Child Protection Officer

Position type: Temporary Appointment
Location: Zambia
Division/Equivalent: Nairobi Regn’l(ESARO)
School/Unit: Zambia
Department/Office: Lusaka, Zambia
Categories: Child Protection, NO-2

The UNICEF Programme of Cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) is designed to address and mitigate the threat of poverty the country’s children face, while responding to the needs with interventions addressing the multiple causative factors.

In response to the combination these threats involve the Programme supports national efforts to improve service delivery in the key areas of: child health and nutrition and HIV and AIDS, quality basic education, water, sanitation and hygiene education, child protection and social policy, advocacy and communication.

To find out more about UNICEF’s work in Zambia, please visit https://www.unicef.org/zambia/.

How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Child Protection UNICEF Zambia, the incumbent will support the Child Protection in Emergency Program providing technical assistance to implementing partners and closely collaborating with relevant actors involved in the emergency response that is focused on supporting refugee children, including unaccompanied minors.  In this context, the incumbent will serve as the UNICEF PSEA focal point (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) in the Mantapala settlement and will assist the Child protection team, WASH team and other UNICEF teams in implementing the principles of the Secretary General “Bulletin on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse” (ST/SGB/2003/13) in their aid and development work.  As the United Nations move from a humanitarian to a development approach in addressing the child protection of refugees, the incumbent will be working closely with district authorities and ward level representatives to develop joint refugee/host community child protection mechanisms and action.  Furthermore, the incumbent will support UNICEF dialogue with Provincial and district authorities to address GBV in both humanitarian as well as development contexts.   The position will be based in Kawambwa.

Responsibilities and Tasks:

Support programme management and monitoring and provide technical and operational support to implementation of the humanitarian child protection response in Mantapala.

• Support the implementation of sustainable solutions for the coordination of activities taking place in Child Friendly Spaces set up by UNICEF, including liaising closely with UNHCR and other organizations supporting women, children and adolescents in Mantapala.  This may include the transition of Child Friendly Spaces into Community centres or other models and secure their use by a broad range of groups that are important to child development (women’s groups, mothers groups, parents, adolescents, elderly).
• Support the implementation of activities in youth friendly corners with special emphasis on finding sustainable solutions led by-youth-for-youth that can continue after UNICEF transits from direct humanitarian support for the implementation of activities in Mantapala.
• Provide technical advice and oversight of child protection activities, including with respect to the provision of child-friendly psychosocial support and counselling at the protection help-desks.
• Participate in the definition of monitoring and performance indicators and hold sessions with partners where these are reflected upon and reviewed when necessary.

Networking and partnership building in Nchelenge and Kawambwa Districts 

• Actively participate in Protection Working Group and other relevant inter-agency meetings and initiatives (joint assessment, development of sector strategies and standard operating procedures, joint monitoring missions, etc.) and keep UNICEF Child Protection team up to date with issues, concerns and priorities raised.
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders and other partners through active networking, and effective communication to exchange knowledge/expertise and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable results in child protection.
• Participate in and actively represent UNICEF in PSEA forums and coordination meetings.

Implementation of PSEA Action Plan in Mantapala

• Support GBV and PSEA risk mitigation efforts and contribute to the development and implementation of field level guidance, strategies, standard operating procedures, referral pathways and services on gender-based violence, violence against children and SEA (including Community Based Complaint Mechanisms).
• Organize, oversee and assist in implementing PSEA trainings for field-level partners, including on the UN Protocol on Allegations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Involving Implementing Partners, Secretary General “Bulletin on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse” and GBV risk mitigation.
• Support documentation of best PSEA practices and lessons learnt in Zambia.

Transitioning from a humanitarian to a development context in Luapula Province (PSEA and GBV)

• Support the implementation of joint district and ward-level child protection and SGBV prevention activities, that bring together refugee settlement community and host community.
• Support the strengthening of the social welfare district office in addressing PSEA and GBV cases in refugee settlement and host community.
• Support UNICEF in establishing a dialogue with provincial and district authorities in Luapula with the aim of strengthening (or setting up) SGBV one-stop centres and community-level prevention work in pilot wards.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have...

• A university degree in social sciences, social work, political science, law or other relevant fields
• A minimum of 2 years relevant experience working on children’s and women’s rights and violence prevention and response, sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence; and on child protection.
• Experience in managing, monitoring and reporting on project activities.
• Experience in and knowledge of UN and Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) policies and guidance related but not limited to PSEA, Accountability to Affected Population, GBV and Centrality of Protection is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of current humanitarian context in Zambia including refugee crises is an asset.
• Excellent communication, facilitation and interpersonal skills.
• Experience working in emergency setting or refugee crisis.
• Fluency in English (verbal and written) required.

Other Arrangements

The incumbent will be based in Kawambwa, Luapula Province and will work within the Nchelenge district (Mantapala settlement) and Kawambwa district (anticipated location of UNICEF office).  The incumbent will be expected to travel on mission to Lusaka office of UNICEF, for consultations.