Details
Mission and objectives
The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org)
Context
The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).
UNHCR Operation in Chad addresses protection and assistance needs for more than 400,000 refugees, established in 19 camps, 12 of the camps hosting refugees since more than ten years, at the same time establishing new camps to accommodate continuous influx. The UNHCR Office also leads the protection cluster in response to the general protection of internally displaced population, along with their reintegration in villages of origin. Chad is among the most complex UNHCR operations in terms of security, environment and logistical context. The environment is characterized by unforeseen trends related to these factors. The operation in Chad is currently decentralized and the Branch Office in N’Djamena retains the role of strategy provision, support and coordination of three Sub-Offices and their respective Field Offices. Given the considerable and diverse workload, it is important that the applicant be motivated, hard-working and organized. Fluency in both English and French is recommended (written and spoken). In Chad, all communications within with external partners are conducted in French.
The Lake Province is facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis fueled by armed conflict, intercommunal tensions, and the effects of climate change. The operational context of the Lake region continues to be dominated by protection incidents due to attacks by Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs), criminal acts/banditry, and sporadic inter/intra-community conflicts, particularly involving the Boudouma and Kanembou communities. These conflicts often stem from disputes over access to arable land (polders), grazing areas, and fishing zones. The effects of climate change are increasingly visible, with river and/or rain-induced flooding and rainfall deficits. The region also suffers from a precarious socio-economic situation, inadequate basic social services, unemployment, and a food crisis, among other challenges.
Despite several military operations, armed group elements remain active in the province and across the Lake Chad Basin countries. In this complex humanitarian context, UNHCR has developed a strategy aimed at durable solutions for forcibly displaced populations in the province. This strategy aligns with the Lake Province’s development program and the 2024 Nexus coordination framework. After identifying convergence zones, UNHCR is working to mobilize development and peace actors to carry out stabilization and development activities aimed at empowering the population.
Located in western Chad, the UNHCR Baga Sola area of responsibility shares a long land and lake border to the west with northern Cameroon, northeastern Nigeria (Borno State), and eastern Niger (Diffa region). It is also adjacent to Kanem Province to the north and Hadjer-Lamis Province to the east.
UNHCR Operation in Chad addresses protection and assistance needs for more than 400,000 refugees, established in 19 camps, 12 of the camps hosting refugees since more than ten years, at the same time establishing new camps to accommodate continuous influx. The UNHCR Office also leads the protection cluster in response to the general protection of internally displaced population, along with their reintegration in villages of origin. Chad is among the most complex UNHCR operations in terms of security, environment and logistical context. The environment is characterized by unforeseen trends related to these factors. The operation in Chad is currently decentralized and the Branch Office in N’Djamena retains the role of strategy provision, support and coordination of three Sub-Offices and their respective Field Offices. Given the considerable and diverse workload, it is important that the applicant be motivated, hard-working and organized. Fluency in both English and French is recommended (written and spoken). In Chad, all communications within with external partners are conducted in French.
The Lake Province is facing a prolonged humanitarian crisis fueled by armed conflict, intercommunal tensions, and the effects of climate change. The operational context of the Lake region continues to be dominated by protection incidents due to attacks by Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs), criminal acts/banditry, and sporadic inter/intra-community conflicts, particularly involving the Boudouma and Kanembou communities. These conflicts often stem from disputes over access to arable land (polders), grazing areas, and fishing zones. The effects of climate change are increasingly visible, with river and/or rain-induced flooding and rainfall deficits. The region also suffers from a precarious socio-economic situation, inadequate basic social services, unemployment, and a food crisis, among other challenges.
Despite several military operations, armed group elements remain active in the province and across the Lake Chad Basin countries. In this complex humanitarian context, UNHCR has developed a strategy aimed at durable solutions for forcibly displaced populations in the province. This strategy aligns with the Lake Province’s development program and the 2024 Nexus coordination framework. After identifying convergence zones, UNHCR is working to mobilize development and peace actors to carry out stabilization and development activities aimed at empowering the population.
Located in western Chad, the UNHCR Baga Sola area of responsibility shares a long land and lake border to the west with northern Cameroon, northeastern Nigeria (Borno State), and eastern Niger (Diffa region). It is also adjacent to Kanem Province to the north and Hadjer-Lamis Province to the east.
Task description
Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Headd of field Office or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Protection cluster assistant will:
• Support the Protection Cluster to ensure that protection informs and shapes the overall humanitarian response, and that the protection response is integrated into the Humanitarian Country Team’s common humanitarian action plan.
• Participate in meetings in line with the Principles of Partnership, ensuring that cluster meetings are consultative and results oriented.
• Support coordination with government counterparts and other relevant authorities
• Support the coordination and conduct of Protection Cluster or Inter-Cluster level protection needs assessments, including participatory assessments of affected populations.
• Provide inputs to development of common funding criteria, resource mobilization and prioritization within the Protection Cluster for inclusion in Consolidated Appeals and pooled funds processes.
