ABH Partners Plc is a leading consultancy and human resources sourcing firm in Ethiopia with about 15 years of experience in supporting the implementation of development programs and projects. ABH exists to fuel synergistic societal growth by harnessing local knowledge and international standard. Dedicated to the betterment of societal development, technical assistance, and knowledge management, ABH has gained credibility and industry experience in the development sector in general.

ABH partners would like to invite applicants who meet the below requirements to apply for the position of Child Protection & Education in Emergencies (CPIE and EiE)

Background

Ethiopia is gripped in the midst of a mix of complex, enduring, and emerging emergencies, including the Northern Ethiopia crisis, resulting in displacement which increases protection risks for women and children.

The situation in northern Ethiopia remains highly unpredictable and dynamic, with severe impact on civilians. Fighting across Amhara have resulted in large-scale displacements from North Gonder, Wag Hemra, North and South Wello zones as well as in and around Dessie, Kombolcha, Baati and Kamissie, increasing humanitarian needs, including emergency shelter, food, safe and clean drinking water, medicines and health services, dignity and hygiene kits for women, and protection services. Thousands of people were also reportedly displaced from Chifra Woreda, Awsi Zone and in few locations in Ada`ar Woreda in Afar. In Amhara, tens of thousands of IDPs have reportedly registered in Debre Berhan, with several sheltering in two schools in the city.  Some IDPs in Dessie and Kombolcha towns, who arrived from nearby Habru and Kutaber Woredas during the last few weeks, reportedly started to return to their places of origin. The majority of IDPs are women and children[1].

According to the various assessment reports, there is mounting evidence that insecurity and fear has led to adverse mental health and psychosocial (MHPSS) wellbeing outcomes for all vulnerable populations, including service providers (such as teachers and the social service workforce) for whom their own wellbeing is critical so that they may be able to better provide a caring and supportive environment for those under their care. Moreover, increased exposure of already vulnerable populations, particularly children, women, IDPs, refugees, migrants, safety net clients, the elderly and the disabled to protection risks including exploitation, abuse, neglect, harmful practices and violence (including gender based violence), who in the absence of access to essential services, may also likely resort to negative coping mechanisms, that would further endanger their wellbeing. Furthermore, there are distressing reports of increased sexual violence, and a corresponding lack of services for survivors, compounded by a climate of fear to report and seek help, hampering efforts where few services may be available. 

Lack of access to education directly impacts children’s safety and wellbeing. All children are exposed to threats during and after emergencies; however, girls and boys who are out of school are at much higher risk of violence (including gender-based violence), exploitation, abuse and neglect. Additionally, child protection concerns can prevent children from accessing education or diminish educational outcomes. Moreover, through learning, protection needs of children can be better identified, addressed and referred. In conflict zones, access to education is barred not only by general insecurity but also by targeted attacks against students, teachers and educational facilities, which all diminish the life sustaining and lifesaving interventions related to education and child protection, which are essential to the nurturing of a child’s potential and development. Safe learning situations can help mitigate the impact of conflict and disasters by giving children and families a sense of normalcy, stability, structure and hope for the future

Given the size, scale, geographic diversity of the responses, UNICEF is requesting the

 scale up of available CPIE personnel to monitor, quality assure and deliver critical child protection and GBVIE and EiE  responses in the affected areas. 

Justification

As part of its integrated child protection and education in emeregency responses, UNICEF seeks to provide and strengthen child protection and GBV and EiE 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. The consultants will also play a convening role with child protection programme partners. The existing efforts to strengthen/establish zonal/woreda level coordination mechanisms requires further support and this will ensure continued monitoring of the child protection situation and on-going responses in highly dynamic emergency contexts. This technical support will be linked with strengthening the capacities of Government sectors and other UNICEF PCA partners to provide CPIE and GBVIE and EiE response services in line with UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children for Child Protection. These dedicated Child Protection & Education in Emergencies Consultants are therefore required to provide the needed field support to ensure a coordinated, quality assured responses in dynamic and acute emergency settings.

