Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)
A (least hardship)
- Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
- Staff Member / Affiliate Type
- UNOPS LICA4
- Target Start Date
- 2024-11-01
- Deadline for Applications
- October 13, 2024
- Terms of Reference
- IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- This position is offered under UNOPS Local ICA contract until 31/12/2024 with possibility of extension.
- Remuneration: A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For more information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, please visit the portal of the Office of HR Management of United Nations. UNHCR also offers comprehensive medical insurance and pension plans.
1. General Background
(Brief description of the national, sector-specific or other relevant context in which the individual contractor will operate)
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It also has a mandate to help stateless people.
Mexico is a country of destination, transit, and origin, thus UNHCR is supporting the Government and other actors to build a stronger asylum system that allows asylum seekers and refugees to fully exercise their human rights, from the moment of entry into Mexico, to when a durable solution is found. However, it is crucial to work on alternative migratory pathways and other forms of complementary protection to preserve the integrity of the asylum system in such a complex and dynamic context of human mobility. Such dynamics particularly affects refugees and asylum seekers with specific protection needs due to the interaction of different factors related to their profiles, their journey and the conditions in their country of origin.
UNHCR Mexico has progressively strengthened its protection response, including registration procedures in proGres, robust case management and identity systems to provide the required protection services, cash-based assistance -when applicable
- and other forms of humanitarian assistance, legal and psychosocial interventions, as well as the establishment of community protection networks. The increasing numbers of asylum seekers in Mexico and, therefore of UNHCR assistance, require a solid capacity to provide timely and effective registration procedures and referral pathways to appropriate services in all Field Offices, as well as together with key partners.
The Protection Assistant is a member of the protection team in Juarez and is supervised by the Assistant Protection Officer. The incumbent is responsible for supporting all protection activities within AoR that consist -but are not limited to-: (i) registration, which may also include functions related to reception, filing and data management; (ii) liaise with partners to ensure timely identification and referral of persons of concern for protection follow up; (iii) providing legal and basic material assistance and information to refugees and asylum-seekers, through local partners and ensuring access to a fair and efficient refugee status determination (RSD) procedure, including those in detention and (iv) promoting livelihoods and local integration.
2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
(Concise and detailed description of activities, tasks, and responsibilities to be undertaken, including expected travel, if applicable)
Under the direct supervision of the Assistant Protection Officer, the Protection Assistant will carry out the following tasks:
- Observe and respect protection related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Provide functional and administrative support in all protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
- Provide functional and administrative support in implementing participatory approaches, needs assessments, monitoring, reporting and case management.
- Facilitate liaison with competent authorities for the issuance of personal and other relevant documents.
- Assist in drafting reports, routine correspondence, updating relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
- Assist visits to migratory detention facilities to provide information about asylum process in Mexico.
- Support Protection Monitoring activities in shelters and strategic border points.
- Conduct registration interviews in accordance with local SOPs and registration standards.
- Respond to queries from asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR´s registration procedures and their rights and entitlements.
- Maintain accurate and up-to date records and data related to all individual registration cases.
- Identify persons with specific needs and ensure timely referral to protection follow-up as required.
- Collaborate with protection staff and/ or partners in the delive