Mission and objectives

MONUSCO/MONUC was established in 1999 under the auspices of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). SCR 2277 (2016) requests MONUSCO to support efforts of the Government of DRC towards the protection of civilians, through a comprehensive approach involving all components of MONUSCO, including through reduction of the threat posed by Congolese and foreign armed groups and of violence against civilians, including sexual and gender-based violence and violence against children to a level that can be effectively managed by the Congolese justice and security institutions; and to support Stabilization through the establishment of functional, professional, and accountable state institutions, including security and judicial institutions. The project aims at a better understanding of the most serious violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law in DRC and supports the leadership of the Mission through informed policy and decision making on future vetting of security forces through risk assessment and mitigation, joint planning for MONUSCO operations, as well as advocacy efforts.

Context

Assignment is non-family (GOMA)

Task Description

Under the direct supervision respectively of the North-Eastern DRC JMAC Team Leader (Goma-based post, covering the conflict areas of Bas-Uélé, Haut Uélé, Tshopo, Ituri and North Kivu provinces) and South-Eastern DRC JMAC Team Leader (Bukavu-based post, covering the conflict areas of South Kivu, Maniema, Tanganyika, Haut Katanga, Haut Lomami and Lualaba provinces), and the overall supervision of the Chief JMAC, the UN Volunteer will be tasked with analyzing information depending on requirements of JMAC (Joint Mission Analysis Centre): • Actively contribute to all phases of the peacekeeping-intelligence cycle (collection, collation, analysis and production); • Assist the Team in drafting the Weekly Threat Assessment (WTA), an analytical document produced by JMAC; • Regularly report on any relevant incident or contingency (local conflict, land issues, local political developments, security environment, military developments, and foreign armed group presence); • Present feasible solutions to avoid, prevent or manage security risks in the designed area; • Interact with MONUSCO civilian sections, the MONUSCO Force (Military) and UNPOL (Police) as well as UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes and NGOs to better understand the socio-economic as well as the politico-military-security nuances of the conflict in the DRC, and to assist the JMAC team in understanding and assessing conflict dynamics including threats and risks at national and local levels, as well as regional dynamics/level; • Assist the team in interacting with key Congolese players of the military and political environment, operating in the Area of Responsibility (AoR), including spoilers; • Interact with and gather in-depth information on political, military, religious and civil society actors; • Gather information on the cross-border illegal regional networks and their connections to the current conflict; • Research and provide recommendations and potential courses-of-action at strategic, operational and tactical levels aiming at preventing-mitigating-transforming the conflict; • Participate in fact-finding and other missions to the field, including in armed group-controlled areas; • Collect and collate information into structured forms, including databases; • Assist the Team in editing documents in English and French language; • Perform other duties, as required.

Competencies and values

• Communication • Creativity • Ethics and Values • Integrity • Planning and Organizing • Professionalism • Respect for Diversity and Gender • Teamwork • Commitment to continuous learning

Living conditions and remarks

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa, and as a result is quite diverse. Living conditions therefore vary between MONUSCO duty stations, with all usual amenities present in the capital Kinshasa, but only very basic conditions in remote duty stations in the provinces, where, for instance, there may be no guarantee of public power supply nor running water. The ability to live and work in difficult and harsh conditions of developing countries is essential. Accommodation is very expensive in both Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. Supermarkets exist in the large towns (e.g. Bukavu, Kisangani), but consumer items are generally very expensive (as everything is imported). For food, local markets offer a much cheaper alternative. All MONUSCO duty stations are considered non-family duty stations, except for Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Entebbe which are now considered family duty stations, and most are currently under UN Security Phase III (“relocation phase”: internationally-recruited staff are temporarily concentrated or relocated to specified sites/locations). In addition to insecurity related to the relatively volatile political situation as well as various conflict situations, certain places are subject to increasing street and residential crime, including in Kinshasa and Goma. Some degree of medical service is provided in all MONUSCO duty stations. Certain vaccinations are mandatory for MONUSCO personnel to enter the DRC, while others are compulsory for all other incoming persons. It is possible for incoming MONUSCO personnel, including UN Volunteers, to be asked to provide proof of some or all vaccinations, though this is unlikely. All UN Volunteers must ensure that they are up-to-date with all appropriate vaccinations, which should be clearly and properly endorsed in the International Certificate of Vaccination (“carte jaune”). Malaria is present virtually throughout the DRC, and it is therefore recommended to take prophylaxis. The unit of currency is the Congolese Franc. The US dollar is the other preferred currency. It may be impossible to exchange traveller’s checks away from the capital city. Credit cards are usually accepted in major hotels only in Kinshasa. In larger towns and cities (e.g. Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani), UN Volunteers are recommended to open US Dollar bank accounts, while in other places, banks may be absent (including ATMs) and VLA payments will be processed in cash. UN Volunteers have the possibility to send part of their allowances to a bank account abroad. In addition to French, there are four major spoken languages in DRC, namely Lingala, Kikongo, Tshiluba and Swahili.