Protection Associate

Organizational Context

The Protection Associate operates within UNHCR, reporting to a Protection Officer. The role focuses on monitoring protection standards and operational procedures, ensuring effective responses to the needs of populations of concern (PoC). The incumbent will coordinate protection strategies, engage with authorities and partners, and ensure PoC participation in decisions affecting them.

Job Purpose

The Protection Associate's primary purpose is to provide functional protection support, ensuring that UNHCR's protection standards, operational procedures, and practices are met in line with international norms. This involves coordinating timely and effective protection responses tailored to the needs of populations of concern (PoC), and identifying opportunities to integrate protection methodologies across all operational sectors. The role contributes to the development of a comprehensive protection strategy and engages externally with authorities and partners on protection policy. A key aspect is ensuring the meaningful involvement of PoC in decision-making processes that affect their rights and well-being, achieved through building and maintaining effective relationships with communities, local authorities, and partner organizations. The incumbent must stay informed about the evolving protection environment and apply relevant international and national laws and UNHCR policies.

Responsibilities

The Protection Associate is responsible for staying informed about political, social, economic, and cultural developments impacting the protection environment. They must consistently apply International and National Law, along with applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policies, standards, and codes of conduct. This includes assisting in reviewing existing and draft legislation related to PoC and providing protection advice to PoC, liaising with authorities to ensure the issuance of necessary documentation. The role involves assisting in eligibility and status determination processes, and contributing to initiatives aimed at identifying, preventing, and reducing statelessness. The Associate will contribute to country-level child protection and education plans as part of the broader protection strategy. Monitoring Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection and solutions activities is crucial, as is managing individual protection cases, including those related to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and child protection. The incumbent will monitor and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion, and other protection incidents. A significant responsibility is assisting in identifying durable solutions for PoC, such as voluntary repatriation, local integration, and resettlement. The Associate contributes to the design, implementation, and evaluation of protection-related programming with partners, and facilitates effective information management by providing disaggregated data on PoC. They will participate in capacity-building initiatives for authorities and NGOs on protection legislation and procedures, and assist the supervisor in prioritizing PoC interviews and proposing protection support. Enforcing compliance of local implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity, as well as ensuring adherence to protection SOPs, are also key duties. The role includes submitting individual payment requests for PoC and supporting risk management by identifying and reporting risks and opportunities impacting objectives.

Work Experience

3 years of relevant experience with a High School Diploma, or 2 years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree or equivalent.

Skills

International Law Political Science IT-Computer Literacy PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators

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