Protection Specialist / National UN Volunteer Send to a friend Print Version
Expire date Friday, 07 December 2012
Agency UNV / UNHCR
Place Bishkek
Terms of Reference
UN VOLUNTEER  DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT
Preamble:
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.
In most cultures volunteerism is deeply embedded in long-established, ancient traditions of sharing and support within the communities. In this context, UN Volunteers take part in various forms of volunteerism and play a role in development and peace together with co-workers, host agencies and local communities.
In all assignments, UN Volunteers promote volunteerism through their action and conduct. Engaging in volunteer activity can effectively and positively enrich their understanding of local and social realities, as well as create a bridge between themselves and the people in their host community. This will make the time they spend as UN Volunteers even more rewarding and productive.

1.  UNV Assignment Title:    Protection Specialist

2.  Type of Assignment:    National UN Volunteer

3.  Project Title:    Protection of and durable solutions to refugees, strengthening of asylum in Kyrgyzstan

4.  Duration:    01 January 2013 - 31 December 2013

5.  Location, Country:    Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

6.  Expected Starting Date:    01 January 2013

7.  Brief Project Description:    
Kyrgyzstan, once dominated by trade and migration along the silk-road linking Asia with Europe and thereafter a Russian colony and part of the Soviet Union, since gaining independence in 1991 again faces much potential but also challenges related to its geo-political position. In view of this and to assist the Kyrgyz Republic in coping with over twenty thousand refugees from the civil war in Tajikistan, UNHCR opened an office in Bishkek in 1995.
In 1996, the Kyrgyz Republic ratified the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. Since then, Kyrgyzstan demonstrated steady progress in building the national asylum system through adoption and implementation of a Law on Refugees (2002) and relevant by-laws. However, its nascent refugee protection system has also faced major challenges due to the internal political events and the arrival of asylum-seekers from Uzbekistan, after the massacre in Andijan in May 2005.
Despite the fact that UNHCR was able to support the Kyrgyz Republic in developing the most sophisticated national protection regime in the Central Asian region, the institution of asylum remains fragile and vulnerable to political and administrative pressures necessitating continuing attention and support by UNHCR and its international and national partners and other stakeholders. The Kyrgyz Republic is also vulnerable to pressure from powerful countries, such as China, Uzbekistan and the Russian Federation, reflected in the fact that its government did not yet dare to grant refugee status to any asylum-seeker from these countries.
The fulfillment by the countries of the Central Asian region of their commitments in protecting the human rights, freedoms and interests of refugees, other foreigners, stateless persons as well as of their own citizens, remains constrained also by weak rule of law, civil society and government institutions as well as wide-spread corruption. The constraint was further exacerbated by the April 2010 political events in Bishkek and the June 2010 violence in the south of Kyrgyzstan, affecting the asylum system and refugee protection situation in the country. All these and other factors conspire against the liberal strains of Kyrgyz politics and its fragile institutions, and require a determined presence of UNHCR (other UN and Human Rights Agencies) in the country to support the existing asylum regime and ensure a policy of open borders in the event of renewed refugee influxes.
With this in mind, UNHCR aims to strengthen the asylum regime in the Kyrgyz Republic through the development of increasing governmental and civil society capacities in the protection of the rights of around 1.000 refugees and asylum-seekers.
In view of enlarged migration flows in the region and renewed challenges posed by developments in Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan this UNV intern would greatly assist implementation of the UNHCR project by supporting targeted protection interventions leading to capacity building inputs.


8.  Host Agency/Host Institute:    United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

9.  Organizational Context:    

UNHCR works with the Government, civil society, donors and other UN agencies in providing protection and support to persons of concern.


Implementing Partners
Government – Ministry of Youth, Labour and Employment, Mandatory Health Insurance Fund, State Registration Service, Citizenship Commission under the President
NGOs – Legal Clinic “Adilet”, Centre for Support to International Protection, Public Association Counterpart-Sheriktesh, Crisis Centre “Sezim”, Danish Refugee Council, Ferghana Valley Lawyers without Borders, International Rescue Committee
Others – UN Volunteers

Operational Partners
Government – Directorate for Reconstruction and Rehabilitation, Border Guards Service, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Social Development, Ombudsman Institute, Police Academy, Prosecutor General’s Office, Supreme and other Courts

NGOs – ACTED, Refugee Women’s Center Dusti, Sairon, National Red Crescent Society
Others – Asian Development Bank, European Commission, ICRC, IOM, JICA, OHCHR, OSCE, UNDP, UNICEF, WFP, World Bank

