Assistant Protection Officer

Grade

PR1

National Professional Officer

Reason

Temporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

D

Non Family<p></p><p></p>

No

2023-01-01-08:00

2023-06-30-07:00

December 12, 2022

Standard Job Description

Assistant Protection Officer Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The Assistant Protection Officer reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. Depending on the size and structure of the Office, the incumbent may have supervisory responsibility for protection staff including community-based protection, registration, resettlement and education. S/he provides functional protection guidance to information management and programme staff on all protection/legal matters and accountabilities. These include: statelessness (in line with the campaign to End Statelessness by 2024), Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) commitments, age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP) through community-based protection, Child protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response, gender equality, disability inclusion, youth empowerment, psycho-social support and PSEA, registration, asylum/refugee status determination, resettlement, local integration, voluntary repatriation, human rights standards integration, national legislation, judicial engagement, predictable and decisive engagement in situations of internal displacement and engagement in wider mixed movement and climate change/disaster-related displacement responses. S/he supervises protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards. The Assistant Protection Officer is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (PoC), ensuring that operational responses in all sectors mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards. The incumbent contributes to the design of a comprehensive protection strategy and represents the Organization externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. S/he also ensures that PoC are meaningfully engaged in the decisions that affect them and support programme design and adaptations that are influenced by the concerns, priorities and capacities of them. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, authorities, protection and assistance partners as well as a broader network of stakeholders who can contribute to enhancing protection. 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 - Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment. - Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct. - Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to PoC. - Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation. - Conduct eligibility and status determination for PoC in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and international protection principles. - Promote and contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness. - Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy. - Contribute to a country-level education plan as part of the protection strategy. - Provide inputs for the development of protection policies and standards within the AoR. - Implement and monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities. - Manage individual protection cases including those on GBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents. - Recommend durable solutions for the largest possible number of PoC through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement. - Assess resettlement needs and apply priorities for the resettlement of individuals and groups of refugees and other PoC. - Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners. - Contribute to and facilitate a programme of results-based advocacy with sectorial and/or cluster partners. - Contribute to and facilitate effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems. - Assist capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights. - Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures. - Intervene with authorities on protection issues. - Assist the supervisor in deciding priorities for reception, interviewing and counselling for groups or individuals. - Assist the supervisor in enforcing compliance of staff and implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services. - Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures. - Perform other related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications Years of Experience / Degree Level For P1/NOA - 1 year relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or no experience with Graduate degree; or no experience with Doctorate degree Field(s) of Education Law, International Law, Political Sciences or other relevant field. (Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential) Certificates and/or Licenses Not specified; (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential Knowledge of International Refugee and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles Desirable Completion of the Protection Learning Programme, RSD- Resettlement Learning Programme. Functional Skills *PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators *PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) MG-Project Management PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards PR-International Humanitarian Law PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement CO-Drafting and Documentation 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.

OPERATIONAL CONTEXT:
The area of responsibility of UNHCR Sub-Office in Dohuk includes Dohuk Governorate and Zakho Independent Administration (ZIA), which together host over 90,000 refugees and asylum seekers in four refugee camps, 1 transit facility, and out of camp locations. Out of the total, more than 94 per cent are of Syrian nationality as well as some Turkish and Iranian nationals. Nearly 60 per cent reside in refugee camps while 40 per cent reside in urban and rural areas. There are also some estimated 330,000 internally displaced Iraqis (IDPs) who have settled in 15 camps and urban locations. While Iraq is not a signatory to the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, the country is a signatory to most of the United Nations human rights Instruments (ICCPR, ICESR, CERD, CRC, CEDAW, CMW, etc.). UNHCR Duhok leads protection interventions for refugees and IDPs through a human rights and community-based approach and supports peaceful co-existence with host communities.

The Assistant Protection Officer works under the direct supervision of the Associate Protection Officer in Sub-Office Duhok and has supervisory responsibility for four protection staff within the General Protection unit.
S/he provides functional protection and legal guidance to staff (including for outreach missions, helpdesks, IDP civil documentation missions and general protection monitoring activities); advises on individual cases; ensures that protection standards, operational procedures and practices are in line with national and international standards; and responds to identified needs and operational priorities in coordination with registration and community-based protection units within SO Dohuk.
S/he also monitors implementation of protection and legal response of partners by overseeing project targets and maintaining direct channels of communication with the legal coordinator, the protection monitoring focal point (for both urban and camp teams) and the refugee and IDP project coordinators.

The protection environment in the region is overall favorable and not expected to change significantly in the coming year. Local authorities and host communities remain welcoming and accommodating towards the refugee and IDP populations. However, the lack of an effective legal framework for refugee protection, the challenging economic situation facing displaced families and security constraints in Iraq affect prospects for solutions for both refugees and IDPs. IDPs face specific protection concerns such as legal challenges in obtaining civil registration documents, accessing available public services, seeking legal remedies and government support. Refugees are often expected to obtain security clearances prior to registration, and accessing identification documents, and are detained for irregular entry. As part of the legal and protection response, the position is primarily responsible for ensuring the prevention of refoulement, arbitrary detention and legal assistance for refugees and asylum seekers, with a view to find durable solutions. The incumbent is thus required to have a strong understanding of national legislation and relevant policies relating to residency, immigration and documentation needs of refugees, asylum seekers and IDPs. Towards this, working relationships with relevant authorities, including security and law enforcement actors, would need to be built or maintained, guided by the supervisor in addressing the needs of both refugees and IDPs.

The Assistant Protection Officer will need to maintain effective interface with displaced communities, local authorities and protection partners. S/he will also be expected to capacitate state authorities and partner staff on asylum and refugee law and policy; monitor emerging judicial practice and contribute to legal analysis and review for internal and external purposes. S/he will contribute to designing a comprehensive protection strategy, represent the organization externally on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor, and provide comments and proposals to legal texts and administrative instructions related to asylum issues. The implementation of the Administrative Instructions for the Affairs of Asylum Seekers in Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which will ensure and harmonize access to residency across the KRI, is expected to take place in 2023. The Assistance Protection Officer will work together with authorities and strategic partners to support its application at Governorate level through monitoring, advocacy, and the provision of guidance.

In additional to strong managerial skills, the incumbent will have to demonstrate good interpersonal and communication skills, as well as ability to manage multiple priorities and short deadlines. A good knowledge of English, Arabic and Kurdish (Badini/Sorani) is required, including the ability to draft policies, reports, official correspondence and talking points. S/he will have a solid legal background (at least a Bachelor's degree in Law) and understanding of UNHCR procedural standards on protection, in addition to experience in refugee and IDP situations.

When completing the application, candidates are required to list all of their language skills – including their mother tongue. The three broad levels are A1/A2 ("Basic User"), B1/B2 ("Independent User"), and C1/C2 ("Proficient User")

Shortlisted candidates will be required to attend an eliminatory written test, only successful candidates in the test will be invited for an oral interview.

Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19.

This position is open for Iraqi nationals only.

This position doesn't require a functional clearance

English

,

Arabic

,

Skills

CO-Drafting and Documentation, MG-Project Management, PR-Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD), PR-Assessment of IDPs Status, Rights, Obligation, PR-Climate change and disaster related displacement, PR-Gender Based Violence (GBV) Coordination, PR-Human Rights Doctrine/Standards, PR-International Humanitarian Law, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

Education

BA: International Law (Required), BA: Law (Required), BA: Political Science (Required)

Certifications

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