Community-Based Protection Associate

Organizational Context

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is mandated to protect refugees and seek durable solutions. In Rwanda, UNHCR collaborates with the government and partners to provide protection and assistance to refugees, focusing on access to services, self-reliance, and peaceful coexistence. The Huye Field Office supports these efforts by implementing community-based protection strategies, engaging with local stakeholders, and ensuring refugee participation in decision-making processes that affect their lives.

Job Purpose

The Community-Based Protection Associate will support UNHCR's Huye Field Office in Rwanda, which serves over 27,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. The role involves implementing community-based protection strategies, preventing and responding to protection risks, and engaging with community structures and partners. The UN Volunteer will contribute to enhancing community engagement, strengthening protection networks, and ensuring that refugee voices and capacities inform UNHCR's programming and advocacy at the field level, fostering resilience and participation.

Responsibilities

The UN Volunteer will support the implementation of UNHCR’s Community-Based Protection (CBP) strategy, ensuring meaningful refugee and host community participation. This includes conducting outreach, protection monitoring, and participatory assessments, with attention to age, gender, and diversity (AGD). The role involves establishing and strengthening community-based protection structures, identifying and referring persons with specific needs, and supporting prevention and response activities for GBV and child protection. The Associate will contribute to protection mainstreaming, participate in coordination meetings, and support data collection and reporting. Promoting accountability to affected populations (AAP) through feedback mechanisms and monitoring partner activities are also key duties.

Work Experience

While no specific prior experience is required, demonstrated interest and up to two years of experience in protection, community development, social services, or humanitarian assistance is beneficial. Prior experience in refugee or emergency contexts, working with vulnerable populations, and with government/local authorities is essential. Familiarity with the Great Lakes region's refugee dynamics and experience with ProGres database or health information systems are advantageous.

Skills

Key competencies include commitment, continuous learning, adaptability, communication, ethics, integrity, planning, professionalism, respect for diversity, and teamwork. Specific skills include a basic understanding of community-based approaches, protection principles, and humanitarian values, with the ability to engage respectfully with diverse populations, conduct outreach, and perform basic data collection and reporting.

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