Protection Officer
Job Details
Full Job Description
Hardship Level
Family Type
Residential location (if applicable)
Grade
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
Reason
Regular > Regular Assignment
Remote work accepted
Target Start Date
Job Posting End Date
Standard Job Description
Protection Officer
Organizational Setting and Work
Relationships
In the Bureaux, the Protection Officer works under
the direct supervision of the Senior Protection Coordinator or Senior
Protection Officer. In the Field, the incumbent normally reports to
the Representative, Deputy or Assistant Representative (Protection),
Head of Sub Office or Senior Protection Officer as appropriate. The
incumbent may have direct supervisory responsibility for protection
staff whose work may include RSD, community-based protection,
registration, resettlement, complementary pathways, internal
displacement and education, among other areas. In HQ, the incumbent
may report to a Senior Protection Officer, Chief of Section or Deputy
Director and may supervise other protection staff.
The
incumbent acts as an advisor to senior management in, when not
responsible for, designing a comprehensive protection strategy under
the area of responsibility (AoR). S/he represents the Organization to
authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on
protection policy and doctrine.
The Protection Officer
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 or the
Bureau (including programme; PI and external relations; IM) and with
DIP, communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance
partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can
contribute to enhancing protection and achieving
solutions.
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
- Provide technical guidance and
support to UNHCR and partners on all protection related issues.
-
Stay abreast of and report as relevant on legal political, social,
economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the
protection environment.
- Engage relevant national authorities and
structures in identifying and expanding opportunities in view of
developing or strengthening national asylum/RSD systems.
-
Facilitate a consultative process with government counterparts,
partners and persons of concern to develop and implement a
comprehensive protection and solutions strategy addressing the
specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older
persons, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual
orientation and/or gender identities (LGBTI persons), persons living
with HIV/AIDS; gender equality and Gender Based Violence (GBV)
priorities with regard to these persons.
- In operations applying
the Cluster Approach, seek to ensure the response of the Protection
Cluster is grounded in a strategy which covers all assessed and
prioritized protection needs of the affected populations.
-
Support senior management to ensure the protection strategy is fully
integrated into the Country Operations Plan, the UN Development and
Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the Humanitarian Country Team's common
humanitarian response plan where applicable, as well as with the
implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees and the Three Year
Strategy on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways.
- Promote
relevant International, Regional and National Law and applicable
UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct and ensure
that all sectors and /or in clusters in applicable operations fulfil
their responsibilities in mainstreaming protection.
- Promote the
implementation of the AGD policy, including UNHCR's updated
commitments to women and girls, and, design, deliver I and monitor
programmes on an AGD basis to address identified protection
needs.
- Develop, implement and monitor community-based protection
strategies and ensure systematic application and integration of
participatory and community-based approaches in protection and
solutions planning, programming and strategies.
- Support the
establishment of feedback and response systems and the incorporation
of feedback received from persons of concern into programme design and
adaptation.
- Support the operation to develop and implement
robust prevention, identification, and responses to fraud within
protection processes and procedures, including registration, RSD,
resettlement and complementary pathways, ensuring the integrity of
interventions across all protection activities.
- Assist UNHCR
management at country level to comply with polices and commitment on
Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse measures.
- Oversee
and manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and
child protection.
- Provide legal advice and guidance on
protection issues to internal and external interlocutors; ensure legal
assistance is accessible to persons of concern; liaise with competent
authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant
documents to persons of concern (including women and others in need of
civil documentation, in particular birth certificates).
- As
designated Data Protection Focal Point, assist the data controller in
carrying out his or her responsibilities regarding the Data Protection
Policy (7.2 DPP).
- Oversee and undertake eligibility and status
determination within the AoR ensuring compliance with UNHCR procedural
standards and international protection principles.
- Promote and
implement effective strategies and measures to identify, prevent and
reduce statelessness within the AoR.
- Contribute to the
development and implementation of an education plan as part of
protection strategy within the AoR as relevant.
- Contribute to
the development and implementation of a child protection plan as part
of the protection strategy within the AoR ensuring programmes use a
child protection systems approach.
- Monitor, and intervene in
cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through
working relations with governments and other partners.
- Work to
safeguard the rights of persons of concern in the context of mixed
movements as relevant.
- Coordinate the preparation of, implement
and oversee Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all
protection/solutions activities.
- Ensure that durable solutions
through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where
appropriate, resettlement and complementary pathways are sought and
provided to the largest possible number of persons of concern,
including undertaking and/or overseeing resettlement and complementary
pathways activities.
- Contribute to the coordination of the
design, implementation and evaluation of protection related
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.
- Ensure that the Protection Sector or Cluster has an
effective information management component which: provides
disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems;
researches, collects and disseminates relevant protection information
and good practices to enhance protection delivery.
- Build the
protection capacity of national and local government, partners and
civil society to assume their responsibilities vis-à-vis all persons
of concern through protection training, mainstreaming and related
activities.
- Coordinate capacity-building initiatives for
communities and individuals to assert their rights.
- Advise and
capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and civil
society to strengthen legislation and status determination procedures
and mechanisms.
- 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.
For positions in
Bureaux
- Support the Regional Bureau and Country Operations
to reflect the protection and solution angle in support of persons of
concern within regional processes.
- Support Country Operations in
the development of strategies to build and further develop national
asylum/RSD systems with a view to ensuring their fairness, efficiency,
adaptability and integrity, favourable protection environment and
solutions.
- Assist UNHCR management at regional and country level
to comply with polices and commitment on Protection from Sexual
Exploitation and Abuse measures.
- Support Country Operations and
ensure they meet their complementary pathways objectives and
resettlement quotas.
