The Position:

The Gender Based Violence in Emergency (GBViE) Specialist post is in the Programme Support Unit of the Humanitarian Response Division (HRD) in Geneva. The post reports to the Head of the Programme Support Unit and works in close relationship with other work streams of HRD, regional and field offices on gender based violence in emergency settings.

The position reports the Head of the Programme Support Unit.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The overall purpose of the Humanitarian Response Division (HRD) is to facilitate the delivery of the UNFPA mandate by leading emergency response and supporting humanitarian preparedness actions in increasingly complex humanitarian situations, within globally agreed frameworks (2030 Agenda, Grand Bargain Commitments, Sendai Framework, etc.). The HRD leads in leveraging and increasing effectiveness, efficiency and capacity of UNFPA staff and partners to scale up UNFPA’s role as a key global humanitarian leader. Through the Inter-Agency Standing Committee for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (IASC) and other associated entities, the HRD acts as a point of convergence on humanitarian activities, including policy, coordination, programming, advocacy, field capacity development, resource mobilization, innovation, partnerships, technical guidance and, crucially, thematic integration, ensuring complementarity between humanitarian and development action within the organization.

HRD advocates among humanitarian agencies to include sexual and reproductive health and rights needs and sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response needs and humanitarian concerns and specific needs of women, adolescents and young people into the overall humanitarian preparedness and response frameworks. The HRD facilitates the development of UNFPA capacities to prepare and respond to the emergencies and to ensure the Agency is well equipped to deal with the context of fragility and disaster risk reduction.

Under the supervision and guidance of the Head of the Programme Support Unit, the GBViE Specialist supports country offices in implementing the outcomes of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)+25 Nairobi Summit, Global Compact for Refugees (GCR), Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), Global Youth Compact, Grand Bargain and other international fora commitments such as the Oslo Conference on Ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, and advance strategic cooperation at the interagency level in the advancing of GBViE. Works closely with internal and external partners to enhance collaboration and partnerships and collaborates with other work streams in HRD. S/he has supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

Advanced university degree in Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Gender, International Development, or other related fields.

Knowledge and Experience:

• At least 7 years of increasing responsibility and professional experience in emergency preparedness and development relevant to gender-based violence in emergency, gender equality, reproductive rights, public health, or similar
• Familiarity with IASC and other humanitarian coordination mechanisms, guiding principles and standards.
• Substantive knowledge and practical experience in the area of gender-based violence in emergency, including strategic planning and programme development, management and reporting
• Experience working with the UN System and with donors
• Excellent communications and writing skills in English
• At least 3 years field experience in emergency setting is required.

Languages:

Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of other official UN languages an asset.