Protection Associate (Monitoring) – G6 – Hr346 - Qobayat

As of December 2014, Lebanon hosted more than 1.1 million registered refugees from Syria. The Syrian refugee population in Lebanon is the largest in the world and also represents a significant percentage of Lebanon’s total population.     There are no approved camps and refugees are found across more than 1,700 locations all over the country. Based on the last UNHCR shelter survey, some 57% of refugees rent basic apartments or homes; many are overcrowded with several refugee families sharing limited space. Over 40% live in sub-standard and insecure conditions in makeshift shelters, tents, unfinished buildings, garages, warehouses and worksites. Ensuring access to basic services is a constant challenge.   As the designated lead agency in the refugee response in Lebanon, UNHCR has established a sector-based structure in Beirut and in the field to support the Government. The structure brings together 11 UN agencies, 51 national and international NGO partners in identifying and agreeing on the strategic priorities to address the needs of Syrian refugees and other affected populations. Moving forward, partners are making significant efforts to ensure that available resources reach the most vulnerable including through the targeting of assistance across all sectors and new programming efficiencies such as the introduction of cash assistance. UNHCR also continues to integrate direct support to government institutions and communities most impacted by the refugee influx into its programming to help facilitate continued social cohesion and receptivity towards refugees.   The Protection Associate normally reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior 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 will mostly focus on border monitoring and assist Qobayat Office in ensuring presence and monitoring of protection standards at the three official borders in North Lebanon. The Protection Associate is expected to coordinate quality, timely and effective protection responses to the needs of populations of concern at the borders and monitor the respect for protection standards within the implementation of border entry procedures.  He/she contributes to liaise with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy as guided by the supervisor. 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. This position requires frequent presence and visits to the border areas, where UNHCR has no premises.     2.2 FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT. Focusing on the deliverables and the achievements expected from the job, describe the functions to be performed by the incumbent of the position. Describe also the engagement and the degree of relationships with clients/partners, and the impact of actions.     Accountability   -         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 and violations occurring at the borders are immediately identified and reported.     Responsibility   -         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. -         Provide advice on protection issues to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the compliance with protection standards; -         Coordinate the presence of UNHCR at the three borders and maintain regular contact with border authorities and focal points; -         Ensure regular monitoring of unofficial border crossings, through contacts with local communities and focal points; -         Ensure timely and qualitative reports on trends and observations at the borders; -         Support the capacity building of border authorities, Focal Points, refugee outreach volunteers in coordination with the protection unit; -         Follow up on individual cases requiring protection counselling; -         Identify and report to Protection Officer on cases in need of access to safety;. -         Manage individual protection cases including those on SGBV and child protection. Monitor, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents. -         Contribute to effective information management through the provision of disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems. -          Support the protection unit in other tasks as required.   Authority   -         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