Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)

A (least hardship)

Family

UNOPS LICA5

2024-07-08

junio 25, 2024

At the end of 2023, the Refugee Commission (CORE) approved a Diagnosis with conclusions and recommendations regarding the challenges faced by the asylum system in Uruguay. To address these challenges, CORE also approved guidelines for a Strengthening Project for CORE and its Permanent Secretariat (2024 – 2025). In December 2023, during the Global Refugee Forum (GRF), Uruguay committed to: “Strengthen its asylum/refugee system to adapt to large-scale mixed movements as soon as possible. This process will involve: 1) working on the reform of normative and administrative frameworks to ensure enhanced synergy between the refugee status determination system and migration regulations; 2) strengthening the administrative framework for refugee protection to achieve: a) preservation of data quality and system integrity through digital registration with biometric variables and the use of digital tools for managing individual cases; b) ensuring interoperability of various state databases for refugee and asylum seeker registration and documentation; c) developing and reinforcing differentiated procedures for refugee status determination.” Uruguay committed to optimizing existing resources for the asylum/refugee system and relying on technical and financial contributions from UNHCR and interested donor countries. Additionally, during the GRF, Uruguay committed to developing pilot projects for the socio-economic, cultural, and legal inclusion of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. These projects aim to ensure early stabilization and local integration through inclusion, support for host communities, and the involvement of supportive cities and development actors. Furthermore, in May 2024, CORE approved a program for “Prima Facie Recognition of Refugee Status” as part of a comprehensive strategy to begin implementing measures to reduce the backlog of existing asylum applications. Similarly, a decree was approved for a “Residence by Roots Program,” based on criteria related to labor, family, and educational ties, targeting asylum seekers who entered the country at the border and have been continuously present for more than six (6) months until the decree’s effective date. The program is based on the consensus of the “Declaration on Migration and Protection from Los Angeles” (2022), which aims to open regular pathways for residence, including family reunification and regularization programs, to promote safer and more orderly migration. The National Migration Directorate (DNM) must take necessary measures to implement this program within 90 days of the decree’s publication. Since the beneficiaries are individuals with pending asylum (refugee) applications, the program will necessarily require strengthening both the capacities of CORE’s Permanent Secretariat and the DNM. Thus, the residence by roots program and the asylum capacity program are intended to be implemented together. As a result of these advancements, Uruguayan authorities are currently progressing with the implementation of the following initiatives to strengthen the asylum and migration system: 1)Residence by roots programme; 2) Prima Facie Recognition of Refugee Status Program; 3) Asylum Capacity Enhancement Program; 4) Inclusion Initiatives.

This position has a strong emphasis on asylum and migration capacity work, liaison and coordination with national and local authorities to support the implementation of these initiatives, and inter-agency work with development actors, UN system agencies, and local partners of UNHCR.

The desirable candidate should have solid technical skills, experience working at government, NGOs and/or international organizations, experience liaising with different partners and counterparts, as well as a good command of Spanish and English language.

Standard Job Description

Senior Protection Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to a more senior Protection colleague. The incumbent monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices in protection delivery in line with international standards and provides functional protection support to information management and programme staff.

The Senior Protection Assistant provides quality, timely and effective protection support to persons of concern (PoC) and identifies opportunities to mainstream protection methodologies and safeguards in operational responses. S/he contributes to designing a comprehensive protection strategy and may liaise externally with local authorities and partners on protection issues as guided by the supervisor.

The Senior Protection Assistant also ensures that PoC are involved in making decisions that affect them, whether in accessing their rights or in identifying appropriate solutions to their problems. To achieve this, the incumbent will need to build and maintain effective interfaces with communities of concern, local authorities and protection and assistance partners.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
– Consistently apply International and National Law and applicable UN/UNHCR and IASC policy, standards and codes of conduct.
– Provide counselling on protection issues to PoC; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documentation.
– Support activities in protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
– Conduct preliminary information gathering and interviews in support of eligibility, status determination, durable solutions and social needs assessment.
– Contribute to measures to identify, prevent and reduce statelessness.
– Contribute to a country-level child protection plan as part of the protection strategy.
– Contribute to a country-level education plan for PoC as part of the protection strategy.
– Monitor Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities.
– Participate in individual protection case management including cases of GBV and child protection. Monitor and report on cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
– Assist in identifying durable solutions for PoC in voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement.
– Contribute to the design, implementation and evaluation of protection related AGD based programming with implementing and operational partners.
– Draft reports, routine correspondence, update relevant databases and compiling statistics within the Area of Responsibility (AoR).
– Contribute to initiatives to enhance national and local protection capacities.
– Select PoC for preliminary interviews and decide which relevant information to share.
– Enforce integrity in the delivery of protection services by local implementing partners.

– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
G5 – 2 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 1 year relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable

Certificates and/or Licenses
International Law;
Political Science;
(Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience
Essential: Not specified.
Desirable: Not specified.

Functional Skills
IT-Computer Literacy
PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators
PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.

As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Required Languages

English

,

Spanish

,

Desired Languages

,

,

Additional Qualifications

Skills

IT-Computer Literacy, PR-Protection-related guidelines, standards and indicators, PR-Refugee Protection Principles and Framework

Education

Certifications

International Law – Other, Political Science – Other

Other information

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance

Home-Based

No