Protection and Gender Officer

Job Description

Job Title: Protection and Gender Officer

Reports To: Protection and Gender Program Manager

Location: Abala  & Berehale, Zone 2, Afar Region

COMPANY SUMMARY

EngenderHealth envisions a gender-equal world where all people achieve their sexual and reproductive health and rights. We believe this is essential for ensuring all people can achieve their full potentials. To achieve this vision, we implement high-quality, gender-equitable programs that advance sexual and reproductive health and rights.

JOB SUMMARY

Under the supervision of the Protection and Gender Program Manager, the Protection and Gender Officer will be responsible for assisting in the implementation of EngenderHealth’s MHPSS Integrated Gender Based Violence (GBV) project activities as well as design strategies and mobilize the community to respond gender issues affecting especially women and girls of the area. This will include activities of providing support to some of the most vulnerable members of the community, particularly children, adolescent girls and women, supporting training and capacity building, advocacy, communicating key messages and increasing awareness, working with the community and local services to increase capacity through community dialogue, outreach campaigns and share with actors for appropriate actions of services related to protection, gender-based violence and mental health, provide basic psychosocial support and case management, conduct assessments, and provide monitoring information. The Protection officer will work closely with EngenderHealth’s Sexual Reproductive Health Right (SRHR) team, UN agencies, Woreda WCAO (Women and Children Affairs Office), Woreda Health Office and other implementing partners on supporting and assisting GBV survivors and vulnerable women and girls. The position holder will be   also responsible to identify the gaps and area of support for the above-mentioned local government offices and report to Protection and Gender Program Manager.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

a)    Project Activity Implementation

• Provides individual and group Psychosocial Support and counselling to child and adult beneficiaries/survivors either directly or thought supporting health/social workers.
• Supports the process of referring cases of vulnerable people internally, through government primary care services and specialist partners or UN agencies.
• Works with EngenderHealth’s program team, community structures and partners to identify causes and contributing factors for violence against women and girls in the targeted woreda.
• Supports the delivery of awareness raising and engage community members and structures including Men, boys, women, and girls to design participatory strategies through Community Dialogues and actions to prevent GBV in the community.
• Mobilize and engage community members, structures and partners in   prevention and response events in targeted woreda including facilitation of community events such 16 days of activism, March-8, etc.
• Works closely with woreda administrative and WCAO (Women and Children Affairs Office) office to map and find safe space for women and girls.
• Provides psychosocial support for GBV survivors and others vulnerable women and girls in WGSS after equipped by necessary material.
• Develops GBV referral pathway with collaboration of other implementing partners.
• In collaboration with women and children affairs office support the provision of dignity kits for vulnerable women and girls

b)   Capacity Building

• Supports the delivery of formal and on-the-job training and coaching for health and social workers, and other key stakeholders on protection principles, gender and MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support)
• Supports the delivery of formal training for associations and community groups, teachers, and other key influencers to increase awareness, capacity and support.
• Collects information and contribute to the production of locally adapted IEC/BCC material.
• Provide technical support for WACO office on Case management.
• Develops TOR and facilitate training on adapted cases management for WACO office to respond a Case management.

c)    Reporting

• Ensures that activities are recorded, and activity reports are provided to the line manager by the agreed deadline and are of high quality.

d)   Human Resource

• Participates on hiring of community volunteers/mobilizers with EngenderHealth HR team.
• Capacitates project community volunteers/mobilizers through on job training, coaching and mentoring sessions.

e)    Coordination/Representation

• Advocates for the rights of vulnerable people and targeted beneficiaries through contact with local authorities, government officials, community leaders and elders, humanitarian partners and other relevant actors.
• Participates in joint rapid needs assessments (including protection, gender analysis and psychosocial support) through field visits in villages, camps, and other informal settlements with persons of concern within the community and identify individuals at risk and humanitarian needs.
• Provides support to other agencies and local authorities in order to map services, collect data and provide monitoring reports.

f)     Support the PSEA intervention

• Incorporates key messages of Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) in all awareness raising and psychoeducation IEC materials and activities delivered at community and or institutional level where Engender Health is operating humanitarian services.
• Closely works with community structures and forums to ensure Community Based Complaint Mechanism (CBCM) is functional, and up to the standard.
• Supports survivors of SEA to get the appropriate and comprehensive services through facilitating referral services.

Job Requirement

• BA Degree in Psychology and Social work
• Relevant work-related field experience in humanitarian response, minimum 2 years for BA related to Protection, Gender Based-Violence or Mental Health/Psychosocial Support

ESSENTIAL SOFT SKILLS

• Committed to EngenderHealth’s core organizational values of reflection, inclusion, integrity, respect, and transformation.
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to work within a team structure
• Excellent communication skills including ability to gain trust and build relationships with new communities

PREFERRED SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND FUNCTIONS

• Good understanding of protection principles, human rights, and case management.
• Previous humanitarian experience preferred- particularly on providing Psychosocial Support for GBV survivors under Women’s and Girl’s Safe Space and Community outreach settings.
• Experience in regular report writing.
• Language – high level of written and spoken English.
• Good knowledge of local customs and language-Afarigna.
• Basic computer skills.

Gender Equality Commitments 

• Foster an environment that supports values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, colour, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect all cultures.

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.
• While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions.