Associate Field Officer

Details

Mission and objectives

UNHCR’s operations in Moldova are part of the Multi-Country Office in Budapest. We follow and comment on developments in policy, legislation, and the daily practice of refugee protection. We are working with the Moldovan government and partner organizations. We are committed to creating public support for asylum-seekers, refugees and stateless persons.

Context

The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General As-sembly. 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). UNHCR activities encompass assistance to refugees, and host community including cash assistance and delivery of protection assistance through community centres, mobile teams with the focus on enhancement of CB practices in preventing of and responding to protection risks. With this dynamic operational environment, UNHCR is responding with contextual programmes aimed to protect and improve the living conditions of a refugee caseload. Since the outbreak of the war in the Ukraine, over 576,000 people have arrived in Moldova, mostly women, children, and older persons. Some 75 per cent of the refugees continue towards Romania and other European countries, nonetheless, the portion that remains is straining the country’s capacity. As a response to the refugee crisis, UNHCR has opened a country office in Chisnau and two field offices in Otaci and Palanca, working closely together with the Government of Moldova and local authorities. The response takes a multi-sectoral approach ensuring complementarity to Government responses. UNHCR leads the Refugee Coordination Forum and co-chairs the Cash, Education, Information Management (IM), Protection, Accommodation & Transportation, and Logistics & Supply Working Groups. UNHCR also co-leads the GBV and Child Protection Sub Working Groups; the Gender Task Force; and the PSEA Network. The Government of Moldova has established a Single Emergency Management Centre under the Prime Minister’s Office, where UNHCR represents the Inter-Agency Coordination Group, ensuring coordination between the two. This UNV assignment is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19 with WHO approved vaccine, unless the UNHCR Medical Service approves an exemption from this requirement on medical grounds.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of Idibek Gadoev, Field Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: • Ensure that UNHCR’s policies, standards and procedures are constantly and coherently applied in the Area of Responsibility (AoR). • Ensure that the needs of persons of concern in the AoR are assessed and analysed in a participating manner and using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective to form a firm basis for planning. • Ensure that protection incidents and gaps in assistance are immediately identified and addressed. • Identify vulnerable groups or individuals who may need special attention or special ar-rangements and make recommendations on the needs of different groups of refugees. • Assess protection and assistance needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in the region and monitor implementation of refugee assistance programmes. • In co-ordination with implementing partners, handle the reception, registration and provi-sion of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR. • Provide inputs for project submissions and periodic narrative and financial reports for the annual programme. • Develop and maintain relations with local authorities ensuring smooth negotiations in all aspects of UNHCR's mandate for the benefit of refugees. • Monitor the security situation in the area and intervene as appropriate with the local au-thorities. • Participation in needs assessment as a member of the Multi-Functional team • In close coordination with programme and project control, monitor project implementation and provide feedback on the progress to the relevant units/sections • Undertake other relevant duties as required. • Under the direct supervision the Field Coordinator, the incumbent will lead the field team in the south, Palanca BCP and to the North, Otaci BCP and other central districts under the area of responsibilities, to carry out field activities, direct and through partners, that include but not limited to regular field monitoring mission regular needs assessments, participation in multi-functional field missions, outreach activities, FGD with refugees and HC, follow up on refugee movements. • Strengthening of the partner capacity, coordination of the Inter-Agency Coordination Meetings and regular communication with other sector leads within the AHCT will be the major engagements of the incumbent of the post. • Field monitoring, analysis and reporting are integral to all of these activities; effective writ-ten and oral communication ability are required. 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 instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities; • 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.