Community-Based Protection Associate – G6 – MTL158 – UNOPS Contract - Mount Lebanon

General Background

(Brief description of the national, sector-specific or other relevant context in which the individual contractor will operate)

Following the devastating explosions in the Beirut Port on 4 August 2020, UNHCR reached out to its wide network of Outreach Volunteers and community groups to help identify immediate shelter, protection and other needs of persons affected by the blast, and engaged with humanitarian partners on the ground to support assessments and provide immediate humanitarian relief. In parallel, refugees living in the impacted areas were proactively informed through SMS about existing services, while a dedicated blast hotline was set up to expand the capacity of the existing hotlines and national call centre to provide relevant information to persons calling in distress, and ensure their prompt referral to counselling and specialized services. Since the start, UNHCR’s response has adopted a whole-of-population approach, targeting the most affected and vulnerable Lebanese, refugee and migrant households in Beirut and displaced outside the city. While UNHCR is contributing with its specific sectoral expertise in protection and shelter, and experience in these areas gained over the years in the refugee response, UNHCR’s interventions within the blast response are targeting people with protection needs and vulnerabilities without distinction to nationality or status; this is important from an equity, peaceful coexistence and social stability perspective.

The Beirut Blast emergency takes place in a context where the country is struggling with a political and financial crisis and with COVID-19. Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with a Government estimate of 1.5 million Syrian refugees, and some 18,200 refugees of other origins, in addition to a sizeable population of Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate. The presence of such a large refugee population, in a small country that is struggling to maintain its own delicate demographic balance and regain its pre-crisis economic growth, is increasingly affecting inter-community relations at all levels, and the social stability in many areas. Pressure on infrastructure, services and the environment, competition over jobs, and other factors are trying the patience and hospitality of host communities.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

(Concise and detailed description of activities, tasks and responsibilities to be undertaken, including expected travel, if applicable)

The Community-Based Protection Associate assists in the day to-day activities to respond to the protection needs of the population affected by the the Beirut Blast  Incumbent duties include:
-Assist in the participatory and community-based approaches in the protection response to the Beirut Blast.-Understand the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the affected population and advise the protection team accordingly.-Work with implementing and operational partners as well as affected populations to assess the needs of the affected population to addresss where applicable, the social, educational, psycho-social, cultural, health, and livelihood concerns as well as child protection and prevention and response to SGBV. -Work with UNHCR protection team to ensure the response is streamlined within the existing programmes to guarantee continuity. The selected candidate will be offered a contract for three months

Monitoring and Progress Controls

(Clear description of measurable outputs, milestones, key performance indicators and/or reporting requirements which will enable performance monitoring)

The incumbend is expected to contribute to:

-Identify and select which individuals or groups to prioritize for counselling and field visits based on agreed criteria.

-Conduct regular field visits to the Beirut Blast impacted areas assess the protection needs of the affected population. 

-Provide inputs for periodic reports on UNHCR-supported protection activities within Beirut Blast impacted areas.

-Identify protection concerns, social tensions, gaps and opportunites related to protection programmes within the Beirut Blast impacted areas.  

-Support participatory assessments by multifunctional teams and ongoing consultation with PoC.

-Initiate AGD sensitive interventions at the appropriate level on community-based protection issues and to respond to protection concerns and incidents within the office, with external interlocutors, groups and individuals based on agreed parameters.

-Intervene with authorities on protection

-Perform other related duties as required.