The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies (NSs). The overall aim of IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.”  IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises.

The IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The work of IFRC is guided by the following fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The IFRC is led by its Secretary General, and has its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The Headquarters are organized into four main Divisions: (i) National Society Development and Coordination, (ii) Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization, (iii) Management and Accountability and (iv) People and Strategy.

The IFRC has five regional offices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and the Americas.  IFRC also has country cluster delegations and country delegations throughout the world. Together, the  Geneva Headquarters and the field structure (regional, cluster and country) comprise the IFRC Secretariat.

The IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. 

In Myanmar, IFRC is supporting the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) to roll-out a multi-million Swiss franc humanitarian operation in response to the 28 March 2025 earthquake alongside longer-term programmes. To effectively accompany the MRCS in addressing immediate to recovery humanitarian needs wrought by the earthquake, the IFRC Country Delegation in Myanmar is bolstering its operational capacity.   

The PGI and Safeguarding senior officer will work closely with the IFRC operations team and the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) to ensure that the key elements of PGI are sufficiently covered, and gaps addressed in the planned programs and activities of operations. The incumbent will enhance the impact, reach, quality and efficiency of response activities through the integration of PGI approaches.

The role will guide the operations team to consider and ensure dignity, access, participation, and safety throughout activities, and ensure equal participation and non-discrimination regardless of on age, gender, disability, religion, legal status or other identity. In addition, the role will support MRCS and IFRC technical teams to enhance the impact, reach and efficiency in each sector. The PGI approach will cover mainstreaming, but also specific activities with focus on protection and safeguarding. The role will support institutional PGI and Safeguarding through capacity development and support development of policy and guidelines while participate in Movement internal and external networks such as PGI and Safeguarding working group, including protection and safeguarding inter-agency networks.

The role supports the operation to identify protection and safeguarding risks including violence against children and sexual and gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse and take action to prevent, mitigate and respond to violence, exploitation, and abuse, and to develop appropriate prevention, reporting and referral mechanisms.

While the role will have a strong focus on the planned earthquake response activities under the ongoing operation strategy, it is expected that the incumbent may also be engaged to provide the required PGI technical support in the longer-term projects being implemented by the country delegation programme team.

Institutional PGI:

• Provide technical support to MRCS to ensure that gender and protection and inclusion policies, strategies, guidelines, and framework are in place to guide project implementation and ensure that all activities would promote gender equality, provide equal opportunities for diverse group of beneficiaries, and ensure safe and dignified participation (Dignity-Access-Participation-Security / DAPS framework).
• Provide technical support and strengthen the capacity of MRCS relevant department staff, and technical teams, to enhancing the impact, reach and efficiency of operations of MRCS through the integration of PGI activities and approaches. This includes integration of PGI minimum standards in relevant sectors and ensure implementation of protection mainstreaming standards, contextualized to Myanmar and the earthquake operation.
• Building capacity of MRCS relevant department staff and enable them to identify and monitor protection risks including child protection and sexual and gender-based violence; and take action to prevent, mitigate and respond to violence, exploitation, and abuse, including appropriate reporting and referral mechanisms.
• Advocacy with RCRC movement actors specifically with MRCS to promote inclusive humanitarian response.
• Constantly monitor the humanitarian situation in the country and work with operations and programs to address or mainstream the PGI across activities to address the emerging protection concerns.

 Programmatic PGI:

• Support IFRC operation team working with MRCS emergency response operations to meet the Minimum Standard to Protection, Gender and Inclusion in Emergency Programming and contribute to emergency plans and appeals, related to PGI.
• Work with IFRC team to identify and address the barriers toward protection issues, gender discrimination and exclusion of marginalized and vulnerable population groups.
• Working closely with IFRC and MRCS technical and PMER teams to ensure protection, gender, inclusion lens is considered and are mainstreamed in the PMER. This include ensuring sex and age disaggregated data collection and tools, people with disability data etc.
• Strengthen PGI sensitive data collection, analysis and to ensure PGI information and evidence are used to inform gender sensitive and protection mainstreamed approaches and strategies for the program and projects.
• Support capacity and mechanisms to strengthen protection approach in IFRC and MRCS teams and operations, including trainings, coordination, and referral mechanisms.
• Provide technical support to IFRC operational teams to enable them to design activities and programmed in line with assessment findings and tailored it to reach the specific needs of a particular groups (i.e. people with disability, GBV survivors, widows, children, elderly and orphans).
• Provide inputs on gender and protection indicators for IFRC regular reports including situation report, operation update, donor specific reports and proposals etc.
• Manage budgets and complete timely and accurate narrative reports as required.

Coordination and Communication:

• Closely work with different national working groups and cluster such as Child Protection cluster, GBV-sub cluster; protection, and working groups including Disability Inclusion Working Group, Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Task Force; and build partnerships.
• Participate in RCRC relevant thematic technical and operational meeting; and to share and keep abreast of the latest developments and issues in gender and protection.
• Involve in development of relevant IEC and BCC materials on gender and protection for community-based awareness raising and sensitizations.
• Produce meeting briefs/reports on gender and protection aspects of the program and operation.

Safeguarding:

• Support operations in ensuring the availability of SEA-inclusive complaint systems within IFRC and MRCS operations.
• Map and where possible verify access to standard support and referral pathways for survivors, including medical, psychosocial, safe spaces, legal, and livelihood assistance, ensuring compliance with global protection standards.
• Develop a safeguarding plan, by address identified gaps and leveraging existing safeguarding initiatives through a structured workplan.
• Design and implement training programs for IFRC staff, with a focus on prevention and protecting vulnerable communities and affected populations from SEA and child safeguarding breaches and working closely with MRCS counterparts.
• Strengthen internal safeguarding knowledge; facilitate safeguarding training and promote accountability within IFRC and its PGI and CEA networks for a unified approach to protection, and support MRCS with regard to the same.
• Systematically track, assess, and prioritize SEA-related risks within the IFRC emergency response operations to strengthen risk management and prevention efforts, and working closely with MRCS counterparts.
• Develop a structured process for tracking and reporting SEA prevention and response efforts within emergency operations, ensuring transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.

Confidentiality

• Maintain strict moral confidentiality and do not disclose neither spread any confidential or sensitive information.
• Organize archives of all reports and documents and treat them as confidential material.

Relevant university degree or similar professional qualification (gender, international relations, human rights, protection, safeguarding, etc.) is required.

At least 3-5 years’ experience in Protection, Gender and Inclusion mainstreaming, Gender Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE), Safeguarding or standalone programming in humanitarian context, including proven track record in leading and delivering tools, and technical advisory outcomes is required.

Possesses a broad understanding of global humanitarian issues and international humanitarian standards for Protection, Gender and Inclusion, Gender Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE), and Safeguarding in disaster response is required.

Possesses working knowledge of Gender and Diversity issues in humanitarian and development settings, specifically in the context of Asia Pacific Region is required.

Experience with the Red Cross / Red Crescent is preferred.

Experience with other international organizations, large NGOs and/or governmental development agencies is preferred.

Ability to facilitate trainings and workshops on technical matters is required.     

Good analytical skills is required.

Ability to multi-task and work under pressure is required.            

Ability to deliver multiple activities with a degree of diversity; ability to create integration across these activities is required.   

Ability to complete tasks with minimal supervision is required.

Ability to work on MS applications e.g. Word, Excel and PowerPoint is required.         

Ability to facilitate trainings and workshops on technical matters is required.