Public information officer

Update

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces one of the largest and most complex humanitarian crises in the world, with over 6.9 million people who have been displaced in the past two years as a result of armed conflict and intercommunal violence. The latest Integrated Food Security and Humanitarian Phase Classification (IPC) identified some 6.5 million people in acute food security and livelihood crisis.

This situation has been alarmingly worsening since 2023, transforming the country's protection crisis into one of the gravest worldwide.
In 2024, more than 25.6 million people - a quarter of the population – with the most urgent humanitarian needs concentrated in the eastern provinces, severely hit by violence and insecurity. Until 31 December 2023, more than 9.6 million people were on the move in DRC, including 6.5 million internally displaced persons, 2.6 million returnees and 527,000 refugees, making the displacement crisis in the country one of the largest in the world and second only to Sudan.

Epidemics are significantly spreading, particularly cholera with 50,000 suspected cases and 470 deaths recorded in 2023 – the worst situation since 2017. Measles transmission more than double in 2023, exceeding 320,000 cases (versus 146,000 in 2022), while deaths caused by measles tripled, from 1,800 in 2022 to over 6,000 in 2023.
Climate shocks are worsening vulnerable people’s living conditions, with heavy rains and river flooding affecting some 2.1 million Congolese and leaving 300 others dead, just between mid-November 2023 and January 2024.
The expansion of the humanitarian space in a few areas and impeded access in others, places an increased responsibility upon OCHA to guide, facilitate and coordinate humanitarian action throughout the country. In order to meet the increased demand for coordination services and in line with the restructuring of coordination mechanisms in the DRC, OCHA has expanded its network in many provinces of the country.

The OCHA Bukavu/ Goma offices in South and North Kivu are well established and oversees humanitarian activities throughout the provinces. The UNV Public Information Officer will be responsible, among others, for the production of daily, weekly and monthly reports as well as public, advocacy and media relations for OCHA Bukavu/ Goma, undertake field reporting and human storytelling, identify opportunities for collaboration with local media and civil society for fact-checking and debunking misinformation/disinformation.

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Sub Office in Goma and technical matrix management of the Public Information and Advocacy Officer in Kinshasa, the UNV Public Information Officer will undertake the following tasks:

- Monitor and analyze current events, public opinion and press, identify issues and trends, and advise management on appropriate action/response. Draft analytical reports on the humanitarian situation in the area, as requested;

- Research, report, write and produce text stories, audio and video reports. Prepare news reports, features and materials on main events and issues affecting humanitarian and transitional issues in the DRC;

- Liaise with provincial, national and international media where necessary to provide them with relevant humanitarian information and facilitate media coverage of needs, constraints and humanitarian response. Prepare / conduct activities such as "press cafés", field visits, or other activities specifically dedicated to the media.

- Use social media, such as Twitter and Facebook to inform humanitarian partners, media and other stakeholders on developments in North Kivu;

- Prepare weekly updates and monthly consolidated inter-agency reports (English and French) on the humanitarian situation in the area;

- Co-organize and co- chair information-sharing meetings for humanitarian partners;

- Closely liaise with UN agencies, NGOs, international organizations and other relevant entities, including donors and media, to enhance information gathering and dissemination and ensure prompt and accurate dissemination of information on the situation;

- Prepare and implement public information campaigns aimed at increasing the awareness of the local population and civil society of humanitarian issues and principles guiding humanitarian action;

- Issue monthly inter-agency humanitarian updates and disseminate them among local officials and civil society;

- Contribute to the production of internal daily and weekly updates, snapshots, maps and other visual products;

- Conduct or participate to the field missions/ visits to collect first-hand information and feed the chain of production of the Organization's information and to conduct awareness/advocacy ("outreach") to various audiences.

- Perform any other relevant tasks as requested by the supervisors.


Results/Expected Outputs

- Developments in the area of humanitarian action in North/South Kivu are communicated to stakeholders, ensuring that the province remains a priority item on the agenda of national and international stakeholders;

- Provision of timely, well-written and accurate public information reports and documents in accordance with OCHA policy and guide-lines;

- Relevant humanitarian data bases are regularly updated and serve as a sound reference for information on humanitarian needs and assistance;

- Contribution to analyses of the local situation, identification of priorities and setting of plans of action, with a specific focus on advocacy;

- Better knowledge and understanding of humanitarian action and guiding principles by local communities;

•The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counter-parts, including Implementing Partners (IPs);

• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment

• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.