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established by the UN General Assembly in 1951 to assist refugees and asylum-seekers. Later the organization was also tasked with assisting stateless persons and internationally displaced persons.  UNHCR is the guardian of the main international instruments on protection of refugees (1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol) and on the prevention and reduction of statelessness.  Organization's activities throughout the world are funded by voluntary donations from countries, organizations and individuals.  The UNHCR operation in the Kyrgyz Republic monitors and assists the government's implementation of its obligations to protect refugees and prevent and reduce statelessness. Activities to this effect include support to establishing an effective and efficient national asylum system, based on adequate laws, institutions and practices; to advance the rights and empowerment of refugees and stateless persons, including women and girls, the elderly, disabled and other persons with particular needs; to provide direct humanitarian, education, health, livelihood and other assistance and facilitate durable solutions to the plights of refugees. Since late June 2010 UNHCR has been assisting the Kyrgyz Republic to cope with the consequences of the inter-ethnic armed clashes occurred in June 2010 in the south of the country. UNHCR expanded its staff by deploying an emergency response team to respond to humanitarian needs of the affected population (IDPs and returnees) in the South. Apart from the field office UNHCR already had in Osh, a small office was established in Jalalabad town (South of Kyrgyzstan) in late June 2010 for the purposes of addressing humanitarian needs in Jalalabad town and its oblast. The southern provinces of Kyrgyzstan border the Ferghana valley region of Central Asia that continues to be prone to instability or humanitarian crises. In Bishkek, where UNHCR mainly deals with asylum-seekers and refugees, the UNHCR staff has not increased significantly. Four international, seventeen national staff and two UNVs currently work for UNHCR in Bishkek. UNHCR implements its activities directly and through governmental and non-governmental partners. It also enjoys close cooperation and several joint projects with other UN agencies and many other international and local stakeholders.

10. Type of Assignment Place: assignment with family

11.  Description of tasks:

Under the direct supervision of the UNHCR Assistant Protection Officer in Bishkek the UNV volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
•    Filling refugee status determination (RSD) Registration Forms and interviewing persons of concern to UNHCR.
•    Assisting the protection staff in the counseling of refugees and asylum-seekers (especially those who have suffered any trauma, medical cases or have particular social problems).
•    Handling individual case files in the Protection Unit.
•    Updating the database of individual cases.
•    Assisting with resettlement, voluntary repatriation and local integration cases, submissions or referrals.
•    Monitoring and collecting relevant country-of-origin (COI) information.
•    Assisting in organization of consultations and meetings with target refugee groups to determine needs, issues, and community responses.
•    In close collaboration with the Protection staff, and using beneficiaries databases and other sources of information, identifying vulnerable groups such as unaccompanied minors and disabled refugees as well as individuals or groups with special needs such as single headed households and the elderly and mobilizes community support in order to address their needs.
•    Participating in the drafting of reports.
•    Performing other necessary duties as requested by the supervisor.

Furthermore, UN Volunteer is encouraged to:
•    Strengthen his/her knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD);
•    Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
•    Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
•    Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
•    Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
•    Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.


12.  Results/Expected Output:

•    A reinforced UNHCR Protection Unit is able to address major protection problems in the field of asylum in a timely manner and assist the Government to improve migration management.
•    Asylum-seekers’ registration, interviewing, refugee status determination, voluntary repatriation and resettlement processing runs smoothly and in full accordance with applicable international standards/SOPs.
•    The potentials of local volunteer groups are used to strengthen the asylum system in the Kyrgyz Republic through mobilization of community support in order to address beneficiaries’ needs; persons of concerns are actively participating in such volunteer groups.
•    Beneficiaries, general public, mass media and donors are well-informed about UNHCR activities in the Kyrgyz Republic.
•    A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during assignment such as specific quantification of mobilized volunteers, activities, capacities.


13.  Qualifications/Requirements:

•    University degree in Law, Human Rights or International Relations.
•    Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
•    Good analytical skills and conceptual thinking.
•    Communication skills, computer skills.
•    Fluency in English and Russian. Knowledge of Kyrgyz, Uzbek, and Farsi is an asset.  


14.  Living Conditions:

The UNV will be based in Bishkek which is a family duty station.
15.  Conditions of Service
Monthly volunteer living allowance (VLA) intended to cover housing, basic needs and utilities, equivalent to US$ 422; settling-in-grant (if applicable); life, health, and permanent disability insurance; return airfares (if applicable); resettlement allowance for satisfactory service.


Description of Assignment prepared by Mr. Khurshed Yunusov, Protection Officer, UNHCR:

Date: 07/11/2012


Description of Assignment approved by Ms. Gemma Marie Carnacete, UNV Programme Officer

Date: 07/11/2012
APPLICATIONS:
Closing date is 07 December 2012. Applications should be accompanied by cover letter and duly updated P11 form and be sent for the e-mail address   [email protected]
Supporting Documents P11.doc (Size: 210 Kb)
Created Friday, 23 November 2012