Notice Details
Position: Associate Child Protection Officer
Organization: UNHCR
Mission and objectives:
The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).
Context:
As of April 2025, Bangladesh hosts more than 1 million Rohingya refugees, 52% of whom are female, and 51% of whom are under the age of 18. Most refugees live in 33 extremely congested camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf sub-districts of Cox’s Bazar, and 37,028reside on Bhasan Char, an island in the Bay of Bengal, 60 km from the Bangladesh mainland. August 2024 marked seven years since the Rohingya crisis when more than 700,000 Rohingya women, men, and children fled Myanmar to Bangladesh, joining hundreds of thousands who sought and found refuge in the country in previous years. Yet, comprehensive solutions for Rohingya refugees remain elusive. While voluntary repatriation constitutes the main durable solution, a return in significant numbers in the immediate future is highly unlikely due to the ongoing developments following the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021 and the resurgence end 2023 of active armed conflict in Rakhine State where the million Rohingya refugees come from. Conditions in Myanmar are not presently considered conducive for the safe, voluntary, sustainable, and dignified return of Rohingya refugees. The Government of Bangladesh refers to Rohingya refugees as 'Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals. The presence of more the one million refugees has had important impacts on local communities, service delivery, the economy and the environment of the hosting communities. Restrictions on movement, inadequate access to formal education and livelihoods as well as scarcity of land results in overcrowded sites favors range of child protection risks, gender-based violence and accentuates the vulnerabilities of persons with specific needs. Community based approach is key for community empowerment, and protection mainstreaming. The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).
Task description:
● Individual child protection case work according to best interests procedures; conducting best interests assessments (BIA), best interests determinations (BID) and family tracing/reunification in accordance with relevant UNHCR protection standards and IASC guidance, ensuring appropriate case tracking and follow-up of child protection cases.
● Support staff and partners in the strengthening of a functioning Best Interests system: identification, assessment, referral, response and assistance, monitoring and documenting of cases of children at risk.
● Support the organization of and trainings in Best Interests Procedures and Child Protection.
● Contribute to effective child protection reporting and information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems.
● Contribute to the systematic application of participatory, community and rights-based approaches, ensuring that children, adolescents and youth are included (as appropriate) in participatory assessments and community-based protection initiatives.
● Contribute to capacity-building initiatives for communities, including children, adolescents and youth to assert their rights and to strengthen community-based child protection initiatives.
● Participate in the updating, implementation and monitoring of child protection related SOPs.
● Support the implementation of the child protection aspects of the Country Protection Strategy and programming in relation to individual case management but also participatory evaluations, setting up of alternative care arrangements, strengthening of child protection mechanisms and establishment of youth programming.
● Support other child protection activities and initiatives in coordination with colleagues in the operation.
● Contribute to the implementation of UNHCR framework for the protection of children, and specifically the child protection strategy in the Country.
● Specifics to sub/field offices work if support is needed and requested: Support/establish working BID panel and best interests system in close collaboration with staff and partners. ● Follow-up and support on child protection cases and BID/BIA case management, including referrals for family tracing and response to specific needs. In collaboration with colleagues, promote and find durable solutions for children (and their families).
● Support participatory, AGD-sensitive analysis to form the essential basis for UNHCR’s work. Intervene with authorities on child protection issues.
● Contribute to national/sub-national (child) protection (including sectoral/cluster) strategies, project submissions and budgets.
● Support other Child Protection related activities.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for in-stance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities;
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Results/Expected Outputs:
• As an active UNHCR team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:
• Cases are referred for resettlement in accordance with existing SOPs;
• Timely identification, treatment, response and monitoring of child protection cases implementing best interests procedures;
• Timely treatment and management of BID cases, including those requested by the Re-settlement Unit;
• Staff and partners empowered and trained in best interests procedures;
• Best interests procedure implemented;
• Child protection strategy rolled out;
• Data management and reporting for child protection accurate and updated;
• Child protection related SOPs updated and implemented;
• The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counter-parts, including Implementing Partners (IPs);
• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment;
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in, and capacities developed.
Requirements:
Age: 18 - 80
Nationality: Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.
Required experience: 3 years
Skills and experience:
Minimum 3 years of work experience with refugees and/or other people of concern in a protection capacity, individual case work (managing interviews, conducting assessments, counselling, case advocacy and management, identifying solutions, etc.). International experience required.
Desirable Qualifications and Skills:
• Knowledge of UN policies and procedures;
• Knowledge / awareness of UNHCR’s Framework for the Protection of Children and Education and SGBV strategies;
• Knowledge of community communication and engagement approaches;
• Knowledge / awareness of cross cultural issues, especially in the context of child protection;
• Knowledge / awareness of gender issues and how to apply rights and community based approach to identify and respond to specific needs;
• Previous experience in child protection is a great advantage;
• Previous experience in working with communities;
• Skills in conducting trainings and exercises with large groups of people (e.g. trainings, participatory evaluations);
• Excellent drafting and analytical skills;
• Excellent interviewing and counselling skills;
• Ability to manage information, in a confidential manner, and to use database management systems;
• Ability to conduct individual and group assessments and to identify protection risks, to liaise with partners and proactively find solutions.
Other Computer skills: Office Package (excellent knowledge of Word, good knowledge of Excel and Power Point) and Internet browsing.
Required education level: Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Social Science, International Refugee or Human Rights Law, Political Sciences or related areas required; or equivalent knowledge preferred.
Assignment country: Bangladesh
Expected start date: 01/10/2025
Volunteer category: International UN Volunteer Specialist
Type: Onsite
Duration: 12 months (with possibility of extension)
Number of assignments: 1
Duty stations: Cox's Bazaar
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How to Apply:
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To be considered, interested candidates are invited to apply via the following link: https://bit.ly/4mGZCob
Application deadline: 16/09/2025
