Protection Officer (Older people)
JOB TITLE: Protection
Officer (Older people) – Maban, South Sudan – Seconded into Danish refugee
Council-Danish Demining Group (DRC-DDG) South Sudan programme.
GRADE & SALARY: IS3 - £24,000 gross per annum
LOCATION: Within
DRC-DDG team, Maban, South Sudan
RESPONSIBLE TO: Protection Manager DRC-DDG,
Maban team, with regular updates to Training and Advocacy
Manager, HelpAge International, Juba.
RESPONSIBLE FOR: None
TERMS & CONDITIONS: Five month contract with possible extension, unaccompanied
status post, basic accommodation and living support, international insurance, rest
and recuperation leave (R & R), hardship allowance.
BACKGROUND:
HelpAge International is a global
network of not-for-profit organisations with a vision of a world where older people fulfill their
potential to lead active, dignified, healthy and secure lives. With over 70
affiliates and 300 partners across more than 50 countries the HAI network
brings together hundreds of organisations worldwide. HelpAge has a secretariat
with offices in London and Brussels, six regional centres including the East,
West and Central Africa Regional Development Centre – EWCARDC - to which the
South Sudan programme reports. HelpAge has an affiliate organization – the South
Sudanese Older People’s Association (SSOPO) who will collaborate in this
project.
The Danish Refugee Council – Danish Demining Group (DRC-DDG)
has been working with the Southern Sudanese refugees residing in Uganda since
1999. Upon the 2005 peace agreement, DRC-DDG began working in Southern Sudan
with the overall objective of providing physical and organisational support to
facilitate the return of, and durable solutions for, refugees and IDPs.
Initially operating only in Central Equatoria State DRC-DDG’s operations have
expanded to other areas to serve more than 1.5 million people across the
country including Juba and Aweil, northern Bahr el Ghazal State. In 2012 DRC-DDG
started operating in Maban County, Upper Nile to provide emergency assistance
to refugees crossing into South Sudan from Blue Nile State (Sudan) as a result
of the ongoing border conflict.
South Sudan is the newest country on earth. Decades of war have left it
with a legacy of chronic poverty, inequality and continuing insecurity. With a
population of around 8 million, the new country is facing significant
challenges in securing a stable, peaceful and prosperous future[i][1]. Fierce fighting since South Sudan seceded from Sudan in July 2011
erupted over the demarcation of borders, the sharing of the oil revenues,
citizenship rights and security arrangements—issues left unresolved at the time
of secession. This fighting has resulted in a serious humanitarian crisis
related to an influx of refugees from the South Kordofan and Blue Nile States in
the Sudan into refugee camps in the north of the country. Currently, there are
an estimated 105,000 refugees from the Sudan housed in Ysuf Batil, Jammam, Doro
and Gendressa Camps in Upper Nile and a further 66,000 in Unity State[2]. UNHCR and other humanitarian
organizations are struggling to meet their basic needs repeatedly appealing for
more funds from the international community with the current appeal only 52%
funded[3].
Of the refugee population an estimated 4% are over the age of 60. Yet
among the more vulnerable older people represent up to 40%. There is no other
agency working specifically to identify and address the needs of older people
in this current emergency although issues affecting older people are recognized
in vulnerability criteria by a number of agencies, most notably UNHCR and DRC-DDG.
This is a chronic emergency that has seen a critical increase in humanitarian
need over recent months which outstrips the capacities of the existing agencies
on the ground, as illustrated in recent news articles and calls from the UN and
NGO community in South Sudan. A need has also been expressed for specific
attention to older people affected by the crisis and older people are
recognized as particularly vulnerable[4].
HelpAge East, West and Central Africa Regional
Development Centre has been approached by the DRC-DDG to strengthen and support
their operations in Ysuf Batil Camp, Upper Nile State, which the DRC are in
charge of running. DRC-DDG also has an overall responsibility for protection
monitoring across five camps in Maban County.
JOB PURPOSE:
Provide technical support on older people’s
protection needs within DRC-DDG and other UNHCR partner operations in refugee
camps in Mabaan County, South Sudan influencing their practice through vulnerability
and protection analysis of older refugees, guidance and training.
