Protection Assistant | Mekele

Job Description

Protection Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent provides functional and administrative support to the protection unit on protection related liaison, correspondence, monitoring, case management and reporting activities.

The Protection Assistant also supports the protection unit in designing a comprehensive protection strategy and in providing quality, timely and effective protection responses to persons of concern (PoC). S/he may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on correspondence and/or protection issues as guided by the supervisor.

The Protection Assistant also facilitates the involvement of PoC in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.

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

– Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
– Observe and respect protection related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
– Provide functional and administrative support in all protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
– Provide functional and administrative support in implementing participatory approaches, needs assessments, monitoring, reporting and case management.
– Support assessments on durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
– Facilitate liaison with competent authorities for the issuance of personal and other relevant documents.
– Assist in drafting reports, routine correspondence, updating relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
– Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.
– Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.

– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Years of Experience / Degree Level

For G4 – 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education

Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses

Protection
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential: Not specified.
Desirable: Not specified.

Functional Skills

PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
IT-Computer Literacy
(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.

The desired candidate profile for the Protection Assistant position should encompass a combination of education, experience, skills, and personal qualities that makes the candidate well suited to the role and the operational context.
• The incumbent must be a collaborative team player with adaptability and strong interpersonal skills.
• It is desirable for the incumbent to be a self-motivated individual with a readiness to introduce creative ideas in the operation.
• The incumbent should have strong skills in developing effective two-way communication with staff, partners, and the affected population.
• Prior demonstrated experience in the field and knowledge of Tigray operational context and language is desirable and will be considered as an asset.
• Proficient in both spoken and written English language skills is mandatory.

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:

On November 4, 2020, the Tigray region of Ethiopia witnessed a surge in military confrontations between federal and regional forces, evolving into full-scale warfare. Subsequently, since June 28, 2021, when federal forces withdrew and the Tigrayan Defense Forces regained control, Tigray has grappled with a comprehensive communications blackout, encompassing banking, phone, internet services, and nationally sponsored power. Restrictions on the entry of both commercial goods and aid have aggravated a severe humanitarian crisis, leading to distressing rates of starvation and preventable diseases. Throughout the conflict, there has been a widespread disregard for international law, leaving civilians unprotected.

On November 3, 2022, a peace agreement was signed between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Federal Government under the supervision of the African Union. Active hostilities have ceased, leading to a relative stabilization of the region. Communications networks have been restored, and humanitarian access has resumed. UNHCR persists in supporting the displaced population in Tigray, collaborating with the government to secure durable solutions for those forced to leave their homes. This assistance encompasses protection and various solution-oriented activities. Particularly, the office is assisting the Tigray regional government in facilitating the voluntary return of individuals to their places of origin. The UNHCR Protection unit provides return counseling to ensure voluntariness and Protection desks are in place to guarantee the safe return of IDPs.

Furthermore, Tigray previously hosted 25,000 refugees in four camps. However, due to the conflict, the majority fled or relocated to Debat in Amhara, while approximately 6,000 refugees and asylum-seekers remain scattered in urban areas within Tigray. Refugee services were interrupted, and the federally mandated entity for refugees, the Refugee Returnee Service (RRS), temporarily halted its operations. Recently, the RRS has returned to Tigray to resume its services.

The Protection Assistant positions will support UNHCR in carrying out its core mandate as the lead protection agency within the framework of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Cluster Approach to humanitarian crises. The positions will play a key role in ensuring that UNHCR delivers on its mandate for the protection of internally displaced persons, refugees and asylum-seekers, along with support to host community members, in close coordination with all other sectors and partners working in the Cluster system. The protection assistants will be integral members of the UNHCR Mekelle Protection Unit, tasked to support all field sites in the wider Tigray region. A background in humanitarian action and previous experience working in a protection function are desirable. The incumbents will work with a team of committed and experienced national staff, including child protection, GBV/PSEA experts, registration, information management, shelter, and field associates. The role will be varied and cross-cutting, with a focus on general protection spanning issues such as monitoring the protection desk activities, participating during intention surveys for durable solutions, multipurpose cash-based initiatives, support to identified persons with specific needs and disability inclusion, protection/field monitoring, report writing on implemented activities, data collection and updates, as well as other functions.