Required number: 1 (One)

Duty station:  Amhara region (Roaming, North Shoa, South Wollo -Mota, South Gonder- Ebinat

Salary: Attractive 

Level: NOB

Duration: 1year

Reporting to: Child Protection Specialist in Amhara field office

Expected Start Date: Immediately after concluding the contract agreement

UNICEF Child Protection in Emergencies Response: 

• In line with the Core Commitments for Children for Child Protection, provide technical and programmatic support for the design, implementation, monitoring and reporting of child protection in emergency response in partnership with BoWCYA and NGOs and ensure that interventions included in the child protection priority focus areas are implemented, monitored and managed in a timely and effective manner. Specifically;
• Support the implementation of the CPiE Response action plan by regional and Zonal office of women and Children Affairs (ZoWCYA) and NGO partners.
• Support the establishment of community-based safe environments for women and children, including child-friendly spaces, learning spaces, and other safe spaces, with attention to girls, adolescents and their caregivers, and support the provision of psychological first aid and psychosocial support services.
• Strengthen referral pathways for children experienced and at risk of violence, exoploitation, abuse and neglect by mapping different service provision outlets.
• Strengthen the capacity of IPs to complete registration and documentation of the caseload of all unaccompanied, separated and missing children in the IDP sites and host communities.
• Ensure an appropriate and confidential filing system is maintained by social workers and case managers for all identified and registered cases of child protection in woredas offices of BoWCYA.
• Assist BOWCA, ZoWCYA and WOWCA to facilitate family tracing, verification and reunification efforts for unaccompanied and separated children in coordination with ICRC/Ethiopian Red Cross (ERCS) and community structures, where appropriate.
• Assess alterative care options and ensure all the necessary safeguards are in place and ensure partners abide by the relevant standards and principles.
• Support social workers and ZoWCYA/WoWCYA staff to timely and accurately enter all case management/FTR forms into the central case management database for all IDP sites managed by BoWCYA .
• Identify stakeholders, services and partners with the capacity to address violence, exploitation or abuse, including GBV; and build capacity of partners to provide multi-sectoral response services (e.g., health, psychosocial support, security and legal/justice) to victims and survivors.
• Provide an ongoing capacity assistance and monitor the implementation of the Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for UASC in coordination with the BOWCA, ZoWCYA, their woreda offices and other implementing partners of UNICEF.
• Follow up and support the implementation of the Regional response plan and Program documents with UNICEF supported NGOs: Provide technical support to BOWCA, ZoWCYA and NGO partners to implement the overall CP/GBV regional response plans and PCAs and support rapid assessments as deemed timely.
• Child Protection in Emergencies situation and response monitoring and reporting including regular Sit Reps and 5W reporting: On monthly basis (and ad hoc requests as needed) collect, analyze information and report against the Ethiopia Country Office (ECO HAC Results framework and CP/GBV monitoring framework). Reports will be shared with the ECO through the Child Protection Specialist and Emergency Officer/ Specialist for quality assurance.
• Reports: Ensure key reporting requirements are met including inputs for weekly/bi-weekly and monthly sitreps, donor reports and systematic coordination of appropriate responses on child protection in emergency operational response plan, with other relevant sectors, especially health, education and WASH.

CP GBV Area of Responsibility (AoR) Coordination

• Provide Technical support to regional BOWCA and ZoWCYA to lead the child protection and GBV Area of Responsibility (AoR) coordination, promoting and facilitating active participation from key actors.
• Participate on inter-agency needs assessments and support child protection concersn are identfied and documented.
• Support the capacity development of the CP AOR members at zonal/woreda level
• Promote the implementation of the Minimum Standards of Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, GBV Humanitarian Standards and INEE Minimum Standards for Education inEmeregency
• Monitor performance of the inter-agency CP/GBV response against agreed indicators and monitor the core cluster functions.

Education in Emergency (EiE) Responses

• Provide Technical support to Government Education counterparts and NGO to lead the Education in Emergency Area of Responsibility (AoR) coordination, promoting and facilitating active participation from key actors.
• Provide EiE Technical support and quality oversight to the EiE responses.
• Work with education stakeholders and partners to streamline education data collection and utilization of information.
• Provide technical inputs in timely and efficient mannaer related to EiE supplies.
• Support partners in identifying aand reach out of school children with non-formal learning.
• Provide technical support to implementing partners in the training of Teachers, educational personnel on psychosocial support, school-based mental health interventions and delivering of quality education services.
• Support education and child protection partners in designing and implementing learning and skills development opportunities for out-of-school children including early adolescents to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy, develop transferable skills.

Job Requirements

• University degree at an advanced level in the field of Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, Social Anthropology, Community Development and related.
• Extensive work experience relevant to child protection in both development and emergencies may be considered as a replacement for formal qualifications for an advanced level;
• At least 4 years progressively responsible humanitarian and development work experience in child protection and gender-based violence including in emergencies with UN Agencies and/or INGOs.
• Familiarity and experience working with government counterparts
• Strong knowledge and experience in establishing coordination architecture especially at zone and woreda levels
• Previous UNICEF/ABH/NGO experience in child protection program coordination, IDP/Returnee Situation is an asset
• Fluency in written and verbal English and Amharic required

How to Apply

Qualified and interested applicants who fulfil the above requirements can apply through link

CLICK HERE

Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.