Senior Protection Assistant (Maternity Replacement) – G5 – ZAH029 – UNOPS Contract - Zahle, Lebanon

General Background

Eight years into the Syria crisis, Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with nearly 950,000  Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR, about 20,000 refugees of other origins - mostly Iraqi - and Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.  There are no formal camps for Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and refugees are living in hundreds of communities and locations across the country. 

The refugee response is led by the Government and UNHCR and UNDP, supported by the international community. As the designated lead agency in the refugee response, UNHCR has established a sector-based structure in Beirut and in the field. The structure brings together over 150 UN agencies, national and international NGO partners [over 150 actors, including UN agencies, national and international NGOs and Ministries] in identifying and agreeing on the strategic priorities to address the needs of Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese communities. The Lebanon Chapter of the Response Plan falls under the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), whereby UNHCR guides the refugee response and UNDP facilitates the resilience and stabilization component.

The UNHCR operational response in Lebanon is one of the largest for the organization. Media attention and the frequency of influential high-profile visitors is high. The Office has grown substantially in the past years and is currently operating with around 650 staff. Aside from the country office in the capital city of Beirut, UNHCR has field offices in Mount Lebanon, Qobayat, Tripoli, Tyre and Zahle.

The Senior Protection Assistant normally reports to the Protection Officer or the Senior Protection Officer. He/she 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.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Accountability

UNHCR’s protection policies, standards and doctrine are consistently and coherently applied.

The specific needs and protection issues facing persons of concern are identified in an accurate and timely manner.

Persons of concern to UNHCR are assisted, treated with dignity, kept informed and encouraged to participate actively in matters relating to their protection.

Provide sound counseling to refugees

Act in the best interest of Persons of Concern

Responsibility (process and functions undertaken to achieve results)

Monitor borders and ensure individuals have access to asylum system

Conduct interviews of asylum seekers when necessary and assess their situation;

Oversees registration and ensures people with special needs are identified and assisted

Ensure development, implementation and monitoring of protection system

Visit detention facilities and wounded persons of concern at hospitals.

Keep track of refugees and asylum seekers status records by regularly updating the database.

Report and document any violation of refugees’ rights and ensure proper follow-up in coordination with the Protection Officer

Interact with refugee communities and provide response to protection concerns (torture, trauma, SGBV, domestic violence…)

Coordinate with local actors and interact with local authorities

Attends to all asylum-seekers and refugees’ queries and takes further action where necessary

Provide input to protection reports and other as required.

Participates in training sessions as resource person

Performs other duties as required.

Authority

Decide on prioritization and identify the most appropriate course of action in view of particular vulnerabilities of persons of concern;

Submit individual requests from persons of concern for approval by the protection officer.

When counseling persons of concern, decide on the content of information and advice to be shared;

Submit recommendations on refugee status or solutions to be provided for approval by the protection officer.