Living and Working Conditions:

Mekelle, is the capital city of Tigray Region in Ethiopia. It is located around 780 kilometers (480 mi) north of the capital Addis Ababa, with an elevation of 2,254 meters above sea level. Administratively, Mekelle is considered a Special Zone, which is divided into seven sub-cities. Mekelle is the economic, cultural, and political hub of northern Ethiopia. Mekelle has grown rapidly since 1991. In 1984 it had 61,583 inhabitants, in 1994, 96,938 (96.5% being Tigrinya), and in 2006 169,200 (i. e. 4% of the population of Tigray). Mekelle is 2.6 times larger than Adigrat, the second largest regional centre. It is the fifth largest city in Ethiopia, after Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Adama, and Gondar. Most of the population of Mekelle depends on government employment, commerce, and small-scale enterprises.

Mekelle has new engineering, cement, and textile factories, producing for the local and foreign market. There are limited medical facilities in Mekelle that are equipped to deal with moderate medical cases. Evacuation opportunities are also limited. However, air ambulance evacuation can be organized for life-threatening emergencies during daytime. Candidates with conditions requiring regular treatment or medical supervision should be appropriately advised. The climate of Ethiopia and the regions varies greatly. It is temperate on the plateau and hot in the lowlands. Generally, the high elevation of the land affects one’s adjustment to the environment. While the primary hospital in Mekelle is functioning, it is currently running low on medical supplies. Most pharmacies in town are open, but they also struggle to get medical supplies, so staff with prescriptions should come with at least 3 months of prescription medication. UN Clinic medical team supporting staff is available in Mekelle.

The local currency is the Ethiopian Birr. Foreign currency may only be changed at authorized banks and hotels. Exchange of foreign currency outside the regulated banks (Black Market) is a criminal offence, and international UN personnel caught by police sting operations have been known to be arrested and detained for several days. Any entry or exit of cash more than US$3,000 (or the equivalent in other foreign currencies) must be declared to the customs authority upon arrival. ATM cash withdrawals are currently unavailable in Mekelle. As there are no functioning banks in Tigray, there is still a serious shortage of cash, but the office will provide advance cash from entitlements. While humanitarian partners’ access to Tigray is improving, access to large areas continues to be impeded by insecurity, limiting the humanitarian response, particularly in rural hard-to-reach areas. Communications have been restored in Tigray with mobile network and Wi-Fi access. Mekelle is classified as security level – high. The restriction of movement is imposed on the movement of the staff member and the activities in the field, depending on the development of the security situation.

Regular commercial flights between Addis Ababa and Tigray (Mekelle & Shire) have resumed. Staff members can also rely sometimes on road convoy, and it should be prepared to operate under challenging conditions with extremely limited resources. Staff members will be working within a city that has been isolated for several months due to the crisis which began in November 2020. The office deals primarily with several displacement sites environment with inherent risks to staff health.

Additional Qualifications

Skills

• IT-Computer Literacy,
• PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators,
• PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

Certifications

• HCR Learning Program – UNHCR,
• HCR Protection Induction Prog – UNHCR,
• HCR Protection Learning Program Statelessness – UNHCR,
• HCR Protection Learning Program – UNHCR,
• HCR Thematic Protection Learning Program – UNHCR

Competencies

• Accountability,
• Analytical thinking,
• Client & results orientation,
• Commitment to continuous learning,
• Communication,
• Organizational awareness,
• Stakeholder management,
• Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Additional Information

1. This position is OPEN ONLY for Ethiopian nationals.
2. Suitably qualified female applicants are encouraged to apply.
3. UNHCR does not charge for any of its recruitment services.

• This position doesn’t require a functional clearance