Senior Protection Officer (Access), Bangladesh, P4 , a Swiss Secondment for UNHCR  

Operational context

With the escalation of the conflict in Northern Rakhine State in November 2023, the refugee response in Bangladesh has been experiencing spill-over effects in the camps in Cox’s Bazar, currently hosting close to one million Rohingya refugees.  UNHCR and partners have been recording a significant increase in security incidents in the refugee camps, including homicides and abductions. Many of these are allegedly related to inter-gang wars for control of territory and trafficking, as well as illegal taxation of the refugees. UNHCR has also seen an emerging trend of organized groups recruiting refugees to engage them in the armed conflict in Myanmar. While there were reported instances of such cases in January and February, the scale and intensity of the recruitment activities have increased drastically in March and notably since April. Men as well as male youth and boys as young as 10, are the primary targets of organized groups in the camps, and so are refugee volunteers (the backbone of the humanitarian response) who appear to be targeted as part of the recruitment efforts. Women and girls in turn face heightened risk of specific forms of gender-based violence as the men leave their shelters to hide. The camps have also recorded a series of protests often led by refugee women as well as vigilantism and neighborhood night patrols as coping mechanisms.

UNHCR, as co-lead of the Joint Response Plan, has a solid protection response with Protection Focal Points and Protection Volunteers on the ground, which have enabled UNHCR to report consistently on protection incidents and trends and respond, to the extent possible, through case management, assistance and referrals. UNHCR also has an extensive community-based protection programme, including Community Outreach Members, a wide network of religious leaders that includes women religious teachers, youth clubs and women empowerment interventions, that support community outreach and engagement as well as peaceful coexistence.

Aim of the mission

Facing heightened protection risks in the camps, a shrinking protection space, increased conflict dynamics due to the organized groups operating in the camps, a deficit of trust between refugees and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), and challenges to access protection, the mission will aim to supports efforts to enhance access to protection in the camps.

Mission objectives

The deployee will provide expert advice to UNHCR, its partners and at the interagency level to support processes for enhanced community dialogue, confidence building and access to protection in the camps in Cox’s Bazar.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Senior Protection Adviser, the Senior Protection Officer (Access) will:

·      Support the relevant units in UNHCR in their various engagements for enhanced community dialogue, confidence building and access to protection,

·      Support UNHCR, partners and refugee communities, in particular religious leaders, youth leaders, and women leaders, foster community dialogue and complaint and conflict resolution mechanisms,

·      Support UNHCR, partners and refugee communities promote community-based protection monitoring mechanisms to enable early action, and reduce the likelihood of violence occurring,

·      Support confidence-building measures between community members and authorities in the camps to promote access to local authorities as first providers of safety and protection,

·      Support UNHCR, partners and refugee communities navigate and counter the misinformation,

·      Develop and cultivate strategic relationships with other agencies engaged in advocacy for access to protection,

·      Work closely with the ISCG Access Working Group (AWG) to embed lessons learned and good practices in the ISCG Secretariat and across the sectors,

·      Prepare operational policy papers for review as required, and

·      Identify funding opportunities to sustain the focus on community dialogue, confidence-building and access to protection beyond the deployment.

Profile

 COVID vaccination highly recommended

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

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of work experience in an international context requiring humanitarian action at field level.
• Extensive experience in advocacy for protection, negotiation for protection in humanitarian action, access to protection and services in complex contexts.
• Experience in peacebuilding and protection at community level and with local authorities in complex settings.
• Experience in Conflict Sensitive Programme Management and Do No Harm.
• Several years’ experience with UN agencies and in UN program and project design, execution, financing and resource mobilization.

Essential requirements

• Master’s degree or higher in migration studies, displacement and international law, development studies, social sciences, public policy or other relevant fields relating to humanitarian, development and peace action, including gender issues.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is a must.

Personal Characteristics

• Excellent analytical skills (written, verbal, interpersonal and intercultural), including strong drafting skills.
• Excellent communication skills adapted to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to act as a convenor, foster good partnerships with a wide range of actors and develop productive working relationships.
• Strong ability to use knowledge, skills, and experience to strengthen the capacities of others.

Mission location

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Starting date and duration

As soon as possible for 6 months – with possibility of extension

Contact

Isabelle Mellana

Field Resources H

[email protected]

Published 17.6.24/MZI