Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)A (least hardship)
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeUNOPS LICA4
Target Start Date2023-10-20
Job Posting End DateNovember 4, 2023
Terms of ReferenceCandidates must be legally present in Costa Rica at the time of application, recruitment and hire.
Only candidates holding a legally job permit in Costa Rica will be considered eligible.
We are committed to maintaining diversity in terms of gender, ethnicity and culture. Persons belonging to minority groups, persons with special abilities, men and women, are encouraged to apply for vacancies. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
Eligible candidates may be required to take a technical test and/or an interview.
Documentation will be requested to support all work experiences submitted in the application process.
If you have special needs or require assistance to apply, please contact cossarrhh@unhcr.org
Covid-19 Vaccination and related Safety Measures:
UNHCR has a responsibility to prevent and curb the spread of COVID-19 as part of its accountability to its workforce and the communities it works in and serves. Whilst other measures (such as hand hygiene, physical distancing, ventilation and wearing masks) remain crucial, being vaccinated against COVID-19 plays a key role in protecting oneself, families, colleagues, and the community including persons of concerns and has been proven to significantly reduce risks of serious illness and death from COVID-19. Therefore, in alignment with other UN agencies and based on the advice of the UN Medical Directors network, UNHCR strongly urges all colleagues to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and others.
Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to proof of full vaccination, independently of contract type and duration, unless the candidate is based in a location with documented lack of access to COVID-19 vaccines.
Therefore, the people recommended for the position must provide proof of vaccination or the medical recommendation that justifies non-vaccination.
Operational Context:
In terms of the asylum context in Costa Rica, the socio-political situation in Nicaragua since April 2018 produced a particularly sharp increase in the number of Nicaraguan asylum-seekers. Only 78 Nicaraguans were registered as asylum-seekers in 2017. From April 2018 to December 2021, the number had grown to 137,000 (plus 4,000 refugees. While the onset of the COVID pandemic and related measures diminished the regular influx of new asylum seekers in 2020, in 2021 it rose again, reaching a historical peak of 59,450 new applications in one year. In January 2022, approximately 14,500 persons applied for asylum in one month.
The level of humanitarian and legal protection needs has continued to increase for those asylum-seekers, refugees, and persons at risk of statelessness in the country. Aside from Nicaraguan, Costa Rica also continues to receive asylum-seekers from Venezuela, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, Cuba and other countries. Under considerable strain, the asylum system is the country has accumulated over 220,000 asylum seekers by the end of 2022.
Since 2021, and especially throughout 2022, there has also been an increase in mixed movements entering Costa Rica through Panama. A percentage of these persons in mixed movements decide at some point to seek asylum in Costa Rica.
UNHCR in Costa Rica seeks to guarantee the rights of persons fleeing persecution at the borders, both at border posts and in other areas along the migratory route. Border monitoring is carried out to ensure that asylum seekers can gain access to the territory, obtain information and access the asylum procedure in Costa Rica. Identification of cases of refoulement and deportation, advocacy with the authorities, an attention to and referral to persons in need of international protection are carried out.
UNHCR key activities involve registration, border monitoring, community-based protection to identify particularly vulnerable individuals, case management, counselling, livelihoods and peaceful coexistence projects through its partners and directly. A Cash Based response started in October 2019 to fill basic assistance gaps of the most vulnerable families. This initiative relies heavily on the direct support of Programme, Admin/Finance, Procurement and Human Resources for its implementation.
Currently, UNHCR in Costa Rica has partnership agreements with 13 partners, in the areas of protection, gender-based violence, child protection, and livelihoods, among others. The Programme Unit also manages a direct implementation budget in support of the Government of Costa Rica, namely for the reinforcement of the asylum system and national policy towards integration of refugees in the country.
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher
Language requirements:
-Spanish C2
-English B2
La persona Asistente de protección basada en la comunidad proveerá atención directa a las personas por y con las que trabaja el ACNUR por medio de una línea de atención gratuita, correo electrónico y de manera presencial a las personas que se acercan a las oficinas en búsqueda de información de interés; además, estará encargada del respectivo registro de las atenciones realizadas. Adicionalmente, asistirá a la Unidad de Protección en cuanto a la identificación de riesgos y prioridades de protección, identificados a través de su contacto con las personas. La persona Asistente de protección basada en la comunidad será la persona encargada de la primera atención a las personas con necesidades de Protección Internacional, refiriendo a la misma a los diversos servicios de asistencia que brinda el ACNUR en el marco de su Programa.
Funciones
• Atender la línea telefónica, correos y de manera presencial a las personas por y con las que trabaja el ACNUR.
• Mantenerse informado/a en cuanto a cambios en los servicios ofrecidos a las personas por y con las que trabaja el ACNUR, en el contexto de Costa Rica.
• Clasificar y priorizar toda la información entrante y dirigirla, según sea necesario, a otras personas del ACNUR y las agencias socias a cargo de los servicios de atención, para lo cual se deben realizar las referencias correspondientes.
• Registrar los datos de las atenciones recibidas en la base de datos del equipo y mantenerla actualizada.
• Responder a las preguntas de las personas por y con las que trabaja el ACNUR en relación con los servicios de la Organización, las agencias socias del ACNUR y los procedimientos administrativos vinculados a su estatuto de persona solicitante de asilo o persona refugiada, solicitante de apatridia o apátrida, sus derechos y deberes.
• Mantener registros, datos exactos y actualizados relacionados con todos los casos de registro individual.
• Informar y asistir a las personas en la navegación por la página web oficial del ACNUR Costa Rica y al WhatsApp Chatbot para acceder a la información adecuada.
• Identificar riesgos de protección y tendencias, a través de su comunicación directa con las personas y llevarlos a la Unidad de Protección para dar el seguimiento de protección y programático adecuado.
• Ayudar en la implementación de la estrategia del equipo de Protección Basada en la Comunidad y la Unidad de Protección, a través de su contacto directo con las personas por y con las que trabaja el ACNUR (e.g. apoyando en Comunicación con Comunidades, identificando casos de discriminación y xenofobia, identificar mecanismos de protección y estructuras existentes dentro de las comunidades, entre otros).
• Realizar otras tareas relacionadas que sean necesarias.
,English
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SkillsCategorizing, Collecting Information, Communication, Electronic Mail, Identifying Risks, Oral Communications, Organizing, PR-Protection-sensitive entry systems, Referrals, Time Management, Web Page, WhatsApp, Writing
EducationBachelor of Arts (BA): Human Rights, Bachelor of Arts (BA): Social Work, Bachelor of Science (BS): Social Science
Certifications
Work ExperienceCommunications, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees
Other informationThis JR is being opened in complement to JR2324675. JR2324675 has an error, as the \"Requested for\" field was entered, but it should be in blank.This position doesn't require a functional clearance