Child Protection in Emergencies (CPIE) Consultants- Tigray
Terms Of Reference
Background
The humanitarian landscape in the Tigray region continues to be complex and dynamic. The resultant mass internal displacements (IDPs) is contributing to a number of child protection in emergency issues including case management and alternative care for unaccompanied and separated children.
Implementing child protection case management effectively and in line with minimum standards requires coordination amongst implementing agencies (such as in referrals, coordinating service mapping, service delivery, etc.). Over the last four months UNICEF has supported the development of partnership agreements with INGOs for child protection in emergency response that includes case management and family tracing and reunification support as a program component. However the case management work in the region has a number of challenges. These include children continuing to live in difficult situations in over-crowded camps; gaps in comprehensive disaggregated data on the number of IDPs, including children, thus exposing unaccompanied and separated children to higher child protection risks, and that there is still a need to reinforce partners’ case management capacities for all children in line with the existing government framework. Despite having a framework for case management, operationalization is an issue Key obstacles related to child protection case management for all children including related to UASC are the following:
not having standardized criteria,
standards and practice in service provision among a large amount of different actors involved in case management-though the national case management framework there is no coordination platform that ensures harmonized approach to case management among all the actors and in line with national and global standards and good practice;
weak and/or poorly defined identification, reporting and referral mechanisms;
weak documentation and having no established information management system for recording cases and the responses given to them;
as well as a lack of coordination among stakeholders working;
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that define roles, responsibilities and relationships among different actors involved in case management is not yet prepared.
As of 14 April, over 3000 UASC children, primarily in Shire have been identified. The numbers have mainly been identified by NGO partners, a minority by the Bureau of Labour and Social Affairs (BoLSA). It is reported that most IDPs are living within the community with very limited visibility of UASC within these communities. At the time this ToR is being drafted, displaced populations still live in dire conditions in schools, pending the setting up of a relocation site. The engagement of BoLSA and INGOs working in the region has been very limited leading to most cases receiving some form of ad-hoc short-term responses, fewer cases receiving in-depth assessments and development of care plans, and a large number of cases not being provided with systematic and standardized services..
While Family Tracing and Reunification is envisaged within the existing partnerships and has also been discussed with other entities, reunification might not consistently be in the best interest of the child in some cases, given the on-going volatile situation in Tigray. Alternative care within communities should also be addressed, in cooperation with government including interim government actors and partners. Measures should also be put in place to not stigmatise a group of children, given the overall needs in the sites and surrounding communities.
Summary
Title:Child Protection in Emergencies (CPIE) Consultant
Duty Station 3 Deployments:
- Mekelle, Tigray (Roaming, covering surrounding areas),
- Axum, Tigray (Roaming, covering surrounding areas),
Duration:10 Month
Start Date; September
Reporting to Child Protection Specialist in Tigray FO with technical links to the Child Protection in Emergencies Specialist in the CO.
Justification
As part of its child protection response, UNICEF seeks to provide and strengthen child protection and GBV services to affected populations. The quality of implementation of services requires monitoring of the situation, technical assistance to implementing partners, and skilled coordination.
The deployment of Third-Party Child Protection in Emergencies Consultants linked to affected areas will provide technical support to the implementation, monitoring and reporting of UNICEF’s child protection programme response. This technical support will be linked with strengthening the capacities of Government sectors and other UNICEF PCA partners to provide CPIE and GBVIE response services in line with UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children for Child Protection. These dedicated Child Protection in Emergencies Consultants are therefore required to provide the needed field support to ensure a coordinated, quality assured response in dynamic and acute emergency settings.
Key function, accountabilities and related duties/tasks
- Support the Child Protection work in and around Shire, where UNICEF has a Emergency Specialist serving as Coordinator, where a sub-group of the regional CP-GBV AoR is based, and with strong links and coordination with established coordination platforms and partners (e.g. IOM, UNHCR, UNFPA, INGOs, etc.)
- Advise on and provide technical assistance in the design, preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of child protection programmes. This is to be done in coordination with all key partners (including BoLSA and NGOs that are partnering with UNICEF and part of the CP and AoRs) and with a view to establishing, systematising and scaling up this activity as part of the national child protection case management framework.