• Assist in the delivery of protection training activities for Protection Cluster members, other local partners, and relevant authorities.
• Contribute to initiatives building the protection capacity of the national and local government, partners and civil society.
• Through Cluster-wide consultative processes, provide input into the development of global protection policy and standards led by the Global Protection Cluster.
• Support reporting and information sharing within the Protection Cluster and at the inter-cluster level.
• Support and facilitate the Protection Cluster information management strategy and mechanisms.
• Contribute to Protection Cluster’s regular updates and briefing notes on the protection concerns in the affected population, response activities, challenges and recommendations.
• Help foster a consistent interpretation and application of international law and related UNHCR and IASC legal standards and protection policies.
• Draft reports and prepare advocacy statements on behalf of the Protection Cluster - for clearance by Senior management.
• Facilitate cluster meetings, work and cooperate with focal points sub-groups/working groups and ad hoc/task-related bodies for specific issues.
• Facilitate negotiation with the Humanitarian Coordinator/Resident Coordinator, the Humanitarian Country Team and cluster members on the prioritization and inclusion of project proposals and common funding criteria for inclusion in inter-agency funding appeals.
• Perform other related duties as required
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Results/expected outputs:
• As an active UNHCR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNHCR and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:
• Regular support to Protection Cluster meetings (logistics, note-taking, follow-up on action points).
• Compilation and dissemination of meeting minutes and coordination documents.
• Regular updates to the calendar of protection activities from cluster members.
• Consolidation of monthly reports from cluster partners.
• Updating the mapping of protection actors and their areas of intervention.
• Contribution to protection data analysis for situation reports (SitRep) and cluster bulletins.
• Monitoring protection activities in priority areas.
• Identification of gaps in geographic or thematic coverage.
• Support in preparing joint or inter-agency field missions.
• Contribution to the development of the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).
• Participation in data collection for prioritization and planning exercises.
• Support in organizing strategic review workshops or training sessions.
• Support in drafting key protection messages and advocacy documents.
• Contribution to the visibility of cluster activities (infographics, bulletins, presentations).
• Follow-up on recommendations from protection assessments.
• 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
• Support the Protection Cluster to ensure that protection informs and shapes the overall humanitarian response, and that the protection response is integrated into the Humanitarian Country Team’s common humanitarian action plan.
• Participate in meetings in line with the Principles of Partnership, ensuring that cluster meetings are consultative and results oriented.
• Support coordination with government counterparts and other relevant authorities
• Support the coordination and conduct of Protection Cluster or Inter-Cluster level protection needs assessments, including participatory assessments of affected populations.
• Provide inputs to development of common funding criteria, resource mobilization and prioritization within the Protection Cluster for inclusion in Consolidated Appeals and pooled funds processes.
• Assist in the delivery of protection training activities for Protection Cluster members, other local partners, and relevant authorities.
• Contribute to initiatives building the protection capacity of the national and local government, partners and civil society.
• Through Cluster-wide consultative processes, provide input into the development of global protection policy and standards led by the Global Protection Cluster.
• Support reporting and information sharing within the Protection Cluster and at the inter-cluster level.
• Support and facilitate the Protection Cluster information management strategy and mechanisms.
• Contribute to Protection Cluster’s regular updates and briefing notes on the protection concerns in the affected population, response activities, challenges and recommendations.
• Help foster a consistent interpretation and application of international law and related UNHCR and IASC legal standards and protection policies.
• Draft reports and prepare advocacy statements on behalf of the Protection Cluster - for clearance by Senior management.
• Facilitate cluster meetings, work and cooperate with focal points sub-groups/working groups and ad hoc/task-related bodies for specific issues.
• Facilitate negotiation with the Humanitarian Coordinator/Resident Coordinator, the Humanitarian Country Team and cluster members on the prioritization and inclusion of project proposals and common funding criteria for inclusion in inter-agency funding appeals.
• Perform other related duties as required
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Results/expected outputs:
• As an active UNHCR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNHCR and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:
• Regular support to Protection Cluster meetings (logistics, note-taking, follow-up on action points).
• Compilation and dissemination of meeting minutes and coordination documents.
• Regular updates to the calendar of protection activities from cluster members.
• Consolidation of monthly reports from cluster partners.
• Updating the mapping of protection actors and their areas of intervention.
• Contribution to protection data analysis for situation reports (SitRep) and cluster bulletins.
• Monitoring protection activities in priority areas.
• Identification of gaps in geographic or thematic coverage.
• Support in preparing joint or inter-agency field missions.
• Contribution to the development of the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP).
• Participation in data collection for prioritization and planning exercises.
• Support in organizing strategic review workshops or training sessions.
• Support in drafting key protection messages and advocacy documents.
• Contribution to the visibility of cluster activities (infographics, bulletins, presentations).
• Follow-up on recommendations from protection assessments.
• 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
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Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.