UNHCR: Associate Protection Officer – Nouakchott

Organization Mission

Le Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies pour les réfugiés (HCR) a pour mandat de diriger et de coordonner l’action internationale visant à protéger les réfugiés. Il a pour but premier de sauvegarder les droits et le bien être des réfugiés. Il met en œuvre ses programmes de protection dans le monde entier et sensibilise le grand public à la situation des personnes réfugiées dans le monde.

Le HCR Mauritanie fournit protection et assistance à quelque 65 000 réfugiés maliens dans la région aride du sud-est où se trouve le camp de réfugiés de Mbera, et à quelque 9 000 réfugiés urbains et demandeurs d’asile dans les villes de Nouakchott et Nouadhibou. La situation sécuritaire au Mali est toujours instable et des retours à grande échelle ne sont pas attendus. Les Maliens continuent d’arriver en Mauritanie dans le cadre de flux de population mixtes.

Context

The asylum development project in Mauritania is situated within a rapidly evolving protection context marked by increasing regional displacement, mixed movements flows, and stronger government engagement on migration management. Mauritania is both a country of asylum and a transit country along the West African route, hosting over 300,000 refugees—predominantly Malians—while also responding to growing sea arrivals and complex protection needs in urban areas and along key routes. Mauritania has a solid foundation in international protection, having ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention, its 1967 Protocol and the 1969 OAU Convention. At the national level, Decree No. 2022-063 of 5 May 2022 establishes procedures for the implementation of these obligations and formalizes the role of the CNCRPP in refugee status determination. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in February 2022 between UNHCR and the Ministry of Interior further clarifies UNHCR’s interim role in conducting RSD in urban areas, while supporting the gradual development of national capacities. In parallel, the Government has taken important steps toward consolidating its legal framework, including the adoption of a migration law (2024) and the development of a comprehensive draft migration and asylum law currently under review. This draft represents a major opportunity to establish a unified legal and institutional framework governing asylum and migration, although further refinements are ongoing to ensure clarity, coherence, and full alignment with international standards. Against this backdrop, the project aims to support a progressive transition from a UNHCR-supported system to a fully national, government-led asylum system, ensuring continuity of protection and safeguarding key principles such as non-refoulement and access to fair procedures. This transition requires a phased approach combining legal finalization, institutional strengthening, development of procedures and SOPs, and the establishment of functional systems for registration, case management, documentation and appeals. The first phase of the project focuses on building core capacities of national counterparts—particularly the CNCRPP and ANRPTS—through tailored training, mentoring and on-the-job coaching, as well as supporting the operationalization of asylum procedures across different locations. At the same time, investments in digital systems and data management are critical to support efficient, protection-sensitive processes and evidence-based decision-making. The project also integrates key cross-cutting priorities, including civil documentation (notably birth registration, given high levels of undocumented children in some regions) and statelessness. In this respect, engagement with the Ministry of Justice aims to promote accession to the Statelessness Conventions and strengthen national frameworks to prevent and reduce statelessness, thereby reinforcing broader protection outcomes and inclusion in national systems.

Key Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Protection Officer, the UN Volunteer will support affected populations;
• Support the finalization of the draft migration and asylum law through technical inputs, review, and coordination with national counterparts, ensuring alignment with international protection standards.
• Contribute to the development of implementing regulations, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and operational tools for the national asylum system.
• Design and deliver tailored training modules on international protection, screening, registration, and refugee status determination procedures.
• Facilitate training sessions for CNCRPP, ANRPTS, and other relevant stakeholders, including local authorities where appropriate.
• Provide on-the-job coaching and mentoring to national staff to strengthen the practical application of asylum procedures and decision-making.
• Develop training materials, guidance tools, and evaluation methods to support sustainable capacity development.
• Provide technical support to CNCRPP on case processing workflows, including registration, interviews, assessment, decisions, documentation, and appeals. Strengthen case management practices, including file organization, quality assurance, and tracking of cases.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of procedural safeguards and appeals mechanisms.
• Support the strengthening of protection data systems, including ProGres, ActivityInfo, and related tools.
• Promote data quality, confidentiality, and protection-sensitive information management practices.
• Contribute to analysis and reporting to support evidence-based decision-making and programming.
• Support initiatives to improve access to civil documentation, particularly birth registration for refugees and host communities.
• Contribute to coordination with relevant national authorities, including the Ministry of Justice and civil registry institutions.
• Support awareness-raising and outreach activities to improve access to documentation services.
• Support engagement with the Ministry of Justice and national stakeholders to promote accession to the Statelessness Conventions.
• Contribute to advocacy and technical discussions on the prevention and reduction of statelessness.
• Support training and capacity-building of community protection network members.
• Contribute to the organization and facilitation of legal clinics and community-based protection activities.
• Support awareness-raising sessions for refugees, asylum seekers, and host communities on protection issues.
• Engage in participatory assessments and community consultations to identify risks, priorities, and solutions.
• Promote accountability to affected populations, including strengthening feedback and complaint mechanisms.
• Support coordination with key counterparts (CNCRPP, ANRPTS, Ministry of Justice) and partners (International Organization for Migration (IOM), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), non-governmental organizations (NGOs)).
• Contribute to drafting reports, briefing notes, and technical inputs for internal and external use.
• Support monitoring of project implementation and documentation of good practices and lessons learned.
• Perform other related duties as required.
• Ensure participatory, community-based protection and age, gender, and diversity (AGD ) approaches are included in strategies and plans in the country operation.
• Support persons of concern to develop structures that enhance their participation and protection.

Required Skills and Experience

Knowledge of international refugee law, human rights law, and mixed migration contexts; familiarity with asylum procedures and protection principles is desirable.
• Demonstrated interest or initial experience in capacity building, training design, and facilitation.
• Experience in protection-related work, including community-based protection, legal assistance, or work with vulnerable populations, is an asset.
• Familiarity with data management tools (e.g., ProGres, ActivityInfo, Excel) and ability to work with protection data in a responsible and organized manner.
• Strong analytical and drafting skills, with the ability to prepare clear reports, training materials, and briefing notes.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage constructively with national counterparts, communities, and partners.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and adapt to complex and evolving operational contexts.
• Demonstrated commitment to protection principles, accountability to affected populations, and ethical standards, including confidentiality and “do no harm”.

Core Competencies

· Accountability
· Adaptability and flexibility
· Creativity
· Judgement and decision-making
· Planning and organising
· Professionalism
· Self-management

Living Conditions

Mauritania is generally stable, although it is affected by the wider regional security environment, particularly developments in Mali and along the border areas. Living conditions for international staff in Nouakchott are acceptable, with housing generally available, although quality, availability and costs may vary. Educational facilities exist but remain limited; staff with school-age children should verify available options in advance.

Nouakchott has a hot and dusty climate, and road safety requires caution. Medical facilities are limited, and staff requiring regular medication should ensure an adequate personal supply. Recreational options are limited, and the public sale and consumption of alcohol are restricted. Banking facilities and ATMs are available. Nouakchott is currently Security Level 2. Residential security measures are applied for international staff in line with UNDSS requirements