya response, by developing stronger relations with non-traditional donors in support of Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) Development Team in Cox’s Bazar.
• Support the RC engagement and communication with the government, and as part of SEG co-chairs, SEG and UN Refugee Response meetings.
• Promote and advance joint analysis to align around a common understanding of risks, vulnerabilities and needs in Bangladesh and to inform humanitarian, development and peace actions – including through the strengthening of data sharing between agencies.
• Facilitate joined-up planning and programming through the identification of common objectives/collective outcomes to clarify the comparative advantage of different actors and strengthen the coherence and complementarity of humanitarian, development and peace actions.
• Maintain linkages with global-level policy discussions and platforms to translate best- practice approaches to the Bangladesh context and promote the work of the humanitarian community in Bangladesh.

 

IV.            Expected outcomes

• In support to the ongoing work on the visioning strategy, ensure transparent and coordinated efforts to effectively implement solutions for the Rohingya Response.
• In collaboration with ISCG Development Team, improve and ensure complementarity of different financing flows in support of the collective outcomes programming framework.
• Strengthen outreach with government and humanitarian actors in country, including actors in Cox’s Bazar and Bashan Char.
• Convene bilateral actors, UN agencies and partner organizations to provide strategic overview and priority setting for the HCTT and the Rohingya Response.
• Strengthened the humanitarian, development and peace nexus (HDP nexus) strategy and joint initiatives, and increased sharing of good practices across response.

 

V.             Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator, the Humanitarian Officer will be responsible for supporting the efforts of longer-term solutions for the Rohingya Refugee response and strengthening of the existing nexus strategy in country. This will involve providing advice, leading analysis and research, coordinating programme implementation, monitoring, and fundraising, and stakeholder engagement.

 

Supports efforts to promote and implement solutions for refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char.

• Support the coordination and implementation of the visioning strategy.
• Collaborate and follow up with INGOs, NNGOs, development partners (donors and IFIs), and UNRR members on innovate solutions.
• Support ISCG Development Team in their efforts to promote a collaborative approach that supports the broader development of Cox’s Bazar District for refugees and host communities.
• Based on the new and informed approaches, develop key messages for different stakeholders to strengthen coherence and a coordinated approach.
• Support the development of policies, position papers, research, donor briefs, talking points for the UN’s leadership to support all relevant stakeholders
• Ensure greater complementary and coherence between humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts in the field of durable solutions and support the implementation of the required capacity building activities to partners and existing coordination mechanisms.

 

Support strengthened engagement of the RCO with the relevant Ministries and government offices.

• Support to ongoing policy dialogue with the government to strengthen the Rohingya response.
• Collaborate with the Humanitarian Access Coordinator in advocacy efforts.
• Establish regular dialogue across relevant Ministries at a technical level.

 

Improved coordination of humanitarian partners

• Support the strengthening of collaboration between the HCTT and ISCG, and between national clusters in Dhaka and sectors in Cox’s Bazar. Through the forum of an annual workshop, ensure sharing of good practice across the two responses.
• Assist in the process of collecting and collating examples of good practice from the HCTT and ISCG experience and the development of communications material to inform donors and other stakeholders.

 

Advice and support Analysis on the HDP nexus strategy

• Support the process of a “light touch nexus approach” and initiatives aimed at strengthening collaboration and complementarity between UN agencies and other stakeholders.
• Support the Peace and Development Advisor in developing guidance for agencies on
• joint analysis tools and in the systematic use of conflict analysis and gender-sensitivity to generate shared understanding of needs, risks and vulnerabilities, their root causes.
• Inform coordination approaches to the HDP nexus in Bangladesh based on the existing mapping to strengthen the approach and avoid duplication.

 

VI.            Required Qualifications Education

Master’s degree or higher in migration studies, displacement and international law, development studies, social sciences, public policy or other relevant fields.

 

Knowledge

• Knowledge of United Nations rules, policies, procedures and practices, as well as the programming mechanisms of the United Nations and its partners, particularly in crisis and post-conflict situations, as well as a functional understanding of the international development architecture.
• Knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines related to humanitarian affairs, development and peace, as well as knowledge of humanitarian, development and peace institutions.
• Knowledge and experience in internal displacement as well as knowledge of main
• protection and humanitarian standards in the field of human rights and internal displacement.
• Knowledge of the Rohingya crisis and key challenges in Bangladesh (climate change, environment, human rights, etc.)
• Understanding of the multidimensional nature of fragility and understanding of the humanitarian, development, and peace contributions to addressing complex issues that require a coordinated response from UN agencies and partners.

 

Skills and experience

• Minimum 7 years of work experience in an international context.
• Excellent communication and analytical skills (written, verbal, interpersonal and intercultural), including strong drafting skills.
• Experience in advocacy and in conducting research and analysis in humanitarian, development, or peace actions, including gender issues.
• Several years’ experience with UN agencies and in UN program and project design, execution, financing and resource mobilization.
• Functional competencies.
• Ability to work well with others and to build consensus on complex issues.
• Good partnership skills with a wide range of actors and the ability to develop productive working relationships.

 

Additional condition to be eligible for the job: Swiss citizenship (or Lichtenstein) or holder of a valid Swiss work permit (C)

 
Start of Assignment: as soon as possible, ideally, 01. June 2024 (to be discussed)

Type of Contract: 12 months, extendable, SHA-Contract (P3-Level)

Duty Station: Dhaka, Bangladesh

  

For additional information, please contact Markus Bächler (markus.baechler@eda.admin.ch), Programme Manager Desk Bangladesh, 058 480 26 01.

Thank you to send your application by email until 21.04.24 to: Lotti Roth (lotti.roth @eda.admin.ch), 058 465 81 26