Cameroon: 16-066: Child Protection Specialist

16-066: Child Protection Specialist

BACKGROUND

International Medical Corps, a global humanitarian nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs, seeks candidates for the position of Child Protection Specialist in Cameroon.

Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, International Medical Corps is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in underserved communities worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, International Medical Corps rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.

International Medical Corps has been present in Cameroon since 2008 to provide assistance to thousands of CAR refugees sheltered in Cameroon as a consequence of the political and social troubles which occurred in CAR since 2005. Since 2010, International Medical Corps has been operating in the Far North region of Cameroon implementing humanitarian health, nutrition, protection and WASH support activities to vulnerable communities. The recent escalation of violence in the north east of Nigeria and neighboring countries since 2014, has led to the mass flow of refugees into the Far North region of Cameroon, 60% of those are women and children. I addition there has been a large displacement of communities within the region, leaving children highly vulnerable. International Medical Corps is currently services in support of these conflict affected communities.

International Medical Corps is providing services in the Minawao refugee camp, which currently host 45,000 people. IMC is providing a high impact primary health care services, as well as key nutrition activities. With the support from BPRM, IMC has set up a child protection program within the camp. Nigerian refugee children in Cameroon are vulnerable to specific protection concerns that have been widely documented with Boko Haram’s practice of abducting girls for the purposes of sexual enslavement garnering international media attention. In addition to sexual violence, children have experienced or been at-risk for forcible recruitment, forced labor and other forms of exploitation and abuse in countries-of-origin or while in transit to refugee camps.

JOB SUMMARY

The Child Protection Specialist is responsible of the oversight and management of the Child Protection in emergencies project implementation in Minawao refugee site. S/he is responsible for ensuring the quality and consistence of the project implementation by providing technical support in staff recruitment, coordination (Internal and External), and staff capacity building.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for the set-up, overall Project Management and leadership of the Child Friendly Spaces activities including psychosocial support as well as community awareness activities in coordination with other sector.
• Promotes the protection of children’s rights through establishment of Child Friendly Spaces in the Minawao refugee site
• Appropriately supervise mobilise, train and mentor child protection committees, social workers and community animators in relation to child protection issues and raising awareness on the Child Protection policy and child right.
• Liaises with IMC Mental Health and Psychosocial Support technical unit to ensure that CFSs are set up and managed in line with global and IASC guidelines and that children receive basic psychosocial support.
• Identifies child rights issues affecting children in the camp and advocates for redressing of these issues. Networks with stakeholder organizations working on child protection and establishes relevant referral pathways for managing child protection concerns and to ensure children can access a holistic set of services
• Network with Government authorities and other stakeholders for successful facilitation of Child Rights and Child Protection issues.
• Liaises with the GBV program to ensure that child survivors of sexual abuse and/or exploitation receive appropriate care and follow-up
• Actively participate in relevant sector and inter-sector coordination meetings, identifying opportunities to advocate on the right of the child and CFS implementation through exchange of information and negotiations
• Adapt, implement and maintain child protection monitoring procedures and information systems and ensure that child protection team is trained for its data collection and monitoring duties.
• Produce High quality and timely report within agreed deadline
• Negotiates with donors in mobilizing resources for the CFS and other Project needs.
• Provides strategic and advisory services to country senior management team on Child rights and Child protection issues.
• Advises the country Program on the Child Rights and Child Protection initiatives in tandem with the needs of the target group.
• Together with the Technical Unit, formulates and enforces IMC specific Child Protection policies in line with the International, Regional and National statutes governing Child Rights issues and according to global guidelines (e.g. IASC, UNICEF).
• Monitors and ensures adherence to child protection policies for the national office and program.
• Facilitates and participates in staff recruitment in liaison with HR
• Ensure application and compliance of security protocols and policies,
• Consider security implications of all program activities, reviewing new initiatives with all staff, partners and community leaders.

“Other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all inclusive.”

QUALIFICATIONS

“To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function with or without reasonable accommodation.”

• A Master Degree in Law, Social Work, Social Sciences or Development Studies
• At least 3 years of increasing project management experience in a child protection programming, with a focus on child friendly spaces and case management preferred
• At least five years’ experience in humanitarian assistance work around child protection issues
• A good working knowledge of children’s rights and the international conventions dealing with children’s rights and child protection.
• Capacity to oversee the financial management of programme and departmental budgets and ensure accountability for resources both human and financial
• Proficiency in Word, Excel and PowerPoint an added advantage
• Fluency in French and English required,

How to apply: Please go to: Child Protection Specialist and follow the instructions for applying online.

“International Medical Corps is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.”

How to apply:

To officially begin the application process, qualified candidates please go to our career page http://careers.internationalmedicalcorps.org/careers.aspx , noting where you noticed the position you are applying for and complete the online employment application form.