2 Child Protection Associate at UNHCR Uganda

UNHCR is committed to the effective protection to children of concern, with children representing more than half of the persons falling under its mandate. UNHCR adopts a rights and community-based approach to address the protection needs of children, with a strong emphasis on inclusion within national child protection, child friendly procedures and working with other sectors to protect children including education.  Child protection is recognized as global organizational priority for UNHCR. Dedicated child protection positions are needed to provide technical support to improve UNHCR’s operational capacity to deliver effective protection to children, adolescents and youth of concern.

The Child Protection Associate is a member of the protection team in an Office. S/he may report to a (Child) Protection Officer, or the Head of Field-Office/Unit and/or Head of Sub-Office. The incumbent monitors child 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 Child Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern (children, women, marginalized groups) and is responsible for implementation of Best Interests Procedures for children at risk in their area of responsibility, under the guidance of the supervisor.  S/he may also supervise staff undertaking Best Interests Procedures.  S/he identifies opportunities to mainstream Child Protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor.  The incumbent works directly with communities and children of concern to identify the risks they face and to leverage their capacities to protect themselves, their families and communities.  To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.

The position is based in Kiryandongo covering child protection activities in Kiryandongo FO as well as in Arua/Moyo settlements.

NEEDS IDENTIFICATION, STRATEGY AND ADVOCACY

• Contribute to assessing child protection issues through multi-sectoral and protection specific assessments.
• Facilitate consultation with children, youth and communities to inform child protection strategy and programme activities.
• Contribute to the formulation of child protection strategy and planning.
• Ensure compliance with UNHCR’s child protection policy, priorities and commitments, as well as other aligned policies on age, gender, diversity (AGD) and accountability to affected populations (AAP), GBV, gender equality, disability and youth empowerment.
• Support the analysis of the national systems and ensure that child protection programmes complement national child protection systems and work towards the inclusion of children of concern into national child protection laws, policies and services.
• Undertake consultation with children, youth and communities and provide information on appropriate and meaningful approaches for their effective participation and programmatic responses on child protection issues.
• Provide input to Protection Unit to inform advocacy to address key child protection concerns.

PROGRAMME PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

• Engage children, youth and communities in the implementation of child protection activities, provide information to children, youth and communities about child protection services and monitor and report on needs and issues to inform the Operations Response.
• Conduct Best Interest Procedures for individual children at heightened risks and prepare Best Interests Assessments and Determination reports, when required.
• Participate in the Best Interests Procedure Case Conferences and BID panels and draft associated documentation as required.
• Implement child protection SOPs and ensure up to date and effective referral to key services.
• Store and update child’s case file in UNHCR data bases in accordance with UNHCR standards.
• Engage with children, youth and community members in identifying community-based child protection activities.
• Monitor and support appropriate care arrangements for unaccompanied and separated children and referral of children to ICRC or other relevant partners for establishment of family linkages.
• Regularly report on emerging protection issues and concerns voiced by children, youth and communities and assist in drafting reports, compiling, and preparing data for the protection unit/section.
• Provide functional guidance to UNHCR and partner staff involved in child protection activities.

PARTNERSHIP, COORDINATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING

• Assist the Child Protection interagency coordination and information management activities as needed.
• Provide technical support and monitoring to child protection partners.
• Assist in carrying out learning needs assessment and analysis of findings.
• Support in implementing learning activities for UNHCR and partners staff and communities.
• Perform other related duties as required

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Accountability
• Communication
• Organizational Awareness
• Teamwork & Collaboration
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Client & Result Orientation

 MANAGERIAL COMPETENCIES

• Judgement and Decision Making
• Managing Performance

 CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Stakeholder Management
• Planning and Organizing
• Political Awareness

• Completion of the Secondary education; Training/certificate in International Development, Cultural Studies, Human Rights, International Social Work, Social Science, Political Science, Anthropology, International Law or other clearly related disciplines is required.
• Minimum of 3 years of previous work experience relevant to the function of child protection in a local context and having experience in the field of child protection prevention and response, broader protection or social work involving empowerment of women and girls, gender, child protection, mental health, counselling and working with survivors, humanitarian and development issues is required.
• Skills and experience in interviewing and working with children and families including supervision of child protection case management is required.
• Knowledge of UNHCR child protection policies and tools including the UNHCR Best Interests Procedures Guidelines, and interagency child protection Minimum Standards, Guiding Principles and SGBV case management standards is required.
• Knowledge of conduct of BIA and BIDs are essential. Knowledge of local child protection laws, policies and services is required.
• Computer skills (MS Office, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access) is required.
• Fluency in English is required.

• Knowledge and experience of participatory approaches to engage with and mobilize communities is desirable.
• Understanding of displacement and protection issues including SGBV, education and the application of the Age, Gender and Diversity Policy is desirable.
• Completed Protection Learning Programme and experience working with marginalized groups is desirable.
• Knowledge of protection information management tools, including but not limited to proGres v4 CP/ GBV module is desirable

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