Child Protection Officer

Eligibility criteria

Minimum age: 25 years old. Nationals of the country of assignment are not eligible, except the assignments in Headquarters duty stations.

Description of task

Under the direct supervision of the Child Portection Team Leader, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• All activities relating to an improved child protection environment in conflict as per the MONUSCO mandate on Chidlren and Armed Conflict.
• Management of database in which highly confidential information relevant to the collection of data on grave child rights violations are stored; ensure that information in the database is analyzed, in narrative and through illustrations for reporting purposes
• Contribute to developing and implementing the Child Protection Section work plan under the guidance of the Child Protection Advisor and in close collaboration with internal and external partners
• Review, analyse and validate data to ensure consistency, reliability, accuracy based on MRM guidelines
• Ensure verified data is accurately documented and submitted in incident reports to the central database on a daily basis
• Provide guidance to staff on the management of electronic records
• Support the Accountability Project to bring perpetrators of child recruitment and other violations to justice through provision of perpetrator profiles, support to military justice, assist in joint investigations for preparation of trials and monthly reporting on progress and challenges.
• Monitor and report on the six grave child rights violations by parties to the conflict (killing & maiming, recruitment, attacks on schools and hospitals, abductions, sexual violence and denial of humanitarian access). This may include taking part in joint investigations, interviewing children and witnesses;
• Support the engagement with armed groups to release children from their ranks and stop and prevent other grave child rights violations
• Contribute towards the mainstreaming of child protection issues in the work of all the components/sections within MONUSCO, including the Force, Human Rights, POC, Civil Affairs, Gender, Sexual Violence, UNPOL and Justice and Corrections Section.
• Contribute towards the monitoring of the implementation of the Government of DRC/UN Action Plan to prevent and stop child recruitment and other grave child rights violations by armed forces and groups; developing outreach materials and activities to prevent violations; contributing to the fight against impunity of perpetrators responsible for grave child rights violations;

Monitoring and Reporting (MRM)

• Coordinate, plan and participate in regular field missions (Joint Protection Teams, Joint assessment Missions, Investigation missions) in various locations of the area of responsibility to monitor grave child rights violations.
• Monitor and assess the threats affecting the protection of children from armed conflict.
• Collect timely accurate, verifiable and objective information on grave child rights violations committed by parties to the conflict.
• Ensure that cases documented by CPS are inserted timely and accurately into the ITEM database.
• Liaise regularly with CPS HQ on the insertion of incidents into ITEM.
• Liaise with UNICEF, review “fiches d’incidents” transmitted by their partners, request for additional information if needed and ensure insertion into ITEM.
• Monitor the presence of children in armed groups and armed forces and create conditions for dialogue with parties for their release.
• Coordinate screening of FARDC for the separation of children among their ranks.
• Coordinate/participate in visits to holding cells to monitor and secure the release of children detained.
• Advocate with State agents for the release of children in detention and accountability for other violations against chidlren.
• Follow up on cases of allegations concerning grave child rights violations.
• Ensure child rights concerns are explicitly addressed in Protection of Civilians (PoC) contingency plans.
• Provide elements for the systematic reporting on all grave child rights violations in the area of responsibility in accurate and objective manner.
• Contribute to the drafting of the daily and weekly reports.
• Organize trainings on MRM for International and National NGOs involved in the monitoring of grave violations against children.

Mainstreaming of Child Protection throughout the Mission

• Provide regular briefing and advice to MONUSCO’s components to integrate a children’s rights approach and child protection in their activities and provide them with technical and advice support.
• Participate in meetings with the following groups: (Senior Management Team, Senior Management Group for Protection, PoC Alert meeting and other relevant meetings to provide information/analysis and support to CP strategy.
• Liaise and maintain correspondence with sections and agencies on all issues related to the Child Protection mandate.
• Participate in and, where required, take the lead in the organization of events dedicated to children at mission level.
• Contribution to training sessions (including induction) for MONUSCO military, police and civilian staff on child protection issues.
• Liaise with MONUSCO’s Public Information Office to disseminate child protection related public information materials within and outside the Mission and support advocacy efforts and initiatives aimed at putting an end to child recruitment and other grave children’s rights violations.

Mainstreaming of Gender Issues in the Work of the Child Protection Section, North Kivu Office

• Work in close cooperation with other CPS colleagues and the Gender Advisory Section (GAS) in the identification of gaps and opportunities in terms of gender and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) mainstreaming with the work of CPS.
• Work in close cooperation with GAS and other CPS colleagues in designing and implementing of strategies to tackle identified gaps and take advantage of identified opportunities in terms of gender and SGBV mainstreaming within the work of CPS, particularly in regards to the registration/documentation of surrendered child soldiers, and the screenings and monitoring of national and illegal armed groups.
• Ensure effective information-sharing between CPS and GAS, including planned activities and missions, the development of Quick Impact Projects, the development of sensitization campaign, etc, in order to guarantee that gender and SGBV considerations are properly taken into consideration.
• Ensure effective cooperation in dealing with sexual violence cases involving minors.
• Ensure that all CPS colleagues, including the head of section, have undertaken their mandatory Gender and SGBV trainings.
• Coordinate with GAS for the training of CPS staff on how to mainstream gender and SGBV considerations throughout the work of CPS.

• Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications/Requirements Required degree level: Bachelor degree or equivalent Education - Additional Comments:

Bachelors degree in Law or Social Sceinces.

Required experience: 36 Months Experience remark:

The incumbent must be a dynamic, multi-functional person, who supports the Child Protection Section-MONUSCO. The following are required:

• Knowledge on justice mechanisms is desirable
• Knowledge of human rights and child protection issues or interest in acquiring necessary understanding of these.
• Practical experience in monitoring, investigation and reporting is desirable
• Knowledge on international standards on child rights and human rights in conflict situations
• Practical experience in human rights/child rights programming, advocacy and training
• Field experience in armed conflict situations. Experience with UN Peacekeeping Operations and/or UN Country Offices highly desirable.
• Ability to work in a team but also under own initiative in sometimes difficult circumstances within a multidisciplinary and diversified team.
• Have affinity with or interest in humanitarian relief, post-conflict situations, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Language skills:

• English(Mandatory), Level - Fluent
• French(Mandatory), Level - Fluent

Area of expertise: Human rights, Protection of refugees, asylum seekers and IDPs, Emergency response, immediate relief operations, and post-conflict humanitarian aid operations Area of expertise details:

Practical experience in the use of databases, and Microsoft access, word, excel etc

Driving license: Yes Competencies values:

Accountability, Commitment to Continuous Learning, Communication, Integrity, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Working in Teams

Application procedure:

* Not yet registered in the UNV Talent Pool?

First register your profile at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/signup.

Important: After creating your account, complete all sections of your profile and submit it. Then go to ‘My Page’ at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/mypage and click on the ‘Special Calls’ hyperlink. Lastly, select the special call to which you would like to apply.

* Already registered in the UNV Talent Pool?

First update your profile at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/profile.

Then go to ‘My Page’ at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/mypage and click on the ‘Special Calls’ hyperlink to select the special call to which you would like to apply.

Application deadline: 21 July 2020