Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based): D
Family Type (not applicable for home-based): Family
Staff Member / Affiliate Type: UNOPS LICA5
Target Start Date: 2023-05-01
Job Posting End Date: April 22, 2023
Terms of Reference
Operational Context: The absence of a national refugee and asylum legal and administrative framework leaves refugees in a precarious situation, exposed to protection risks and limited access to justice. Reports of serious protection incidents in the camps continue, underscoring the need to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms as well as individual case management. Refugees’ lack of formal legal status renders refugees vulnerable to arbitrary arrest and detention, mistreatment, and exploitation, and hinders their ability to access justice. UNHCR engages with the Government, law enforcement and camp authorities and other partners to improve the protection environment in the camps and promote protection-sensitive policies and practices. UNHCR and its partners also provide a range of legal services including legal counselling, legal assistance, and mediation to resolve interpersonal conflicts.
The Snr Protection Assistant (LICA 5) is a member of the Legal Protection Unit in Cox’s Bazar Sub-Office. S/he reports to the Protection Officer or Associate Protection Officer. S/he will work as Protection Focal Point in the Rohingya refugee camps and will be required to spend a good part of his/her time in the camps, working directly with refugees, authorities and partners. S/he will conduct protection monitoring in the camps to collect information on the overall protection environment to understand trends and on individual protection incidents/cases. S/he will identify and timely refer protection incidents and manage individual protection cases, Through monitoring activities, s/he will identify individuals or groups that may require specific protection interventions, particularly persons with specific needs or facing urgent and serious protection concerns, and facilitate referrals to partners for appropriate and timely assistance. S/he will work with a broad range of protection partners and government authorities to address a broad range of issues, including general counselling and assistance to refugees regarding their access to protection, legal assistance, civil documentation. S/he needs to be self-motivated, able to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, and to work and adapt effectively in a challenging environment. S/he will provide timely and adequate protection reports and analysis. Reporting in the context of protection monitoring must be accurate, objective and precise, prompt and action-oriented, for which good writing skills in English are required. Given that UNHCR work is grounded on international refugee protection, candidates with a legal background and legal practice in Bangladesh or who worked in the legal aid and/or human rights field are highly encouraged to apply.
Standard Job Description: Senior Protection Assistant
Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff.
The Senior Protection Assistant provides quality, timely and effective protection support to persons of concern (PoC) and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues as guided by the supervisor.
The Senior Protection Assistant also ensures that PoC are involved in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.
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
- Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
- Provide counselling on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
- Support activities in protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Conduct preliminary information gathering and interviews in support of eligibility, status determination, durable solutions and social needs assessment.
- 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 for PoC as part of the protection strategy.
- Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
- Participate in individual protection case management including cases of GBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
- Assist in identifying durable solutions for PoC in voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
- Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
- Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.
- Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.
- Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.
- Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
G5 – 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Field(s) of Education
Not applicable
Certificates and/or Licenses
International Law;
Political Science;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Relevant Job Experience
Essential: Not specified.
Desirable: Not specified.
Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(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.