- Identify opportunities to work with other sectors to strengthen overall protection for children at risks by integrating protection activities within their emergency response programes.
- Establish and lead the working group in Mekelle, Shire and Mai Tsebri (respectively) on case management and alternative care in emergencies under the Child Protection AoR. As part of this working group, develop a plan of action to support the case management of UASC (including identification and registration and referrals within IDP sites), including:
- Coordinate bimonthly meetings of the Case Management Task Force
- Development of a work plan for the Case Management Task Force
- Map existing case management actors, building on the 4W’s
- Promote harmonized approach and the use of standard case management forms and tools, that is aligned with the national case management framework, use by all case management actors through training and technical support.
- Assess existing child protection service mapping and referral pathways and update as required.
- Support the development and use of data protection protocols, information sharing protocols and SOP for case management specific for Tigray region and that is aligned with the national case management framework.
- Support the development and use of an information management system to support the case management process, family tracing and reunification and individual follow-up of children at risk.
- Provide case management supervision and coaching to frontline workers of partner organizations.
- Facilitate coordination among child protection partners in the region on case management procedures that support identification, documentation, tracing, and reunifications.
6. Linked to point #5 above, support the production of biweekly reports (with data) on child protection including family separation in the affected areas and program progress (results) for unaccompanied and separated children. This will be used for the monthly sitreps. The reports also have to contribute to the coordinated reports of all CP actors, related to the working groups on UASC established under the CP AoR (see above)
7. Together with partners in the Child Protection Area of Responsibility (CP AoR), and where required, conduct a rapid child protection assessment including unaccompanied and separated children, using agreed inter-agency assessment tools.
8. Review and analys capacities of existing programmes and support services for interim care, family tracing and reunification of unaccompanied and separated children implemented by all agencies and sectors, including government, throughout the affected region (and with links to the work at federal/national level that engages UNICEF in the Field and Country Office) with a view to their rapid strengthening and scale-up.
7. Together with partners in the Child Protection Area of Responsibility (CP AoR), and where required, conduct a rapid child protection assessment including unaccompanied and separated children, using agreed inter-agency assessment tools.
8. Review and analys capacities of existing programmes and support services for interim care, family tracing and reunification of unaccompanied and separated children implemented by all agencies and sectors, including government, throughout the affected region (and with links to the work at federal/national level that engages UNICEF in the Field and Country Office) with a view to their rapid strengthening and scale-up.
9. Support rapid capacity-building, training and quality assurance initiatives of UNICEF partners in and around Mekelle, Shire and Mai Tsebri. Where access is possible and CP AoR members strengthen partners’ capacities to do case management in IDP sites (including in temporary sites/schools and in the upcoming relocation sites being established) as well as prevention of family separation. This is to be done in line with international standards and guidelines related to UASC and FTR, among others.
10. Assist in the development of appropriate communication and information sharing on issues pertaining to case management and alternative case, including for unaccompanied and separated children as part of an overall communications and advocacy strategy for child protection.
11. Undertake field visits to monitor child protection programmes and conduct periodic programme reviews with partners.
12. Support procurement and distribution of supplies related to interventions for children at risks, including unaccompanied and separated children.
13. Monitor the trends and emerging evidence of child protection concerns and the response by government; analyse this information to advise on the child protection response.
Expected background and Experience
- Education to MSc/MA/ level in Social Work, Human rights Law, International Relations, Development Studies or similar, or equivalent field experience.
- Significant management or advisor level Child Protection experience working in emergency contexts
- Previous experience and strong skills on UASC response, FTR, alternative care and case management
- Good working knowledge of the Inter-Agency Child Protection Information Management System
- Experience in capacity building and in strengthening various duty bearers understanding of and response to child protection.
- The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances including political and cultural sensitivities.
- Strong coordination, organizational and facilitation skills whether face to face or remotely with diverse stakeholders.
- A high level of spoken and written English
Qualified and interested
applicants who fulfill the above requirements can apply by clicking Apply Now on the top of this post .