MHPSS Programme Analyst

How you can make a difference:

Since October 7, 2023, the situation in Gaza has deteriorated catastrophically, with unprecedented fatalities and casualties. Approximately 85% of the population is internally displaced, enduring severe shortages of essential needs such as shelter, food, water, and lifesaving medical supplies. Concurrently, a volatile security environment is emerging in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, characterized by unpredictable outbreaks of violence involving settlers and the Israeli military, significantly impacting Palestinian safety and access to services.

This escalating conflict exacerbates the vulnerability of women, particularly those of reproductive age, who face heightened risks of gender-based violence (GBV). The destruction of protection services, damage to medical facilities, and shortages of essential supplies and trained frontline workers leave pregnant women and others increasingly at risk and in need of support.

UNFPA’s strategy to empower women to seek sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and GBV services is a pioneering approach that not only enhances women’s ability to claim their rights but also strengthens the resilience of health and social systems. This includes providing integrated SRH and GBV services such as antenatal and postnatal care, midwifery services, family planning counselling with access to modern contraceptives, breast cancer screenings, Pap smear tests, nutritional support for women of reproductive age, community outreach, GBV case management, with integrated mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS).

UNFPA also seeking to scaling up the strengthening and integration of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) as a critical service to ensure effective care in SRH and GBV interventions in West Bank and Gaza.

Major Activities/Expected Results

Under direct supervision of the UNFPA GBV Team Lead and technical supervision of an MHPSS consultant, the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) specialist guides the strengthening and integration of the MHPSS activities and components within SRH, GBV and Youth programming in the context of UNFPA emergency response in the West Bank and Gaza. The MHPSS Specialist in close collaboration with the GBV Team Lead and the SRH Team Lead will use their contextual understanding, technical expertise, and relationship building skills to support the quality integration of MHPSS activities within GBV and SRH programming; and the strengthening of MHPSS skills of GBV and SRH front line workers, ensuring they align with UNFPA strategy; the MHPSS Minimum Service Package, the GBV Minimum Standards and SRH relevant standards such as CMR-IPV.

The MHPSS Analyst with initial technical support of an MHPSS consultant will:

• Undertake the responsibility of implementing and reporting MHPSS activities integrated within GBV, SRH and youth programming and provide technical guidance and operational support to Country Office throughout the programming process to facilitate the achievement of concrete and sustainable results according to organizational strategic plans and goals.
• Provide direct technical supervision and capacity building of UNFPA GBV and SRH implementing partners to integrate and strengthen MHPSS activities; to GBV partners providing GBV Case Management; to SRH partners providing CMR and  national MHPSS service providers such as the PA ministries, to ensure all have necessary MHPSS skills to provide quality and safe gender sensitive MHPSS support; and that activities are aligned with UNFPA MHPSS framework and the MHPSS minimum Service Package.
• Actively participate on the MHPSS TWG, the GBV AoR and the SRH coordination  to ensure that GBV and SRH services have MHPSS survivor centered activities, and that other MHPSS providers are familiar with the survivor centered approach and unique needs of SRH and GBV service users
• Identify capacity building needs of UNFPA supported service providers and develops trainings and tools to respond to the needs, document lessons learnt, best practice and case studies to shape in-country strategies and programme approaches.
• Support the implementation of a supervision structured to ensure progressive capacity building of different actors to provide gender sensitive and survivor centered MHPSS  support through GBV, SRH and youth programming.
• Supervise the development of monitoring tools for MHPSS interventions within the scope of GBV and SRH, to support quality programming in compliance with international standards.  Conduct monitoring visits and provide reports on compliance and challenges.
• Participate in review meetings and evaluation missions and prepares regular inputs to status, progress and donor reports. Analyses factors affecting the achievement of results, recommends corrective actions and follows up on recommendations.
• Participates in the identification and formulation of UNFPA Humanitarian Programme interventions and associated projects by compiling and analysing information in the MHPSS related areas; drafts project documents.
• Any other programmatic duties, as requested

Qualifications and Experience:

Education: 

• Advance degree in  clinical social work, psychology or clinical psychology

Knowledge and Experience: 

• At least 5 years experience  in working on mental health and psychosocial support services  this may include, social services working with vulnerable people with MHPSS needs and other protection needs (MHPSS).
• Experience in working in in humanitarian setting and emergency response,
• Experience in working with SRHR and vulnerable groups; gender issues related with Mental Health and/or Child protection
• Experience in developing and implementing capacity building trainings on MHPSS.
• Experience with MHPSS programming for survivors of gender-based violence and other vulnerable groups is an asset.
• Experience in working with national and local authorities and NGOs.

Languages: 

• Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English.

Source: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_2003/job/21955