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Qualifications
Purpose of the Position
WHO promotes Zero Tolerance to all forms of sexual misconduct and is committed to the protection of the populations it serves, its own personnel and all collaborators across the humanitarian-development and peace operations where WHO is leading or engaged in the delivery of health emergency response operations. In the context of the WHO Health Emergencies Incident Management System (IMS) at regional and country levels, the incumbent will have overall responsibility to support and work with respective Incident Managers and pillar leads at regional level and with in-country designated PRS Focal Points /PRSEAH Technical Officers for the respective graded event (grade 2 and grade 3 events) to guide, coordinate and provide technical input for integrating and mainstreaming measures for protection against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH) in WHO readiness and emergency response operations.
The incumbent is embedded in the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme with a technical reporting line to the AFRO PRS Coordinator. In close coordination and consultation with the AFRO PRS Unit and Team Lead for PRSEAH in WHO Health Emergency (WHE) Response operations, the PRSEAH Technical Officer will work closely with all Pillar leads in the IMST, coordinate and support designated in-country WHO PSEAH experts for the in-country Incident readiness, response, and recovery from the graded emergency. The incumbent will strengthen systems for prevention, reporting and ensuring accountability to victims and survivors, and promote overall safeguarding of respective incident response operations from potential sexual misconduct.
Objectives of the Programme and the immediate Strategic Objective
The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to help countries, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.
The Programme strives to mainstream measures for protection from sexual misconduct in all its operations from the outset, and through the different emergency response phases. The incumbent will support affected countries to strengthen systems for prevention, reporting and response to SEAH in the context of the graded emergency response operations, monitor and report on progress.
Organizational context
WHO collaborates with partners to support national governments to prepare for, respond and recover from health emergencies. WHO uses the Incident Management System (IMS) to manage all emergency response operations.
The incumbent will be embedded in the Regional Incident Management System (IMS) for the priority graded emergencies (grade 2 and 3 emergencies), including for M-Pox (formerly known as Monkey Pox) in the region.
Under the supervision of the Regional Incident Manager, and with technical guidance and support from the Regional PRS Coordinator and the WHO Health Emergency (WHE) – PSEAH Team Lead at HQ, the PRSEAH Technical Officer will develop and support WHO's work on PSEAH to meet its institutional and programmatic commitment to PSEAH in the graded health emergencies for which s/he is designated as the regional lead Technical Officer The primary responsibility is to provide the critical technical and operational guidance required for strengthening the integration and mainstreaming of PSEAH within the respective regional IMS and support affected countries to effectively mainstream PSEAH in all phases of the emergency response operations at country level. This position involves close collaboration with various stakeholders within the event-specific IMST across the three levels of the organization, with related departments in WHO, and with external partners and national governments to promote and enhance PSEAH integration and mainstreaming in all phases of the emergency response operations.
The technical officer will collaborate and work closely with HQ technical team to support the country team strengthen the PSEAH operational interventions in graded response operations.
Summary of Assigned Duties
During the operational period, the incumbent will perform all, or part of the following, including other related duties based on needs for PSEAH mainstreaming in the various emergencies within the region, including undertaking support missions to countries:
- Provide Technical Expertise, Guidance and Advocacy for PSEAH integration in the regional IMST and in the emergency-affected country readiness, response, and recovery operations:
- Guide the integration of PSEAH in the regional emergency response strategy, including for readiness and recovery actions and extend technical support to in-country PSEAH experts for PSEAH integration in incident country response strategy and plans of actions.
- Guide and support functional pillar leads in the IMST (Planning, Partnerships, Human Resources, Resource Mobilization, donor reporting, etc.) with PSEAH integration and mainstreaming in line with global standards and recommendations.
- Guide, support, and advocate with in-country leadership on PSEAH integration in the graded emergency in support of the IMST designated PSEAH expert/Focal Person (FP)
- Support the IM to track, monitor and report on potential SEAH-related risks inherent to WHO operations and mitigation measures (gender-disaggregated data, political or cultural sensitivity that may affect PSEAH safe programming and implementation, SEA-related protection risks attributed to the emergency, etc.
- Undertake field support missions in support of PSEAH mainstreaming and integration in country response operations.
§ Programme development, planning and management
o Contribute to preparing programme reports, as required, for management, donors and partners, in line with defined deadlines and endorsed guidance.
o Contribute to on-going monitoring and evaluation exercises to monitor and assess progress at country level and to engage stakeholders to take required actions to achieve PSEA
o results; identify and document lessons learned and facilitate strategic use of knowledge gained.
o Support the integration of PRSEAH in all project proposals and maintain partnership relationships to harness all possible resource mobilization initiatives to increase the visibility of PSEA programming and the financial resources available for PSEA work
- Coordinate and support the operationalization of PSEAH mainstreaming in country readiness, response, and recovery actions for the graded emergency:
- Provide technical support to affected countries to conduct SEAH risk assessments and analysis in collaboration with partners and inter-agency PSEA network , and support integration of risk integration measures in emergency response plans, and for safe programming of response operations.
- Support in-country IMST designated PSEAH experts to establish/strengthen contextualized comprehensive PSEAH systems in line with IASC PSEA outcomes (prevention, accessible reporting, referral capacities and victim support, enhanced leadership, investigation and accountability to victims /affected people, and promoting WHO contributions to in-country PSEA action plan implementation) adapted to the needs of the graded emergency response operations.
- Coordinate and support HR to monitor and report on the implementation of safe recruitment measures at the regional level and in affected countries, including PSEAH Code of Conduct (CoC) with volunteers and all collaborators and integration of PSEAH into induction briefings.
- Support in-country IMST-designated PSEAH experts /FPs to implement SEAH prevention, risk mitigation and promote PSEAH safe programming in operational activities.
- Support in-country designated IMST PSEAH experts /FPs to develop and implement tailored briefings, trainings and awareness communication materials targeting WHO field personnel, and various audiences (contractors/health partners) on PSEAH, including on appropriate conduct of aid workers /responders and how to submit complaints under internal and inter-agency reporting systems.
- Support in-country designated IMST PSEAH experts/FPs to develop tailored messages and implement awareness-raising activities /sessions for affected communities in the target areas of operations on PSEAH, rights, and in-country reporting pathways.
- Support and guide the strengthening of PSEAH human resource needs on field sites.
- Promote stakeholders' Coordination and Collaboration (UN, Government, NGOs and Civil Society) on PSEAH prevention and response actions in the context of the graded response operations:
- Support in-country IMST designated PSEAH experts /FPs to engage with the in-country PSEA network and contribute to the implementation of the collective PSEA actions, including facilitating the PSEA network to support PSEA mainstreaming in health operations as needed.
- Support Country PSEA Structures to promptly establish and/or strengthen effective, safe and accessible reporting channels for SEA that have incoproated needs of women and children and are linked to GBV and child protection services.
- Engage with and support in-country IMST-designated PSEAH experts /FPs to develop and implement a system and workplan for strengthening PSEA capacities of health and implementing partners.
- Support in-country designated IMST PSEAH experts/FPs to integrate PSEAH content /clause in contracts, sub-contracting, and all partnership contracts.
o Provide technical support to country offices in implementing the UN Victims' Assistance Protocol, a survivor-centred approach, including with WHO partners, the inter-agency PSEA response and related actors.
- Guide and support in-country IMST-designated PSEAH experts /FPs and respective PSEA networks to engage with health and other related sectors on enhancing national capacities for SEAH prevention, reporting, and response including strengthening local investigation capacities.
- When iudicated, represent WHO and provide technical leadership in the interagency fora on PSEA as needed; contribute actively to the PSEA network coordination meetings to help advance interagency PSEA results.
- PSEAH Capacity Building and Awareness Raising:
- Support and guide in-country IMST designated PSEAH experts /FPs to develop and deliver various PSEAH training, briefing and awareness-raising materials targeting various cadres of responders materials Collaborate with relevant clusters to develop and deliver training programs that address both Mpox-specific skills and broader public health competencies, ensuring a comprehensive approach to capacity building.
- Support integration and delivery of PSEA trainings and briefings in various trainings, including various trainings of health service providers.
- Documentation of PSEAH Actions, reporting and learning, Monitoring and Evaluation:
- Ensure proper documentation and provide regular updates on PSEAH actions, challenges and needs to the IMST, and other stakeholders as needed.
- Facilitate and support regular monitoring and reporting on progress and contribute to operational and after-action reviews.
Provide briefings to Senior Leadership on PSEAH actions and needs in the graded response operations.
Competencies
1. Producing Results
2. Communicating in a Credible and Effective Way
3. Fostering Integration and Teamwork
4. Building and Promoting Partnerships Across the Organization and Beyond
5. Ensuring the Effective Use of Resources
6. Respecting and Promoting Individual and Cultural Difference
Functional Knowledge and Skills
- Demonstrated technical expertise in at least one of the following areas: Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA); Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP); Protection; Child Protection; Gender-based violence /victim assistance.
- Proven experience and expertise in PSEA programming and program management
- Field experience in humanitarian or development settings /Demonstrated understanding of humanitarian-development-peace operations and implications for PSEA programming.
- Proven ability to conduct context analysis, preparedness and action plan development and implementation.
- Familiarity with UN systems and global coordination structures (e.g. IASC)
- Strong organizational skills complemented with the ability to be proactive and work independently; ability to multi-task and produce results under pressure. Diplomacy, tact and discretion
Educational (Qualifications):
Essential: An advanced university degree in gender studies, humanitarian affairs, human rights, international law, sociology, public health, development studies, and /or other related social science disciplines.
Desirable:
IASC-IOM PSEA Coordinator training, or any other related or similar trainings
Experience:
*Essential
- At least 7 years of relevant progressive work experience, including experience in humanitarian relief work.
- At least 5 years of experience in the prevention of SEA, or sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), or in Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP), or Protection, Human Rights, and/or Child Protection.