JOB
RESPONSIBILITIES:
·
Undertake, analyse and help to disseminate a
baseline vulnerability assessment of older refugees and their families in Ysuf
Batil camp.
·
Provide guidance and training to DRC and
other UNHCR partner staff working in Ysuf Batil and other Mabaan refugee camps
on the protection needs and risks for older people and age friendly
humanitarian responses
·
To design, with camp management teams, age
friendly camp environments and an effective response to older people’s needs
and capacities, through guidance and accompaniment and the sharing of good
practice for the protection of older people.
·
Support collection of protection data on
older people across the five camps.
·
Work with local HelpAge Affiliate the South
Sudanese Older People’s Organisation (SSOPO) to establish older people’s
committees in Ysuf Batil camp to support the age friendly humanitarian
response.
·
Ensure that lessons learned are documented and assimilated within the DRC-DDG
programme and shared with WWE and EWCARDC staff, the wider HelpAge
International Network and other humanitarian actors.
·
Assist the HelpAge EWCARDC and DRC-DDG programme in the development of
project proposals for continuation and replication of the work, contribution to
donor and organisational reports.
·
Represent HelpAge International, and working with DRC-DDG, establish
links with a broad range of actors working in refugee camps in Maban County.
·
In coordination with the DRC-DDG team, attend
cluster meetings and establish relationships with key agencies involved in
protection, including child protection agencies in order to promote
intergenerational activities.
·
Support training and advocacy with other
humanitarian actors located in South Sudan to ensure that the specific
protection needs and capacities of older people are understood and addressed in
their programmes including participation in
needs assessments, beneficiary registrations, distributions and access to basic
services.
EXTENT OF
AUTHORITY:
- The post
holder will provide technical advice and support to the DRC-DDG protection
manager based in Maban.
- The post
holder is expected to operate within all DRC and HelpAge International
policies and procedures. Where these differ the Protection officer is
expected to consult with line managers and agree appropriate action.
- The
post-holder will report directly to the Protection Manager of the DRC-DDG
Maban team on day to day work programming and deliverables within the
scope of these terms of reference. In addition the post holder will be
expected to collaborate closely with the HelpAge Training and Advocacy
manager in Juba, providing monthly narrative and financial reports of
progress, whilst contributing to HelpAge EWCA and WWE teams programmes,
keeping these teams informed of key developments, challenges and
achievements.
PERSON
SPECIFICATION:
Essential
- Masters degree qualification in a
relevant subject (e.g. humanitarian response, disaster management,
protection, international laws etc)
- At least 5 years experience developing
and managing protection programmes at field level in humanitarian crises,
including chronic complex emergencies.
- Sound knowledge of humanitarian principles and the
international legal framework for protection
- Thorough understanding of the issues
of social marginalisation of vulnerable people in crises, primarily
natural and man-made disasters
- Awareness and experience in the specific
issues of protection of older people in crises and emergencies
- Excellent representation and networking
skills
- Excellent demonstrable skills in training,
technical assistance, negotiation and diplomacy.
- Excellent communication skills - written and verbal English – and
cultural sensitivity
- Proven experience of working with international NGOs, UN agencies and
the humanitarian sector
- Ability to work well within a team and contribute to capacity
building at all levels
- Knowledge and experience of working in Africa
- Experience of work in
insecure or highly sensitive political environments
- Strong skills
in programme development, management, evidence gathering and evaluation
- Valid
International Driving Licence
Desirable
·
Working knowledge of South Sudan
·
Experience of working with local partner organisations
- Experience
or working knowledge of broader ageing and development issues
- Other
relevant local languages
To apply
please send a cover letter and CV to helpage@helpage.co.ke
by 28th February, 2013
[1] Summary
of DFID’s work in South Sudan 2011-2015, July 2011
[2] OCHA Humanitarian
Bulleting South Sudan, 10-14th September 2012
[3] Mid-Year
Review of the Consolidated Appeal for South Sudan 2012, OCHA, July 2012
[4] Various
articles IRIN News, The Guardian global development section, August – September
2012.
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