Protection Sector Co-facilitator

The IRC started operations in Cameroon in 2016 to respond to the increasing concerns for people affected by violence linked to Boko Haram, in the Far North of the country. Assistance to displaced populations extends across the Far North, notably Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone & Chari, delivering lifesaving programming to increase access to water and improving hygiene practices in vulnerable displaced and host communities, cash programming to enable poor families to meet basic needs and improve food security, and protection programming, including meeting specific needs of women and girls. The IRC has field bases in Maroua and Kousseri.

Following the increasing crisis in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon, the IRC expanded its operations into the South-West region in August 2018 and into the North-West in 2019. The IRC is delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance to internally displaced populations, with field bases in Buea and Bamenda.

With its coordination office in Yaoundé, the IRC Cameroon country program will develop its new ‘Strategy 100’ strategic plan in 2021, through which we aim to provide the best possible impact for some of the most vulnerable boys, girls, women, and men affected by the humanitarian crises. In all that we do, we strive to deliver through IRC’s core values of Integrity, Accountability, Service and Equality.

At the national level, the protection sector leaded by UNHCR in Cameroon three areas of responsibility (AOR), Child Protection under the lead of UNICEF, Gender-based violence under the lead of UNFPA and Housing, land and property under the lead of Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The sector (co) coordinator associates the AOR coordinators at the national level to any activity, meeting, planning exercise, etc., of the protection sector.

The protection sector is comprised of 3 sub national level including 1) the Protection cluster, CP, GBV and HLP AOR for the North West and South West regions, 2) the protection sector (under the lead of Ministère de l’Administration Territoriale), the GBV sector (under the lead of the Ministère de la Promotion de la Femme et de la Famille), the CP sector (under the lead of Ministère des Affaires Sociales) and the HLP AOR for the Far North region and 3) the Protection sector (under the lead of Ministère de l’Administration Territoriale), the CP in Emergency working group and the GBV working group for the Littoral region.

According to the national protection terms of reference, the protection sector shall be co-facilitated by a national or international NGO implementing protection programs at the national and/or sub-national level. Roles and responsibilities of the lead and co-facilitator shall be detailed into a memorandum of understanding between UNHCR and the NGO co-facilitating. The agreement shall be shared with all members of the sector. The co-facilitation agreement shall be for a duration of one year and extension shall be agreed by all members of the sector.

The co facilitator will support the lead agency in fulfilling the protection sector core functions as detailed in the annual workplan of the sector for 1) Supporting response delivery , 2) Inform the strategic decision by the Humanitarian Country Team, 3) Protection Strategy, 4)Monitoring and evaluation , 5) Capacity-building, 6) Advocacy.

Job overview

The Protection sector Co-facilitator will work in partnership with UNHCR, as the protection sector lead agency (CLA), to provide leadership and facilitate the processes that will ensure a well-coordinated, strategic, adequate, coherent, and effective protection response in Cameroon. The Co-facilitator will have specific responsibility for ensuring that the position is informed by the NGO perspective. The Co-facilitator will also be responsible for ensuring that the NGO membership is contributing to and sharing working group responsibilities, and will play a lead role in developing the active engagement and technical capacity of members of the working group.

Main responsibilities

Main responsibilities will be discussed with UNHCR the lead of protection sector in Cameroon – list of responsibilities included here is indicative.

1. Support to Appropriate Coordination Structures

• In collaboration with the UNHCR and Government Co-facilitators, co-chair the Protection Sector at national level, ensuring agreement on key decisions and actions

• Coordinating protection activities and actors within the Protection Sector, including support to inter-agency monitoring missions;

• Develop and maintain referral pathways to ensure coordination of assistance and service provision;

• Encourage and support NGO and Governmental participation in the coordination of responses;

• Mobilize resources to respond to priority protection concerns;

2. Representation

• Represent the Protection Sector at relevant inter-agency, government, donor and other forums, in partnership with the designated UNHCR lead;

3. Needs Assessments and Information Management

• Identify, analyze and report on protection dynamics and concerns and supporting the development of monthly protection reports.

• Introduce appropriate protection tools for use by Protection Sector members to identify, report, monitor and respond to protection concerns;

• Map the needs, capacities and gaps in service provision and the protection of human rights;

• Support and coordinate inter-agency monitoring missions to areas of displacement and return;

4. Advocacy

• Support the design of evidence-based advocacy strategies and take a strong role in coordinating and leading advocacy initiatives on identified protection concerns

• Coordinating and reporting on funding gaps and programmatic needs of Protection Sector members and regularly advocating to donors and various forums to help address such funding gaps and needs;

5. Mainstreaming Protection and Application of Standards

• Establish and implement a strategy for mainstreaming protection across each sector/cluster;

• Mainstreaming protection and application of national and international humanitarian principles among Protection Sector actors through trainings and technical support;

6. Capacity Building

• In close coordination with Protection Sector sub-groups and sub-clusters, coordinate and facilitate training for Protection Sector members, local government authorities and other humanitarian actors;

• Building the capacity of the Government and other Protection Sector members to create a stronger protection environment;

• Where relevant, provide ongoing capacity building and skills exchange with the FN and NWSW sector/cluster leads and with their members;

7. Monitoring, Reporting and Communication

• Support existing systems for reporting on the progress of Protection Sector members’ activities for effective monitoring and evaluation;

• Develop and maintain effective communication and information sharing within the PTG/Protection Sector and among other sectors;

• Ensure a high standard of reporting on identified issues and production of regular situation reports.

Job requirements

Essential

• Post graduate degree in international law, social sciences or related field;

• Minimum of 5 years proven experience working on protection issues in humanitarian environments, including provision of technical advice to field teams; excellent understanding of protection issues in emergency situations and detailed knowledge of humanitarian principles, guidelines and laws;

• Demonstrable leadership, coordination, capacity building, planning and analytical skills

• Demonstrable experience in policy and advocacy and negotiation

• Strong prior experience with information management as related to the protection sector, including maintaining standards of impartiality and confidentiality with data of a sensitive nature.

• Excellent written and spoken English and French

Highly prioritized

• Prior experience working in Cameroon

• Previous experience of working within the sector/cluster system.

• Demonstrable ability to work successfully under pressure and ability to make timely decisions;

Working Environment: This position will be based in Yaoundé with potential travel to Far North, Littoral and North West and South regions.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation