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Qualifications

1. Background 

South Sudan has continued to experience protracted humanitarian crises since 2013, orchestrated by cyclic trends of disasters and conflict. The current wave of acute food insecurity, famine, malnutrition, and their related risk of epidemic-prone disease, is driven by climatic shocks (floods and dry spells), insecurity (caused by sub-national and localized violence), population displacements, persistent annual cereal deficits, diseases and pests, economic crisis and hyperinflation. The protracted emergencies currently graded at UN Level 3 have resulted in mass population displacement, worsening food insecurity, malnutrition, and heightened risk of disease outbreaks leaving an estimated 8.9 million people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance (HRP 2022). Access to essential services has been cut off increasing dependency on humanitarian assistance. Available data posits that the country has suffered from a triple shock of sub-national violence, food insecurity, and flooding that began in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 depleting local coping mechanisms, and it is projected that the trends will continue into the last quarter of 2022 as evidence by the current floods in most states of South Sudan. It is expected that the floods and insecurity will further decimate people’s livelihoods and social services mechanisms sending more people into displaced camps where the risk of disease outbreaks is higher.

Objectives of the WHO’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme.

Since the start of 2022, South Sudan has suffered simultaneous outbreaks of diseases, including cholera, hepatitis E, meningitis, anthrax, and measles in most of the high-risk counties, with COVID-19, and malaria affecting all 80 counties. The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme is to help countries, and coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies. The ongoing floods, acute food insecurity, and other humanitarian responses in the country are intended to ensure continuity of access to essential health and nutrition services, address the increased health needs, and prevent and respond to disease outbreaks in emergency locations in a fashionable and well-coordinated manner.

Purpose of the position

To promote safeguarding principles as part of WHO’s commitment toward the core humanitarian and public health principles. The PSEAH officer will work under the guidance of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Team Lead and technical officers to mainstream PSEAH strategies across the emergency programs, providing support for the prevention and response to sexual exploitation abuse and harassment (PRSEAH) to the WHO Emergencies program in accordance with the WHO PRSEAH global guidelines. Accordingly, the incumbent will support assessments, program design, implementation, monitoring, capacity building, and establishment of a framework for PSEAH accountably within the program.

2. Job Description

Task Description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Emergency Team Lead or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the PSEAH officer will:

1. Support the EPR Team Lead and technical officers on matters and activities related to PRSEAH, keeping them updated on SEAH requirements.
2. Coordinate with the WCO PSEAH focal point to implement the Country Office Plan on PRSEAH, within the border framework of WHO’s work on the same.
3. Act as the focal point for the assessment of SEAH risk in the emergency programs, and work with relevant colleagues to develop and monitor risk mitigation plans.
4. Ensure compliance with SEAH guidelines across the emergency programs.
5. Ensure WHO Emergency Program fulfills the interagency requirements for PSEAH and contributes to joint work such as community-based complaints mechanisms, support for Joint missions, and bring any gaps to the attention of the Team Lead.
6. Work with programs, WCO PSEAH focal point, and administrative colleagues in WHO, to map victim survivor services in-country and highlight gaps
7. Be available to receive SEAH complaints, concerns, and allegations from victims and survivors, bystanders, or witnesses in a safe and confidential manner to be shared only with WHO’s investigation services, and ensure all victims and survivors are referred to the services they need
8. Document and share lessons learned and participate in learning activities in the WHO global PRSEAH network.
9. Facilitate briefing and training on PRSEAH of the EPR workforce and implementing partners.
10. Participate in a continuous learning program that includes attending monthly PRSEAH Network meetings that provide a learning forum to learn from each other as well as from experts.
11. Assessing and managing SREAH risk in the emergency programs using the WHO risk assessment tool.
12. Ensure all personnel has completed mandatory training on SEA and SH, and that they received context-specific briefings, training, and refreshers. There should additionally be tailored training for each group of personnel including drivers, cleaners, and others who may otherwise not be included in WHO training.
13. Communicate clearly and repeatedly the obligation of all personnel to raise any concern related to SEAH directly to authorized officials and the WHO Internal Oversight Services (IOS).
14. Assess and build up implementing partner’s PRSEAH capacities and hold them accountable as per the UN Protocol on Allegations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Involving Implementing Partners
15. Empower communities and adopt a victim and survivor-centered approach for implementing the UN Protocol on the provision of Assistance to Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. This includes ensuring, with other partners, that communities are made aware of SEA, how to make complaints safely and how to access services.

3. Qualifications/Requirements

Essential: University degree in social sciences, gender. law, human rights, international development, and international relations. public health or other development-related fields.

Desirable: Specialized training in PRSEAH, gender, human rights, gender, or gender-based violence.

4. Experience

Essential: A minimum of two years of relevant experience in plans and programs related to sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, gender-based violence, staff misconduct and discipline, gender mainstreaming, and/or humanitarian affairs.

Desirable: Exposure to the International development, emergency and humanitarian settings and architecture, familiarity with the UN system and global coordination structures like the IASC

5. Other desired/mandatory required technical knowledge.

Integrity, objectivity, and professional competence- Strong communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills- Effective time-management skills- Strong capacity to embrace cultural diversity and sensitivity to gender issues- Ability to maintain confidentiality and ensure constant data protection- Ability to work in a stressful environment.

6. Use of Language Skills

Excellent knowledge of English. Working knowledge of another WHO official language would be an asset.

7. Other Skills (e.g. IT)

Knowledge of Microsoft Office software applications.  Excellent presentation skills.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.
• For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO’s workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• This is a National Professional Officer position. Therefore, only applications from nationals of the country where the duty station is located will be accepted. Applicants who are not nationals of this country will not be considered.