Associate Protection Officer

Organizational Context

UNHCR's mandate is to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees, safeguarding their rights and well-being globally. In Mauritania, UNHCR assists over 65,000 Malian refugees in Mbera camp and 9,000 urban refugees. The country is a key asylum and transit point, hosting over 300,000 refugees amidst increasing regional displacement. Mauritania has ratified international conventions and is developing a national asylum system, with UNHCR supporting this transition to a government-led framework.

Job Purpose

This project supports Mauritania's evolving protection landscape, marked by regional displacement and increased government engagement in migration management. As both an asylum and transit country, Mauritania hosts over 300,000 refugees and is consolidating its legal framework, including a new migration law and a draft asylum law. The assignment's purpose is to facilitate a progressive transition from a UNHCR-supported system to a fully national, government-led asylum system. This involves ensuring continuity of protection, safeguarding non-refoulement and fair procedures, and building national capacities. Key contributions include legal finalization, institutional strengthening, developing procedures, and establishing functional systems for registration, case management, documentation, and appeals. The role also supports civil documentation, particularly birth registration, and addresses statelessness, reinforcing broader protection outcomes and inclusion.

Responsibilities

The UN Volunteer will support affected populations by contributing to the finalization and implementation of Mauritania's migration and asylum legal framework, ensuring alignment with international standards. This includes providing technical inputs for the draft law, developing implementing regulations, SOPs, and operational tools for the national asylum system. A core duty involves designing and delivering tailored training modules on international protection, screening, registration, and refugee status determination procedures for national counterparts like CNCRPP and ANRPTS, alongside providing on-the-job coaching and mentoring. The role also entails offering technical support for case processing workflows, strengthening case management practices, and establishing procedural safeguards and appeals mechanisms. The volunteer will support the enhancement of protection data systems (e.g., ProGres, ActivityInfo), promoting data quality and protection-sensitive information management. Furthermore, the volunteer will contribute to initiatives improving access to civil documentation, especially birth registration, and engage with the Ministry of Justice to promote accession to Statelessness Conventions and strengthen national frameworks to prevent and reduce statelessness. Community-based protection activities, including training network members, facilitating legal clinics, and conducting awareness sessions for refugees and host communities, are also key. The volunteer will engage in participatory assessments, promote accountability to affected populations, and support coordination with national authorities and partners, while contributing to reports and monitoring project implementation.

Work Experience

A minimum of 3 years of relevant experience is required. Desirable experience includes knowledge of international refugee law, human rights law, and mixed migration contexts, with familiarity in asylum procedures and protection principles. Demonstrated interest or initial experience in capacity building, training design, and facilitation is an asset, as is experience in protection-related work, legal assistance, or working with vulnerable populations. Familiarity with data management tools (e.g., ProGres, ActivityInfo) and strong analytical, drafting, interpersonal, and communication skills are essential. The ability to work in multicultural environments and a commitment to protection principles are also required.

Skills

Required competencies include Accountability, Adaptability and flexibility, Creativity, Judgement and decision-making, Planning and organising, Professionalism, and Self-management. Areas of expertise include Crisis and emergency response, Security and protection, and Legal affairs.

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