Mission and objectives

UNAMA was established in 2002 as a Political/ Peacebuilding Mission, exceptionally) directed and supported by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO).

Context

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is mandated by Security Council Resolution 2626 (2022) which was extended under Resolution 2678 (2023). This mandate tasks UNAMA with the promotion and support of humanitarian assistance in line with humanitarian principles, human rights, equality for women and girls, inclusive governance, resilience, and economic stability, and with the use of our good offices for principled and constructive engagement with all national, regional, and global stakeholders in the pursuit of Afghanistan’s peace and stability. UNAMA reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and national unity of Afghanistan; as well as its continued support for the people of Afghanistan, within the framework of the UN Charter and other international laws and instruments. UNAMA’s vision is for a stable and prosperous Afghanistan that lives at peace with itself and its neighbours, where the rights of all the people of Afghanistan are upheld, without discrimination. On 15 March 2024, UNAMA’s mandate was extended for another year by UN Security Council Resolution 2727 (2024).

Task Description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Political Affairs Officer/Team Leader and the Head of Field Office or his/her designated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Political and Governance Reporting Officer will: • Maintain situational awareness and analysis of the political, security, social, economic, and governance situation in the area of responsibility, including emerging key political and security developments, trends, and dynamics; • Draft situational and analytical reports on political, governance, security, social, environmental, and economic developments and trends, including daily situation reports (DSR), meeting notes, thematic reports, background notes and profiles, in support of the Head of Field Office and the Political Affairs Unit (PAU); • Gather, select, and analyze the information contained in communications and publications received from different sources, including the media; • Maintain and update information management tasks/database information of the PAU in the Bamyan field office; • Establish and maintain engagement with civil society, political actors, UN agency and international partners in the area of responsibility on mandate-related issues, including through direct and remote outreach; • Support development and implementation of political, governance, and community outreach programs, and conflict prevention/resolution initiatives, including preparatory work and engagement with internal and external partners; • Where appropriate, support, encourage and facilitate relationship/consensus-building between interlocutors and de facto authorities and/or communities/other stakeholders, to enhance the sub-national governance as well as the inclusion of vulnerable/marginalized groups e.g. women, youth, elderly, persons with disabilities, IDPs; • Perform other related duties as required.

Competencies and values

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNAMA; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNAMA procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority; • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities; • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary; • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNAMA’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

Living conditions and remarks

Afghanistan is a hardship duty station with a volatile security. Living and working conditions for UN volunteers in UNAMA are similar to the living conditions of all other internationally recruited staff members. Upon arrival to mission on induction, UN volunteers are provided with safe accommodation in an extensive compound in Kabul with good infrastructure and amenities. There are number of security measures to be compliled with, such as the Areal Security Risk Management Plan before moving into any accommodation. The UNAMA Security section provides these guidelines during the initial security briefing upon arrival in the mission area and at the designated duty station. Upon arrival, volunteers are accommodated at the UNV designated accommodations within the Bamyan Field Office compound for a fix charge, exclusive of food. The Bamyan field office is located in the Central Highlands of Afghanistan, in the city of Bamyan, with a local population estimated at 486,928. Bamyan is endowed with beautiful nature with eye-catching sites like the beautiful valleys including Lake “Band-e-Amir,” and mountain ranges, crystal clear rivers and sightly riverbanks for picnics and agriculture. Bamyan is the “potato capital” of Afghanistan. Bamyan UNAMA compound comprises approximately 11,990 square meters of space and managed by UNAMA which is currently co-shared with five other UN Agency Funds and Programmes (AFP’s) – ie: UN WOMEN, UNDP, UNFPA, OCHA, and DSS. The compound includes office space and accommodation for international staff and guest house for visitors. The following facilities are available on the compound; office space, comfortable accommodation, gym (national and international staff), volleyball court, table tennis, billiard table, conference rooms capable of VTC connectivity, reception area, medical clinic, gazebo, glass veranda, cafeteria for national staff, common dining area and kitchen for international staff, bunkers, mini fruit (apple and apricot) orchard, and green house for vegetables. Some degree of medical service is provided in Bamyan duty station. There is a UN clinic in the compound and access is granted in Bamyan to other private clinics and provincial hospital. Most produce/staples are common in Bamyan’s market e.g. rice, meat, vegetables, cooking oil, salt etc. There are security restrictions in place and the choice of recreational facilities are limited. For all these reasons, bring a stock of books, DVDs/VCDs, computer games, etc., is highly recommended. Bamyan has cold weather with a very harsh winter, where average winter temperatures are below -15°C and warm and dry during summer. The beginning of winter is in November when it can snow in Bamyan, with its winter peak in January-February and becomes milder in March-May. On the other hand, summer in Bamyan is hot and dry. Therefore, both summer and winter clothing and comfortable boots with insulation are necessary.