- In close collaboration with DIP, (a)
contribute to the development of background and general normative,
policy, and legal positions, in compliance with UNHCR's global
protection policies and standards; (b) contribute to the development
of strategies at the regional and country level on the usage of law
and policy approaches, including legislative and judicial engagement
and UN human rights mechanisms - and/or regional ones - and other
protection frameworks, and integrated human rights standards in
protection strategies and advocacy; and (c) support coordination and
review of UNHCR's country reports to the UN human rights
mechanisms.
- Engage in relevant international and regional fora
and contribute to forging regional partnerships to advocate for key
protection and mandate issues, and engage in cross-cutting
protection-related matters, including mixed movement, internal
displacement and climate change/disaster-related displacement
responses, as well as Statelessness, in cooperation with DIP and where
relevant RSD.
Minimum Qualifications
Years of
Experience / Degree Level
For P3/NOC - 6 years relevant experience
with Undergraduate degree; or 5 years relevant experience with
Graduate degree; or 4 years relevant experience with Doctorate
degree
Field(s) of Education
Law; International Law;
International Refugee Law;
International Human Rights Law;
International Humanitarian Law;
Refugee and Forced Migration
Studies; Political Sciences
or other relevant
field.
Certificates and/or Licenses
Protection Learning
Programme
RSD- Resettlement Learning Programme
(Certificates
and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant
Job Experience
Essential
Minimum 4 years of relevant
professional experience in the area of refugee protection, internal
displacement, human rights or international humanitarian law,
including experience in working directly with Field Offices. Good
knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to
apply the relevant legal principles. Excellent legal research,
analytical skills and drafting.
Desirable
Diverse field
experience. Good IT skills including database management
skills.
Functional Skills
*PR-Protection-related
guidelines, standards and indicators
*PR-Age, Gender and Diversity
(AGD)
PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards
PR-International
Humanitarian Law
PR-Comprehensive Solutions
Framework
LE-Judicial Engagement
PR-Assessment of IDPs Status,
Rights, Obligation
PR-Climate change and disaster related
displacement
PR-Accountability to Affected People - Principles and
Framework
PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV)
Coordination
(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.
Desired Candidate Profile
He/she have extensive experience in protection and solutions with demonstrable experience in protection programming, government relations, and advocacy.
He/she should have strong coordination skills and demonstrated capacities to conduct capacity building activities of local government counterparts, law enforcement officials, judiciaries, and partners. He/she should have experience in addressing child protection, GBV, registration, PSEA, fraud committed by refugees and dealing with complex protection issues as well as using proGres as a case management tool.
The desired candidate should have field experience, willing to work in remote location and be conversant with UNHCR guidelines and policies on international protection and legal frameworks on refugee issues and nationality.
He/ she should have strong political awareness, representational, as well as excellent analytical, innovation and negotiation skills.
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Desired languages
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Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:
Nature of Position:The Government of Uganda (GoU) is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. Uganda adopts a settlement approach to refugee management and protection, whereby, upon receiving refugee status, new arrivals are provided with plots of land in refugee-hosting villages on which to build new homes and grow agricultural crops. Refugees can freely access public services such as health and education and are granted a range of rights and freedoms, including freedom of movement, to seek employment and to start their own business. Uganda hosts the largest number of refugees in Africa with multiple emergencies unfolding around its borders with majority of the refugees ' origination from South Sudan and the DRC Congo.
Bidibidi settlement host the largest refugee in Uganda and as of 31st October 2023, the active population of concern registered is 197,296 individuals (93,778M, 103,518F). Out of the total population, 84% are women, and children while 25% of the population are youth aged between 15 and 24 years.
The settlement is 240 sqkm and population is scattered in five zones that geographically are separated with the farthest being 45 kilometers out of Yumbe. Refugees have settled within the Ugandan communities and sharing scarce resources, make peaceful coexistence as an important element of coordination. With the lack of resources within UNHCR and in general within humanitarian organizations, there should be a great emphasis on the refugee resilience as well as the need for innovative and creative ideas to manage the great need vis-à-vis the limited resources.
The incumbent reports to the Senior Protection Officer and is responsible for designing a comprehensive protection strategy, and represents the UNHCR to authorities, UN sister agencies, partners and other stakeholders on protection policy and doctrine. The Protection Officer coordinates quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of forcibly displaced persons in the area. 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 as well as forcibly displaced persons, authorities, protection, and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection and achieving solutions.
Living and Working Conditions:Yumbe Town has no commercial bank. There is small local market where basic commodities and fresh produce are sold. Yumbe is classified family duty station with a three-month R&R cycle for international staff. Rental (housing), Clinic, entertainment, leisure, education facilities are not available at duty station. The nearest City of West Nile, Arua, is located at 94 Km of road drive; the office offers a vehicle to staff members for shopping and banking transactions in weekends.
The office is located at Kuru Sub-County, 4 km to Yumbe Town; Yumbe District is situated in northern Uganda approximately 600 km by road from Kampala. Yumbe District shares a border with South Sudan to the North, Moyo and Obongi Districts to the East, Koboko and Terego Districts to the South- west. The refugees are hosted in 5 Zones (camps) in Bidibidi Settlement, where humanitarian actors provide protection and other relief services.
Yumbe is generally hot throughout the year averaging at 30 degrees centigrade with a pick of 36 degrees centigrade during the dry season (December to February). Physical infrastructure is characterized by poor roads, unstable and unreliable power supply, and telephone network coverage provided by GSM service providers (3G-4G GSM).
Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
Certifications
HCR Protection Learning Program - UNHCR, HCR Resettlement Learning Program - UNHCR
Work Experience
Competencies
Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Negotiation & conflict resolution, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaborationUNHCR Salary Calculator
Additional Information
Functional clearance
Protection Officer
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
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