Protection Associate - G6 - P.n 10020685 - Beirut, Lebanon -( 1 Position)

There are currently over 1 million Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR in Lebanon, which makes Lebanon the highest refugee-hosting country per capita in the world. There are no approved camps in the country and refugees are spread over 1,750 localities. The refugee response is led by the Government and local actors, supported by the international community. As the designated lead agency in the refugee response, UNHCR has established a sector-based structure in Beirut and in the field to support the Government.   The structure brings together 13 UN agencies, 60 national and international NGO partners in identifying and agreeing on the strategic priorities to address the needs of Syrian refugees and other affected populations. The Lebanon national response falls under the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), whereby UNHCR guides the refugee response while UNDP facilitates the resilience and stabilization component.   Through inter-agency coordination mechanisms, 9 sectors have been established in Lebanon, with UNHCR leading or coleading the Protection, Basic Assistance, Shelter, and Health sectors. UNHCR is also providing information management support to all. The Office has grown substantially in the past years. Aside from the Branch Office in the capital city of Beirut, UNHCR has two sub-offices in Zahle and Tripoli and two field offices in Mt Lebanon, Tyr (South), and one field unit in Qobayat under the Tripoli Sub-Office.   The Protection Associate normally reports to the Associate Protection Officer or the Protection Officer. He/she monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff.   The Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern and identify opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and integrate protection safeguards in operational responses in all sectors. He/she contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and liaises externally with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. In addition, he/she will participate in compiling data and analyzing protection-related information on persons of concern to support protection responses, including legal interventions   The Protection Associate also ensures that persons of concern are involved with the Office in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.     Accountability (key results that will be achieved) The protection of populations of concern is met through the application of International and National Law, relevant UN/UNHCR protection standards and IASC principles. Protection activities are guided by the UNHCR country protection strategy. The participation of persons of concern is facilitated through continuous assessment and evaluation using participatory, rights and community based approaches. Protection incidents are immediately identified and reported. Responsibility (process and functions undertaken to achieve results) Stay abreast of political, social, economic and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment. Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct. Assist in providing comments on existing and draft legislation related to persons of concern. Provide advice on protection issues to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation. Assist in conducting eligibility and status determination for persons of concern. Contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness. Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy. Contribute to a country-level education plan as part of the protection strategy. Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities. Manage individual protection cases including those on SGBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents. Assist in identifying durable solutions for the largest possible number of persons of concern through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement. Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners. Contribute to effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems. Participate in initiatives to capacitate authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.   Authority (decisions made in executing responsibilities and to achieve results) Prioritize persons of concern for interview, counselling and propose protection support for individual cases. Enforce compliance of local implementing partners with global protection policies and standards of professional integrity in the delivery of protection services. Enforce compliance with, and integrity of, all protection standard operating procedures. Submit individual payments request for persons of concern for approval.