Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Officer

IOM supports migrants across the world, developing effective responses to the shifting dynamics of migration and, as such, is a key source of advice on migration policy and practice. The organization works in emergency situations, developing the resilience of all people on the move, and particularly those in situations of vulnerability, as well as building capacity within governments to manage all forms and impacts of mobility.

The Organization is guided by the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including upholding human rights for all. Respect for the rights, dignity and well-being of migrants remains paramount.

The organization’s work is guided by several core frameworks. The 12-point strategy, adopted by IOM’s Council in 2007, outlines the core objectives of the Organization, and provides an effective description of the scope of IOM’s work.

Ever since the assassination of its president in 2019, Haiti has been sliding into an increasingly dire humanitarian crisis, causing significant internal displacement and irregular migration ,flows due to security threats predominantly from gang warfare. In March 2020, IOM recorded around 578,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Haiti, in addition to more than 100,000 forced returns since the beginning of 2024, largely from the neighboring country of Dominican Republic. The Protection needs among these IDPs and forced returnees, including many vulnerable groups with specific needs (unaccompanied or separated children, GBV survivors, people with trauma, etc.), are severe, but services are limited to non-existent, and first responders are overworked and confronted with the same risks.

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission and the direct supervision of the Protection Coordinator, the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Officer will be responsible for supporting MHPSS-related activities for IOM’s emergency programming in Haiti; more specifically, the incumbent will:

• Support the Protection Coordinator in reviewing and assessing current MHPSS interventions with a view to strengthen and expand them with a strategic vision and objective;
• Provide suggestions and technical input for the development of new strategies, projects, and activities, to expand and improve MHPSS among Internal Displaced Person's (IDPs) and migrants in Haiti;
• Guide a consultant to conduct a study on the prevalence of suicide among IDPs in Haiti, and implement activities to improve MHPSS for these groups;
• Monitor relevant national policy, strategy and programmatic developments in relation to mental health, psychosocial response, and intercultural communication needs of migrants and displaced populations, and inform senior management and the Global MHPSS Unit through briefs;
• Contribute to the development and organize the implementation of capacity-building for IOM staff and partners on MHPSS, based on a capacity needs assessment;
• Liaise with UN agencies, other intergovernmental agencies, NGOs and NGO networks, academic institutions and networks of national significance;
• Act as MHPSS focal point for IOM Haiti and represent IOM in relevant coordination forums at country level, including the MHPSS working group and the Health Cluster;
• Promote and facilitate the inclusion of MHPSS into IOM and humanitarian appeal processes and documents, and support reporting and writing funding proposals;
• Prepare reports covering MHPSS-related activities, briefings, statistical/narrative reports, and background notes as requested by IOM, Governments, donors, and other entities.
• Provide technical inputs to position papers, strategy documents, advocacy pieces prepared by IOM Haiti, IOM Headquarters, or other actors;
• Perform other tasks as assigned.