Child Protection Officer

IRC Background

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war and disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been working in Pakistan for approximately 40 years, managing and delivering large, complex programs to meet the needs in health, education, safeguarding, environmental health and livelihoods for displaced, poor and disaster affected communities. IRC works in partnership with local government and non-governmental organizations and is currently working across the country

About the Project:

International Rescue Committee, in partnership with UNICEF, is implementing a project that seeks to provide support and protection to the flood affected communities in KP province. The proposed project will contribute to strengthening and scaling up the existing Child Protection (CP) & GBV mechanisms. In addition, the scope will be extended to prevention and response activities for the flood affected communities and refugees (where concentrated). It is about to protecting women, girls, and boys, including marginalized individuals or groups at risks from harm and ensuring that women, girls and boys who are exposed to protection risks are immediately referred to relevant specialized services of case management and psychosocial support through a multi-sectoral referral pathway developed. Existing capacities of the service providers will be enhanced through provision of capacity building trainings and technical assistance.

About IRC: 

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war and disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been working in Pakistan for approximately 40 years, managing and delivering large, complex programs to meet the needs in health, education, safeguarding, environmental health and livelihoods for displaced, poor and disaster affected communities. IRC works in partnership with local government and non-governmental organizations and is currently working across the country.

About the Project:

International Rescue Committee, in partnership with UNICEF, is implementing a project that seeks to provide support and protection to the flood affected communities in Baluchistan and Sind province. The proposed project will contribute to strengthening and scaling up the existing Child Protection (CP) & GBV mechanisms. In addition, the scope will be extended to prevention and response activities for the flood affected communities and refugees (where concentrated). It is about to protecting women, girls and boys, including marginalized individuals or groups at risks from harm and ensuring that women, girls and boys who are exposed to protection risks are immediately referred to relevant specialized services of case management and psychosocial support through a multi-sectoral referral pathway developed. The existing capacities of the service providers will be enhanced through provision of capacity building trainings and technical assistance.

Job Overview/Summary:

The International Rescue Committee is seeking a dynamic and self-motivated individual for the position of Child Protection Officer for implementation of a Child Protection activities Under the supervision of the ‘Child Protection Field Manager’ the position holder will coordinate with the team members including CFS Facilitators and Child Protection Case Workers and regularly visit the communities to identify and register child protection cases for further planning and response. The position holder will coordinate with the team to ensure that all agreed activities are carried out based on IRC’s quality benchmark. S/He will also be responsible for assisting in tracking the project’s progress and keep a regular follow up with project teams to ensure that technical and financial progress of the project is on track. The CPO is a field-based position and responsible to directly engage with communities, children, government departments and Civil Society Organizations to establish an effective response.

Key Areas of Accountability:

• Supervise the implementation of Child Protection activities in the project districts while ensuring coordination with the key stakeholders.
• Ensure that all interventions are in-line with the strategy, and CP Minimum Standards.
• Supervise and provide technical support to CFS Facilitators by visiting Child Friendly Spaces and CP Case Workers during field visits.
• Guide CFS facilitators in working with children to develop new, creative activities as appropriate.
• Apply and adhere to guiding principles of working with survivors and children at risk, including respect, dignity, security, and confidentiality at all times.
• Responsible of making ‘Best Interest Principle’ the center of all interventions.
• Ensure mapping of service providers including government departments and civil society organizations to support CPO in establishing district-based Referral Mechanism.
• Using a client centered approach, work together with survivors or children at risk to establish action plans based on the needs identified and ensure adequate safety plans exist for the clients.
• Ensure proper use of referral pathways in the field and assist the children and their families to access legal, educational, health, vocational and other services.
• Regularly liaise with the CPO for support and case conferencing together with the Child Protection Coordinator.
• Document cases according to IRC standards and maintain all records in a secure and confidential way.
• Promote awareness among the communities around key child protection issues their monitoring and referral/case management processes.
• Liaise with other service providers to strengthen referral mechanism and always ensure safe and smooth referrals.
• Participate in meetings to share regular updates e.g. number of cases and major categories.
• Liaise with the other team members to highlight any key information necessary to ensure services remain relevant to the children.
• Identify gaps in services or risks shared by the survivor or children at risk and report these to the Child Protection Coordinator.
• Participate in trainings and capacity building events organized by IRC or as per the nominations to participate in other events.
• Develop and submit progress reports as required by the line manager.
• Contribute to research, learning and evidence-based programming through data collection.
• Ensures that safeguarding standards are understood and met and ensures a safe and child-friendly atmosphere in the Child Friendly Space.
• Strengthen community-based child protection mechanisms in coordination with community-based protection colleagues and organizations.
• Any other task as assigned by the supervisor.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Child Protection Field Manager Position Coordinates With: Child Protection Coordinator, Child Protection Manager, Child Friendly Space facilitator, Communities, Children, Government Departments & Civil Society Organizations.

Job Requirements:

a) Education:

Bachelor’s degree in any development discipline. Postgraduate training in any related discipline will be an added advantage.

b) Work Experience:

Should have a minimum of 2 years field experience in child protection Case Management, preferably during refugee response.

c) Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent communication skills
• Applied experience in child protection and protection specific prevention and response in emergencies.
• Experience in Child Protection Case Management.
• Knowledge of basic counselling
• Flexible and positive attitude towards receiving feedback
• Display cultural, gender, religious, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Strong networking skills with relevant stakeholders

Language Skills:

• Excellent written and spoken English skills and Pashto is desirable.

Others:

Gender Equality and Diversity:

IRC recognizes that gender equality is fundamental to the achievement of our organizational mission. As such, IRC is committed to the promotion of gender equality in all aspects of our operations and programs. Our organizational policies, procedures and actions demonstrate this commitment. Women, minorities, persons with disability (PWD) and transgender candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

The IRC Core Values and Commitments. 

 The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.

• IRC is committed to ensuring that IRC staff is suitable to work with children and have the knowledge s/he needs to uphold and abide by the IRC’s Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Level of interaction with children: Less frequent direct contact with children
• IRC recognizes that gender equality is fundamental to the achievement of our organizational mission. As such, IRC is committed to the promotion of gender equality in all aspects of our operations and programs. Our organizational policies, procedures and actions demonstrate this commitment.

Women candidates and persons with disability are highly encouraged to apply.