Associate Protection Officer -Melkadida, Ethiopia

Job Description

E (most hardship)

Non Family with Residential Location

Non Family with Residential Location

Addis Ababa, Eth Fed Dem Rep

PR2

Professional

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

No

2022-11-24-08:00

December 15, 2022

Associate Protection Officer Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Associate Protection Officer reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for protection staff including community-based protection registration, resettlement and education.

S/he provides functional protection guidance to information management and programme staff on all protection/legal matters and accountabilities. These include: statelessness (in line with the campaign to End Statelessness by 2024), Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) commitments, age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP) through community-based protection, Child protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response, gender equality, disability inclusion, youth empowerment, psycho-social support and PSEA, registration, asylum/refugee status determination, resettlement, local integration, voluntary repatriation, human rights standards integration, national legislation, judicial engagement, predictable and decisive engagement in situations of internal displacement and engagement in wider mixed movement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses.

S/he supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards. The Associate Protection Officer is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern, ensuring that operational responses in all sectors mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards.

The incumbent contributes to the design of a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the organization externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.

S/he also ensures that persons of concern are meaningfully engaged in the decisions that affect them and support programme design and adaptations that are influenced by the concerns, priorities and capacities of persons of concern. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

– Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment.

– Promote International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.

– Foster their consistent and coherent interpretation and application through mainstreaming in all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations.

– Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to persons of concern.

– Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.

– Conduct eligibility and status determination for persons of concern in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles.

– Promote and contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.

– Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy to ensure programmes use a child protection systems approach. – Contribute to a country-level education plan.

– Implement and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities which integrate AGD sensitive procedures.

– Oversee and manage individual protection cases, including those on GBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners.

– Recommend durable solutions for the largest possible number of persons of concern through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.

– Assess resettlement needs and apply priorities for the resettlement of individuals and groups of refugees and other persons of concern.

– Participate in the organisation and implementation of participatory assessments and methodologies throughout the operations management cycle and promote AGD sensitive programming with implementing and operational partners.

– Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy through a consultative process with sectorial and/or cluster partners.

– Facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems.

– Promote and integrate community-based approaches to protection and contribute to capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.

– Support activities in the area of risk management related to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, fraud, case-processing, data protection, and human rights due diligence at country level.

– Participate in initiatives to capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.

– Intervene with authorities on protection issues.

– Negotiate locally on behalf of UNHCR. – Decide priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals.

– Enforce compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services.

– Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures.

– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications Years of Experience /

Degree Level For P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree Field(s) of Education Law, International Law, Political Sciences or other relevant field (Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential) Certificates and/or Licenses Protection Learning Programme (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

Professional experience in the area of refugee protection, internal displacement, human rights or international humanitarian law. Good knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles.

Desirable

Field experience, including in working directly with communities. Good IT skills including database management skills. Functional Skills *PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators *PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination MG-Project Management PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards PR-International Humanitarian Law PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement CO-Drafting and Documentation (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power. As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise. This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

English

,

,

Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

The Protection Officer reports to the Senior Protection Officer and coordinates quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern under the AoR. S/he ensures that persons of concern of all age, gender and diversity groups are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying and implementing appropriate solutions to their problems. To undertake this role effectively, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with other relevant teams within the operation.

Current Situation: As a result of continuing food and physical insecurity in Somalia the Melkadida AO has received a steady stream of refugees over the past ten years, with the five refugee camps around Dollo Ado and Melkadida (Melkadida; Kobe; Bokolmayo; Buramino; Helaweyn), now accommodating over 160,000 refugees. This populations figure was significantly revised following the completion of a level 3 registration/verification exercise in 2019. UNHCR Ethiopia recognizes the global need for a broader, cultural shift from long-term care and maintenance to self-reliance and solutions-oriented programming in its refugee operations, within the context of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF). The UNHCR operation in Melkadida operation promotes a community-based protection approach, and prioritizes the development of livelihoods opportunities for both refugees and their host communities.

UNHCR has prioritized interventions that will strengthen peaceful coexistence between the refugee and host communities, in order to ensure that the former can enjoy their asylum in safety and dignity. Ethiopia is home to the second largest refugee population in Africa, currently hosting over 750,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, and Yemen.

The Government of Ethiopia allows humanitarian access and protection to those seeking asylum in its territory. UNHCR works closely with its government counterpart, the Agency for Refugee & Returnee Affairs (ARRA), to ensure access to asylum territory and the safe and dignified reception and processing/registration of asylum-seekers. Currently all determination and registration in the SOMEL AO is done on a prima facie basis, with RSD being conducted only in Addis. All cases are received, screened, and registered at the joint UNHCR/ARRA Reception Centre in Dollo Ado.

Living and Working Conditions:

Accommodation will be provided by the Sub-Office Melkadida with a monthly rental charge of about $500. All staff living in the UNHCR provided accommodation must pay their accommodation in accordance with the UNHCR Policy of UNHCR Provided Accommodation in the Field issued under the IOM/FOM 020/021/2012 dated 28 Feb 2012 as well as the Administrative Instruction on the Measures in Support of Personnel in High-Risk Duty Station (Non-Family Duty Stations Where Danger Pay Applied), UNHCR/AI/2018/11 dated 15 August 2018. Most accommodations are fully furnished, with a single room and living room with an open kitchen. They include their own duvet bed and bed sheet, private bathrooms, desk, AC, lamp and closet. WIFI is available across the compound and in most of the apartment a private residential WIFI. Transportation in and out of Melkadida is usually done by UNHAS flights directly to Addis. Due to road insecurities, road travel to Addis is not advised and it takes two days, only under unavoidable circumstances its authorised. Given the remoteness of the duty station, there are very few items to purchase in Melkadida, particularly food items and other personal items that you may need. It is therefore best if you bring such items with you, the food provision in the area is limited to very few veggies, it ‘s advisable to carry your own food/ food supplement. Cleaning services take place each day except Sunday, by staff hired by UNHCR. A laundry room in the compound is available from 7:30 am until 6pm with a laundry attendant who cleans only UNHCR beddings, All staff are advised to do their own laundry or pay for the service to designated cleaners. There are 2 restaurants available inside the compound, Canteen A and Canteen B and all personnel are required to pay upfront for their meals. There are a variety of recreational facilities which include a fitness centre (gym) games ground (volleyball and basketball) and a relaxation centre.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

PR-Community-based Protection – Community engagement and capacity building, PR-Legal, economic, social and protection support to integration

BA: International Law (Required), BA: Law (Required), BA: Political Science (Required)

Certifications

HCR Protection Learning Program – UNHCR, Law – Other

Annual Budget OL in Operation/Office, Number of Persons of Concern Served, Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Workforce to Supervise, Working with Persons of Concern: Asylum Seekers, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Bi-annual Compendium 2022 Part B – November 2022

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance