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UNICEF Recruitment 2021/2022
Child Protection Officer – Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya (9 Months), Open to Kenyan National Only
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
Background
UNICEF is the lead United Nations agency promoting the rights of children worldwide. To ensure that no child is left behind, UNICEF advocates and supports the realization of children rights to health, water, sanitation, education, nutrition and access to safe and protective environment. In Kenya, UNICEF works with the Government of Kenya and stakeholders to improve the lives of children and their families, reaching out to the hard to reach communities and children facing multiple deprivations. UNICEF equally advocates and partners with leaders and policymakers to promote and realize children rights. UNICEF Kenya is finalizing preparation of the 2021/2022-2022 Country Programme, the core framework for partnership with the Government of Kenya in advancing the rights of children and women. The country programme aims to ensure that children, particularly those facing disparity and inequity, have their rights realized through cross-sectoral interventions that address multiple overlapping deprivations, ensuring reduction in stunting, improved learning, participation and protection and promoting social inclusion. UNICEF has prioritized refugee programming in the upcoming country programme, with a focus on ensuring, among others, that refugee children and population on the move are protected from harm and violation of their rights. UNICEF promotes child protection systems strengthening and the mainstreaming of strategies to protect refugee and children on the move in the national child protection system. Programming for refugee population falls under UNICEF humanitarian response as outlined in the Core Commitment for Children in Humanitarian Crisis and other emergency response policies and procedures.
Presence in Kakuma
UNICEF Child Protection work in Kakuma Refugee Camp entails partnership with UNHCR and relevant agencies in providing a safe, protective environment for unaccompanied and separated minors and vulnerable children exposed to the risk of harm. Since the South Sudan influx of 2013, UNICEF has contributed to strengthening case and information management for effective child protection service provision through systems strengthening; capacity building of caseworkers and communities, innovative up-scaling of case and information management system and provision of supplies. In 2015, UNICEF in partnership with UNHCR facilitated a comprehensive review of the child protection case management system using a case management diagnostic assessment tool that was designed by UNICEF. The review process resulted in a substantive review of the case management tools, protection and vulnerability assessment criteria and information management system. As part of this reform, Kakuma was among the first refugee camps in the world where the newly designed, web-based Primero/Child Protection Information Management System (Primero/CPIMS+) has been adopted. There currently is in place an integrated case and information management system that enables case workers to holistically manage a child’s case. With technical support from UNICEF, an objective, need based system on identifying children with protection risks, assessment of vulnerabilities and provision of support services has been enhanced.
Justification
Continued unrest in South Sudan, the Great Lakes region and Somalia has led to the displacement of thousands of people from their countries. In 2017 alone, about 23,288 people were registered as new arrivals in Kakuma refugee camp and the integrated Kalobeyei settlement villages. Children constitute 60% of all new arrivals. Overall, there are about 185,899 (98,856 male, 86,943 female)[1] refugees in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, with children aged 0-17 years comprising 58%[2] of the refugee population. Majority of the asylum seekers (57.3%) are from South Sudan, followed by Somalia at 18.5% while the rest are from other countries in the region, including D.R Congo, Burundi and Ethiopia.
The child protection case management system in Kakuma refugee camp is designed to facilitate rapid screening of children as they arrive at the border point or in the camp, identification and unaccompanied, separated and at-risk children, facilitation of comprehensive Best Interest Assessment (BIA) and the implementation of appropriate care and support plan to ameliorate identified risks and vulnerabilities. Displacement from their homes and often traumatic fright from home is an experience that results in psychosocial distress that requires individual and group based therapy, care and support. Among the common vulnerability and protection risks for children arriving and/or living in Kakuma/Kalobeyei include trauma/stress, exposure to violence, abuse and exploitation, family separation, threat of abduction, sexual exploitation and abuse, child marriage, Female Genital Mutilation among others. The assessment checklist in Kakuma contains over thirty protection and vulnerability risks that have varying protection implications on children and their families.
Scope of Work
Under the supervision of the Chief, Lodwar Zonal Office, with technical support of the Child Protection Specialist, the Child Protection Officer (Consultancy) based in Kakuma will provide professional support to child protection partners in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, with specific focus on strengthening caseworkers social work skills through case management coaching and mentoring. Working closely with the UNHCR Protection office, the Officer will provide technical support in the implementation of the child protection programme, ensure monitoring and reporting of results, designing and facilitating capacity building based on identified needs, ensuring efficient programme delivery and evidence generation for accountability and reporting to UNICEF and the donors. The Child Protection Officer will be required to support the effective use Primero/CPIMS+ in case management and generate evidence to show the value derived from use of integrating technology in case management.
Responsibilities for the Child Protection Officer Job
Specifically, the Child Protection Officer will be responsible for:
- Liaise with UNHCR Protection Office in facilitating technical support to UNICEF partners and ensure that case management support to unaccompanied, separated and vulnerable children is effective, including leveraging on the benefits of an integrated Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS+) into the day to day case management processes
- In coordination with the UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, UNHCR Protection Officer and LWF Child Protection Coordinator, design and implement a child protection case management coaching and mentoring programme that leads to enhanced capacity of child protection caseworkers to provide quality services to target beneficiaries in Kakuma and Kalobeyei.
- Facilitate coaching and mentoring of child protection caseworkers, community development workers on case management, monitor and document progressive change in case management practices and results achieved for children
- Oversee the implementation of, and reporting on, UNICEF Child Protection interventions in Kakuma, with a focus on UNICEF Country Programme priorities for children in refugee camps, neighbouring host community and, specifically, deliverables outlined in the ECHO funded programme on expanding access to child protection services for unaccompanied, separated and vulnerable children and UNICEF component of the integrated development programme for Kalobeyei.
- Strengthen partnership with the Department of Children Services (DCS) and partners in Kakuma and Kalobeyei
- Ensure partnership with other agencies in mainstreaming child protection in the integrated support to the Kalobeyei Development Programme targeting both refugee and the host community is realized
- Participate in coordination meeting, including the Kakuma Child Protection Working Group, Turkana West Sub-County Area Advisory Council, Inter-Agency Gender Based Violence Working Group
- Liaise with UNICEF Lodwar Zonal Office as well and Chief, Child Protection in Nairobi and the Child Protection Specialists in Lodwar and Nairobi in monitoring and reporting on child protection programme implementation
- Closely liaise with UNHCR, UNICEF Nairobi and Lodwar Zonal Office and partners in planning and facilitating official missions to Kakuma and Kalobeyei, including donor and other programme visits relevant to UNICEF
- Participate in Kakuma level coordination meetings and forums, including the Kakuma Child Protection Working Group
- Submit monthly reports outlining achieved results against the approved work plan. The consultant’s monthly reports will, at the minimum, outline the specific tasks accomplished during the reporting period, who the tasks targeted, how the targets were reached results/outputs, challenges faced and key recommendations (both in achieving target results and overall programme). The consultant will also keep the supervisor appraised on the programme situation on the ground, including sharing weekly situation reports highlighting refugee arrival trends and emergencies, e.g. drought, flooding, disease outbreak etc. that could impact on UNICEF child protection programme.
Work relationships
Operation and management of this consultancy will be by the Chief, UNICEF Lodwar Zonal Office based in Lodwar Town. Technical supervision will be the responsibility of the Chief, Child Protection Section. On the ground, the consultant will closely work with the head of Protection at UNHCR in Kakuma who is responsible for overall protection services in Kakuma/Kalobeyei. UNICEF work in the refugee camp is based on a Memorandum of Understanding between UNICEF and UNHCR in Kenya. Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) signed between UNICEF and implementing partners are the basis for funding and collaboration with implementing partners (currently with Lutheran World Federation). The consultant will work on a day-to-day basis with UNICEF partners in delivering outlined tasks. UNICEF work in Kenya is prioritized through the Country Development Programme whose aim is to support the Government in achieving results for children. Consequently, UNICEF signs implementation work plans with the government, outlining our collaborative effort in attaining set targets. In line with this approach, the consultant will work with the Department of Children Services, the County Government of Turkana and other relevant line ministries and departments in the implementation of the outlined tasks.
Outputs/Deliverables
- A comprehensive case management coaching and mentoring programme designed to strengthen the capacity of child protection case workers and community based child protection system actors in ensuring delivery of quality protection services to unaccompanied, separated and vulnerable children is designed and implemented
- Results of the coaching and mentoring intervention are documented. This will entail a clear elaboration of the coaching and mentoring strategy used.
- Generate and document evidence of the milestone made to the child in ameliorating protection risks and vulnerabilities, as a result of the coaching and mentoring approach to child protection case management process
- Qualitative and quantitative reports on the overall coordination of UNICEF child protection programme in Kakuma and Kalobeyei against programme indicators and deliverables.
- End of assignment report outlining key results achieved against outlined activities and tasks
Deliverables
- Design and validation of coaching and mentoring programme
- Implementation of coaching and mentoring programme
- Child Protection programme implementation, monitoring and reporting
- Payment is on satisfactory completion of deliverables duly authorized by the Supervisor of contract. All reports shall be submitted to Chief, Lodwar Zonal office with a copy to Chief, Child Protection Section.
Child Protection Officer Job Qualifications
- Education: A minimum of First degree in Social Work/Social Sciences (Sociology, Anthropology, International Relations, Psychology)
- Specialist skills/Training: Hands on experience in Child Protection programming. Experience in social work/case work with children in a refugee and/or other humanitarian setting is preferred. Must be a good trainer and facilitator, demonstrate good writing skills. Coaching and mentoring is people centred, therefore the ideal candidate will demonstrate ability to work with people of diverse background, education level and technical capabilities.
- Years of experience: At least 5 years field level experience.
- Previous experience as a consultant. Past experience in child protection/ social work in lieu of consultancy experience is welcome.
- Knowledge and previous experience in coaching and mentoring is preferred.
- Competencies: Drive for results, working with people, analytical skills, technical knowledge in subject area
- Languages required: Fluency in English and Kiswahili
Conditions
This is a nine months consultancy based at Kakuma and open to Kenyan nationals only.
NB: Kakuma is a non-family duty station. The consultant will make own arrangement for travel to duty station as well as own accommodation arrangement.
As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 percent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.
The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.
How to Apply for UNICEF Child Protection Officer Recruitment
Qualified candidates must submit their expression of interest through the UNICEF Talent Management Platform. Applicants should submit a financial proposal outlining professional fee, living, and transport allowance.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
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