Category: Humanitarian and Development
Employment Type: Full Time
Reports to: Field Office Manager -Gambella
Duration: Up to December 31, 2026, with possibility of extension depending on performance and availability of funds.
About the Organization
Finnish Refugee Council (FRC) (www.refugeecouncil.fi) is an international non-governmental organisation bases in Helsinki.
FRC advocates for the rights of displacement affected populations including refugees, Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs), migrants, returnees and hosting communities and supports their new beginnings. By reinforcing equality and creating opportunities for everyone to lead a good life, FRC promotes the establishment of stable and peaceful societies.
In Ethiopia, FRC’s operation commenced in 2019 following its legal licencing with Registry Number 4184. FRC’s strategic interventions focus on strengthening coping, resilience and self-reliance of refugees, returnees, IDPs and hosting communities in different parts of Ethiopia through facilitating access to inclusive education and livelihoods opportunities and providing protective life saving post conflict emergency response services.
FRC continues to deliver inclusive education and livelihood support services for refugees and surrounding hosting communities in Gambella though a long-term programming that integrates strong protection components. In addition to longstanding operational sites, FRC expands its operation to locations where both protracted and new influx of refugees are hosted. The enhanced protection support strives to empower people affected by forced displacement and conflict, local government structures and other stakeholders towards finding lasting solutions to protection challenges prioritizing women, girls, the elderly and People with Disabilities.
FRC envisages to put in place qualified and well-experienced staff to lead the implementation of the protection component of the development program, focusing on both the stand alone and mainstreamed GBV prevention, mitigation and response and Psychosocial Support (PSS) interventions that will continue to be implemented in Gambella region.
Purpose of the Role:
The Protection Officer (responsible for GBV and PSS activities with key role in facilitating field based disability inclusion activities) will be part of FRC’s protection team and will contribute to the effective implementation of mechanisms that promote the coping, resilience and long-term self-reliance of both displaced populations and hosting communities in Gambella and other FRC operational locations. The role will encompass provision of technical support and capacity building to colleagues and key frontline staff within the FRC Ethiopia program.
She/he will take an active role building and enhancing mechanisms for the effective implementation of both the stand alone GBV and PSS activities as well as integration within the Education and Livelihoods components of the program with strong consideration for disability inclusion. Despite most of the time is dedicated to the Gambella program, the post holder will dedicate sufficient time to take crucial role in building and enhancing FRC’s GBV and PSS portfolio in other FRC’s operational locations by contributing contextual knowledge, skills, and experience.
Specific Duties and Responsibilities
- Mapping and Profiling of GBV and PSS Needs and Capacities
- Conduct disability inclusive assessments on the GBV and PSS needs and capacities of refugees and host communities in collaboration with FRC partners and external resource persons as necessary.
- Develop the profile of communities on the extent of the GBV and PSS challenges, vulnerabilities and capacities and available services for linkages for FRC’s current and future engagement
- Support disability assessments and develop the profile of PWD among refugees and host communities in the project operational sites.
- In collaboration with the implementing partners, support periodic joint and location specific Gender Safety Audit and ensure the implementation of action points to enhance safety and security of refugee women and girls
- Community Mobilization
- In close collaboration with other thematic colleagues, ensure the active participation of women, girls, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups from protection and other thematic services
- Design and implement community-based strategies to promote awareness, dialogue and action on GBV and PSS and disability inclusion
- Strengthen community-based protection strictures and closely follow up their functionality with strong focus on disability inclusion
- Oversee the regular awareness raising activities through close follow up of the Community Volunteers deployed at the camp and host community sites
- Ensure the integration of GBV/ PSS issues in the learning materials and processes through close collaboration with other FRC thematic colleagues and frontline staff
- Work with refugee and host community leaders, community members and relevant stakeholders on conflict resolution and social cohesion through promoting social events
- Develop and disseminate key GBV and PSS messages through community awareness raising and campaigning platforms with due consideration for disability inclusion
- Develop inclusive communication materials to raise awareness on GBV and PSS and referral pathways
Capacity Building
- Recruit and deploy Community Volunteers that facilitate GBV/PSS activities at the camp and host community sites
- Provide continuous capacity building to community-based structures to effectively implement disability inclusive GBV prevention and response and integrate PSS both for survivors and non survivors
- Conduct GBV and PSS capacity needs assessments of community representatives, volunteers, FRC staff, partners and other stakeholders (including organization of persons with disabilities (OPDs)
- Train Peer Facilitators and other front line incentive workers on GBV, MHPSS, disability inclusion and broad protection issues
- Facilitate protection training for local government, community representatives and other stakeholders who are handling the day-to-day issues of refugees.
- Work through community-based protection groups to integrate disability inclusive PSS activities and capacity building support and facilitate referral linkages.
- Provide PFA for FRC staff members at various levels with need
Technical Support
- Support other thematic colleagues during screening and identification of target groups with due consideration for vulnerability factors (including gender, age and disability)
- Provide ongoing technical support to FRC and partner program staff and key stakeholders on disability inclusive GBV and PSS activities.
- Support GBV and PSS mainstreaming approaches and strategies and contribute to the development of tools, guidelines and operating procedures for the integration of GBV and PSS in other thematic sectors in line with international and local standards.
- Closely work with FRC and partner thematic colleagues to ensure the integration of GBV and PSS in other thematic activities (Education and Livelihoods)
- Closely collaborate with Disability and Inclusion Officer in ensuring disability inclusion within GBV and PSS response activities
- Lead the timely procurement and distribution of necessary inputs for GBV/PSS activities for project targets
- In close coordination with other Protection team members, input into the review of protection, gender and inclusion strategies
Case Management and Referral Linkages
- Conduct mapping of existing protection services and actors with due consideration for disability inclusion
- Develop/ regularly review disability inclusive referral pathways for available GBV and MHPSS services and facilitate referral linkages to different sectors
- Develop guidelines for provision of disability inclusive case management support for GBV survivors and non survivors with PSS needs
- Provide case management support to survivors and vulnerable individuals in line with the guidance and procedures
- Provide individual and group counseling for refugees and host community members with PSS needs
- Develop templates, procedures and tools for recording, referring and documenting MHPSS related support activities and follow up of referrals
- Provide counseling for survivors and other community members who need PSS service
- Support referral to locally available services for community members with different needs (medical, MHPSS, legal, etc.)
- Provide special support to members of the refugee and hosting communities with disabilities with PSS needs due to the intersectionality of challenges.
- Closely work with other team members to facilitate integrated support for people with severe mental and psychosocial disorder/ disability.
- Closely work with other team members to facilitate integrated (Education, Livelihoods and GBV) support for survivors of GBV and to reduce negative coping mechanisms.
Coordination, Networking and Advocacy
- Represent FRC in regional and camp level protection coordination activities
- Support coordinated response on GBV including by closely working with and providing technical advice to relevant working groups and line departments
- Plan, organize and participate in joint advocacy campaigns on gender equality, GBV, MHPSS, disability inclusion and related themes with government and other implementing partners at community and regional levels
- Advocate for the integration of protection and PSS within community-based interventions by government and NGOs
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
- Adapt/develop monitoring and evaluation tools and process for GBV/ PSS aligned with FRC’s overall MEAL system
- Develop/ revise necessary templates for gathering and documenting at least gender, age and disability disaggregated information on case management and other services to project targets
- Properly record and document quantitative and qualitative information regarding the GBV and PSS intervention
- Contribute to assessments on the participation and benefit of PWD from FRC’s interventions
- Provide regular monitoring of the project activities by closely working with thematic colleagues and with the key partners
- Compile regular and timely reports on standalone and integrated GBV and PSS activities by closely working with FRC and partner teams
- Periodically develop and share representative case stories with quality photos
- With the support of MEAL team, collect, compile, analyze, and share gender, age and disability disaggregated data to inform programming.
- Collect and compile replicable good practices and lessons learned, to be used in other programming.
- Provide input into strategies and appeals based on assessments, learning outcomes and identified best practices
Accountability
- Closely work with FRC and partner thematic colleagues in ensuring timely access to relevant information for FRC target groups using disability inclusive and contextually appropriate medium
- Work with FRC Protection team in ensuring that FRC policies on gender equality and Prevention of Sexual Harassment Exploitation and Abuse (PSHEA) are enforced within the activities of all projects.
- Work with the FRC Protection team to build the capacity of FRC and partner staff, community volunteers and government stakeholders on PSHEA
- Develop and share appropriate communication materials in formats accessible to persons with disabilities and other vulnerable community members
- Ensure the regular gathering of feedback and complaints on GBV and PSS component service provision and facilitate timely response
- Provide capacity building and mentoring support for representatives of community-based structures on issues related to inclusive feedback and complaints mechanisms
- Monitor the functionality of the Community Based Feedback and Complaints Response Mechanisms (CBFCRMs) and ensure necessary adjustments
- Work with other Protection focal persons in receiving and processing complaints related to SEA (including facilitating survivor support)
- Other
- Contribute to the design of fund-raising proposals through analysis and articulation of GBV, PSS and disability inclusion issues to strengthen FRC’s protection portfolio.
- Perform other duties given by the immediate supervisor.
Salary
- Attractive and competitive salary scale
Location
- Gambella town with frequent travel to project operational sites in Gambella and other FRC operational locations