Job Summary: 

The north of Mozambique has been affected by attacks by non-state armed groups (NSAGs) and associated internal displacement since 2017, with Mozambique country office (CO) providing food assistance since late 2018. Over 1 million people have been displaced over the years, while 2023 saw marked shift with around half the displaced population returning to their districts of origin, if not locations of origin. However humanitarian needs remain high as the displaced population returned to find little to no infrastructure in place, access to land and livelihoods activities constrained and their homes and assets destroyed. In locations of displacement, the population equally remains dependent on aid, with little or no access to arable land, as well as having a tense relationship with the host population due to competition over resources and the right to assistance. Since April 2024, food assistance has been significantly reduced, with locations reduced from over 7 to 3 districts only, at half ration or less per hh, due to severe funding constraints. This context, in light of high gender inequality and normalization of gender-based violence (GBV), signals significant risks to women and girls of early marriage, physical and sexual violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, while reduced assistance also means that the affected population is at the mercy of the broader community, which is likely to further strain relations between the host and displaced population. Beyond the conflict in the north, Mozambique is facing a severe drought resulting from El Nino, which is already affecting rural farmers who are at risk of turning to risky coping mechanisms, which are likely to affect the worst affected families for years to come. Given that 2024 is an election year, any humanitarian assistance is furthermore at risk of politicization while negative gender norms also present high risks of SEA and GBV, risks which need to be managed with close engagement with WFP programme teams, cooperating partners and local and national level government actors. Furthermore, in 2019, WFP led the establishment of an inter-agency tollfree hotline for the humanitarian assistance in Mozambique in the context of the Idai response which rapidly expanded to cover the entire countly. The hotline serves as a centralised accountability and PSEA reporting mechanism facilitating two-way communications between the affected population, humanitarian organisations and Government counterparts.
In 2024 WFPs Executive Director, Cindy McCain, has taken on the role as the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) principals Champion on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment (PSEAH). The ED has identified three key priorities to focus on during this one-year Championship: 1. Operationalize a victim- and survivor-centered approach; 2. Promote organizational culture change through leadership and partnerships; 3. Continue support for capacity strengthening across the humanitarian sector.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Take the lead on the operationalization of the three Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) championship priorities for 2024 both within WFP and as co-chair of the national PSEA network, reporting as relevant to WFPs senior leadership (country director and deputy country director), the Resident Coordinator and the UNCT/ HCT.
2. Ensure training and refreshers on PSEA to all staff and CPs across the WFP operation, while also working closely with procurement and supply chain teams to expand PSEA efforts to service providers.
3. Ensure functional reporting mechanisms for PSEA are in place across the operation, complimented by effective community outreach on WFPs zero tolerance to inaction on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and rights of assisted populations and programme participants, while working closely with OIGI for investigation and GBV service providers for timely action on any SEA reports.
4. Establishment of a PSEA focal point structure beyond the CO, working closely with heads of field offices and programme assistants for protection and AAP.
5. Provide technical guidance to integration of protection across all interventions, feeding into: programme design and funding proposals, donor reports, evaluations of cooperating partners and associated programme proposals, definition of food assistance modalities and targeting of beneficiaries among others.
6. Liaise with RBJ and HQ where further technical assistance is required for effective handling of issues and strengthened community engagement and consultation.
7. Work with the programme and identity management (IDM) teams to ensure safe programming and beneficiary/ programme participant registration processes.
8. Provide technical oversight on actions to integrate and mainstream gender equality and women’s empowerment to address the root causes of SEA across the COs ongoing and future programmes, supervising the national gender officers.
9. Provide technical oversight of the implementation of community feedback mechanisms, including the tollfree inter-agency hotline supervising the hotline manager, information manager and contractual obligations with the call centre (including 16 call centre operators)
10. Represent WFP on the inter-agency hotline steering committee
11. Quality assurance of call centre services including oversight of 18 call centre operators; coordination and provision of training; oversight of data analysis and reporting on issues raised; mapping of trends and strategic communication to communities; stakeholder engagement.
12. Close collaboration with the food security cluster coordinator to support effective mainstreaming of protection and PSEA across the food security and livelihoods sector.
13. Represent WFP at relevant UN coordination bodies including the Protection Cluster, Community Engagement and AAP working group among others.
14. Any other tasks as indicated by the Deputy Head of Programmes.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Education:

• Advanced university degree in one of the following disciplines: social sciences, international development, development economics or another related field such as international relations, human rights or political science.

Experience:

• At least 6 years of relevant and progressively responsible work experience in a humanitarian or international development organisation, with at least 2 years international field experience dealing with protection against sexual exploitation and abuse, protection, human rights or gender-based violence issues. This should include experience working in conflict or post-conflict contexts. In-depth field experience in emergency contexts is highly desirable.

Knowledge & Skills:

• In-depth knowledge of humanitarian protection, PSEA, sexual- and other forms of gender-based violence, civil-military relations and other humanitarian policy issues, and its linkage with humanitarian assistance as well as accountability to affected populations. Understanding of food security programming is a strong asset.
• Strong analytical, writing, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to produce outputs independently and under tight deadlines.
• Strong skills and experience in training and facilitation on protection, human rights and PSEA.
• Knowledge of UN system policies and functions of protection-mandated agencies.
• Flexibility to travel on short notice and in challenging and difficult environments.
• Team spirit and excellent interpersonal skills

Languages:

• Working knowledge (proficiency/Level C) of English and Portuguese is required

Level of Education: Postgraduate  Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 72