Background

The UN Women (UNW), grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, the UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnership with civil society and other relevant actors.

The Secretary General’s Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, 2003 (SGB) calls on the UN system to protect affected populations from sexual exploitation and abuse by personnel of the UN and its partners. The IASC’s Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, 2002, calls on the humanitarian community to do the same. Many humanitarian entities have also signed onto the Statement of Commitment on Eliminating Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by UN and Non-UN Personnel, 2006.

In 2006, UN and non-UN entities signed the "Statement of Commitment on Eliminating Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by UN and Non-UN Personnel," in which all agreed to implement the six core principles relating to sexual exploitation and abuse adopted by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) in July 2002. In 2010, the IASC undertook a Global Review of Protection from SEA by UN, NGO, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Personnel, which concluded that 11 out of 14 agency headquarters were not giving clear directives on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) to the field; effective personnel awareness raising and complaints mechanisms were not in place; and the monitoring of activities and sharing of good practices was not occurring.

Within the UN Women Somalia Country Office and under the supervision of the Deputy Regional Director  and in close collaboration with the UNCT and Gender Theme Group, The National Coordinator will be responsible for organizing the implementation of the UNCT’s Zero Tolerance Policy and management of the ICN on PSEA. S/he will work closely with the UN Integrated Mission and other UN agencies, specifically UNICEF, UNDP, WFP and UNHCR protection units and the UNCT Gender Theme Group. Externally, s/he will work with National SEA coordination structures including the GBV Taskforce, the Protection Core Group at county and national levels and the ICN.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:
  • Technical Leadership and Strategic Planning;
  • Inter-agency Coordination Support and Strategic Partnership Building;
  • Knowledge Management and Capacity Building;
  • Communication and Reporting.

Technical Leadership and Strategic Planning:

  • Through participation at inter-sector working group, support PSEA mainstreaming during planning, policy development and programming e.g. development of relevant joint programmes;
  • Establish inter-agency community-based complaints mechanisms (CBCM) in the three regions of Somalia, i.e., Somaliland, Puntland and South-Central Somalia with participation from a broad range of UN and NGOs partners that includes specific, common protocols for handling SEA complaints, referring SEA complaints, investigating SEA complaints and delivering victim assistance.
 Inter-agency Coordination Support and Strategic Partnership Building:
  • Coordinate, in consultation with the GBV working group, development of a joint inter-agency, community-based complaints mechanism to enable the affected population to report SEA;
  • Represent the project at Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), donor and other key stakeholder events; maintain relations and develop cooperation and ensure good project visibility;
  • Work closely with the GTG and UNCT member agencies, UNSOM and the GBV working group to ensure coordinated referral mechanisms for victim services and implementation of General Assembly strategy on victim assistance;
  • Coordinate implementation of PSEA structures and systems in the Republic of Somalia.
Knowledge Management and Capacity Building:
  • Provide technical support to programme staff, partners, and build partner and staff capacity in use of humanitarian standards including SGB 2003, HAP and legal frameworks;
  • Coordinate PSEA training for UNCT staff and implementing partners across the country;
  • Module development/review and facilitation of SEA training modules for UN staff, staff of implementing partners and, as appropriate, NGOs, government staff and community members;
  • Strengthen and maintain UNCT SEA Focal Point Network through: chairing monthly meetings, acting as secretariat to the network, enhancing communication and information sharing among UNCT FPs, entire network as well as the national coordination mechanisms;
  • Represent and UN Women UNCT at ICN and act as its secretariat in collaboration with Government, INGOs, CSOs; including chairing its three sub-working groups on awareness, coordination and monitoring and reporting at field locations.
Communication and Reporting:
  • Develop, carry out and regularly report to UNCT and other donors on annual UNCT PSEA (protection from SEA) workplan;
  • Administer and report on SEA component of the programme budget;
  • Prepare briefing notes, talking points, concept notes, reports, funding proposals and other documents in support and promotion of UNCT’s zero tolerance policy implementation;
  • Support the development of a common reporting and monitoring system in close connection with UN agencies, NGOs and relevant government actors, including integrating SEA indicators into existing monitoring and evaluation systems of the UNCT.

Competencies

Core Values/ Guiding Principles:

Integrity:
  • Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
Professionalism:
  • Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.
Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:
  • Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its Staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.
Ethics and Values:
  • Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity;
Organizational Awareness:
  • Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.
Development and Innovation:
  • Take charge of self-development and take initiative.
Work in teams:
  • Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment; and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
Communicating and Information Sharing:
  • Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.
Self-management and Emotional Intelligence:
  • Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others.
Conflict Management:
  • Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution.
Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing:
  • Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge;.
Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making:
  • Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.
Functional Competencies:
  • In-depth knowledge on the gender dimensions of humanitarian and protection issues;
  • Ability to establish clear goals and to achieve desired results consistent with agreed strategies;
  • Proven analytical and problem solving skills;
  • Strong oral and written communication skills is required;
  • Effectiveness in establishing and fostering good relations with government counterparts, UN Agencies, multi-sector coordination mechanisms, donors and NGO partners;
  • Administrative skills; ability to work with minimum supervision with efficiency and competence, must show respect for people with different national and cultural backgrounds;
  • Ability to leverage information technology, executive information systems, management techniques and tools for optimal office performance.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Master’s Degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences or related field.
Experience:
  • At least five (5) years relevant professional experience in the field of sexual exploitation and abuse, gender-based violence, staff conduct and discipline and/or humanitarian affairs;
  • Previous experience working on prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse;
  • Experience working in the IASC or in other inter-agency bodies or processes;
  • Experience working in humanitarian emergencies.
Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in English essential and Somali or Arabic desirable.