Job Description
| Department/Office: | United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan |
| Posting Title: | CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER, P3 |
| Job Code Title: | CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER |
| Duty Station: | EL FASHER; KADUGLI; |
| Posting Period: | 28 April 2021 – 12 May 2021 |
| Job Opening Number: | 21-Human Rights Affairs-UNITAMS-154346-F- (M) |
| Staffing Exercise | N/A |
Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS).
The United Nations Security Council adopted resolution 2524 (2020) authorizing the mandate of UNITAMS which is to assist the political transition, progress towards democratic governance, in the protection and promotion of human rights, and sustainable peace; support peace processes and implementation of future peace agreements; assist peacebuilding, civilian protection and rule of law, in particular in Blue Nile and South Kordofan (the Two Areas) and Darfur; and support the mobilization of economic and development assistance and coordination of humanitarian assistance.
El Fasher: The Child Protection Officer will report to the Human Rights Team and Senior Child Protection Officer in coordination with the Human Rights Coordinator.
Kadugli: The Child Protection Officer will report to the Head of Office and Senior Child Protection Officer in coordination with the Human Rights Coordinator.
Responsibilities
Within the limits of delegated authority, the Child Protection Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
•Supports the mainstreaming child protection concerns into all aspects of the activities, strategies, policies, and training programs of the peacekeeping operation and assists in the overall implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions (SCRs) on children and armed conflict;
•Works directly with other UN peace operation components, including UN police and military, Human Rights, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR), Security Sector Reform (SSR), Rule of Law, to integrate a child-conscious approach in their work;
•Researches, collects reliable, accurate and timely data on and, where necessary, conduct investigations into the six grave violations identified by the UN Security Council and other violations committed against children;
•Provides timely inputs to relevant periodic reports to DPKO or DPA (as relevant) and to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG-CAAC), including reporting to the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict;
•Ensures timely delivery of a variety of reports, briefing notes, talking points and any other communications to brief senior mission staff in compliance with the mission mandate;
•Supports the mission in implementing the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) established pursuant to S/RES/1612 (2005) in coordination with the UN Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting;
•Provides appropriate backstopping to Child Protection Unit’s efforts toward the signing and implementation of national action plans to address grave violations against children as called for in SCRs 1539, 1612, 1882 and 1998;
•Provides training on child rights and child protection to military, police and civilian staff of the mission;
•Liaises with national authorities, civil society, UN actors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the host government, in advocating the mission’s defined objectives with relevant coordination mechanisms in ensuring adequate responses to violations committed against children;
•Supports the implementation of the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) under S/RES/1612 (2005) including co-chairing with UNICEF the Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting (CTFMR) on grave violations against children at the technical level, and supporting senior mission leadership in co-chairing with the UNICEF Representative the CTFMR at the principal level;
•Ensures and coordinates the mission’s delivery on mission-wide monitoring and reporting of the six grave violations against children identified by the UN Security Council, in conjunction with the CTFMR and other relevant actors as appropriate;
•Undertakes and maintains a proactive situation awareness including undertaking field missions to locations of incidents to report on substantive human rights and child protection matters;
•Provides guidance and coaching to new or more junior staff; and
•Performs other related duties as required.
Competencies
Professionalism: Knowledge of and exposure to a range of human rights issues including approaches and techniques to address sensitive and complex human rights problems in their political, ethnic, racial, gender and socio-economic dimensions. Knowledge of institutional mandates of human rights organizations, prevailing policies and procedures. Ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources and assess impact on the human rights situation in the region or country of assignment, including the political environment and legal statutes as they pertain to human rights. Ability to complete in-depth studies and reach conclusions on possible causes and solutions to human rights problems in specific societies and systems. Demonstrated skills in training civil authorities and members of advocacy groups to recognize warning signs of civil unrest and take preventive action to avert hostilities. Ability to relate to human rights issues and perspectives, including their gender equality dimensions, to political, social, economic and humanitarian programmes in affected countries and areas. Shows pride in work and achievements. Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter. Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results. Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; Is willing to learn from others; Places team agenda before personal agenda; Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
Planning and Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identifies priority activities and assignments; Adjusts priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently.
Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
Education
An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, political science, international relations, social sciences or a related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
- A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in the human rights field or closely related areas is required, of which at least half should be in human rights.
- A minimum of one year of human rights monitoring, investigation and reporting in armed conflict context/environment experience is required.
- Experience monitoring and reporting on child protection in armed conflict is required.
- Experience conducting of human rights investigations is required
- Experience in capacity building activities for the protection and promotion of human rights is required
- Experience implementing technical cooperation projects is desirable
- Human rights training experience is desirable
- Previous experience acquired in humanitarian response is desirable
- A minimum of one (1) year of experience providing services in the field of human rights to or in a field operation of the United Nations Common System or a comparable international organization is desirable.
- Experience in a similar security/political and human rights is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required.
Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
This is a recruit from roster (RfR) position. It is only open to roster applicants who are already placed on pre-approved rosters, following a review by a United Nations Central Review Body. Only roster applicants who were placed on rosters with similar functions at the same level are considered to be eligible candidates. Eligible applicants receive an email inviting them to apply. Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station specified in the Job Opening.
Please note that due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19 and the travel restrictions imposed by national authorities, selected candidates may be required to start the assignment/appointment remotely, in agreement with the hiring manager, and until further notice.
United Nations Considerations
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
