CANADEM is seeking seasoned professionals
fluent in Arabic and English with previous relevant experience in the field of Humanitarian Affairs who are available for an immediate deployment to Tunisia (with frequent travel to Libya) as a seconded expert with OCHA.
Terms of Reference Position Title: Humanitarian Affairs Officer
Location: Tunisia (for Libya)
P Level: P3
Duration: 6 Months
Application Deadline: 5 October 2017
BackgroundThe humanitarian situation in Libya continues to deteriorate with periodic escalations of armed conflict. The national authorities are increasingly fragmented and there is an increasing number of interlocutors at the central and local level, including a multitude of armed groups, with whom engaged is required for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the preservation of humanitarian space. The UN has been under evacuation order since 2014, but humanitarian actors need to continue to respond to the humanitarian needs. The Humanitarian Response Plan 2017 identified 1.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Across Libya, 17.5% of hospitals (16/97 hospitals), 20.1% of primary health care facilities (273/1355 PHCCs) and 8% (18/204) of other specific service facilities are closed. There are shortages of healthcare workers, medicines, equipment and diagnostic materials, including emergency kids to respond to periodic escalations of conflict. An estimated 400,000 people are food insecure. Some 24% of IDPs (an 18% increase since 2015) are food insecure and 62% are vulnerable to food insecurity. An estimated 552,000 people in Libya are currently in need of shelter assistance and essential non-food items (NFIs). An estimated 500,000 people are in need of access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services. On average 54% of people have reduced access to an adequate supply of water. In total, 558 schools have been affected by the crisis. Of these, 30 schools have been completely damaged, 477 are partially damaged and 51 are accommodating Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). As a result 315,000 children are in need of educational support. Non-Libyans face grave abuses, and thousands continue to lose their lives attempting to reach Europe. Libya is the main point of departure for the Mediterranean crossing to Europe; so far in 2017, more than 2,150 people have died attempting the crossing. The coast guards have rescued over 10,666 people, and it is estimated that 85,150 have crossed/arrived to Europe.
Significant returnee movements are expected to occur in the near future as several government initiatives between tribes and groups enabled the return to thousands of people, often to areas affected by the ERW. The international community looking at ways to support the return efforts with limited funding and considerable access and presence constraints.
Lack of sustained access across Libya is a challenge to rapid humanitarian assessment, monitoring and response in Libya. Continuing to expand the humanitarian footprint is a clear operational priority, which OCHA has been requested to lead. Better input from the local actors is required for the 2018 HNO/HRP process, which urgently requires additional capacity.
The current environment is characterized by increased needs, an increasing fragmentation of the country resulting in a growing number of Libyan counterparts, a growing number of national and international actors engaging in the response, and persistent presence and access problems. This demands a strengthened approach to OCHA’s coordination role across Libya, focusing particularly on establishing and maintaining networks with a multitude of interlocutors. In addition, field coordination support is required to support the setting up of humanitarian hubs on behalf of the humanitarian community.
Main tasks and duties - Assist the Head and Deputy Head of Office in the building and maintaining a network of local partners, including local and central authorities and humanitarian actors
- Support the humanitarian community in increasing its presence in Libya, including through the setting up of local humanitarian hubs.
- Organize local coordination meetings with relevant partners and ensure consistent and substantial participation of local actors in the Humanitarian Programme Cycle for 2018;
- Prepare regular consolidated situation reports highlighting relevant operational factors a fleeting the humanitarian situation and response effort;
- Support and facilitate the development- and implementation of inclusive, field level humanitarian coordination mechanisms, including managing working relationships between funding and implementing agencies of the UN, NGOs and other humanitarian partners in line with the humanitarian reform agenda;
- Facilitate / participate in interagency assessment missions to build consensus on sector and geographic priorities.
- Consult UN agencies, NGOs, the diplomatic community and non-slate actors in order to develop strategies to identify and track information required for early warning of potential conflict and conflict-related vulnerability,
- Liaise with humanitarian partners on the :eQileotlon of information to effectively map areas, of humanitarian needs and response activities.
- Foster and reinforce linkages: between field monitoring, information management and coordination efforts.
- Support advocacy initiatives on issues impacting humanitarian needs and response efforts through the collection of information, liaison with humanitarian partners, government officials, and media, development of appropriate strategies, etc.
- Support the day-to-day work of the national field stiff and build their capacity as relevant, including assisting in mission plans, security clearances and travel authorizations and administrative and security (MOSS / MORSS) management, etc.,
- Specific Requirements
- Solid operational humanitarian field experience, including at sub national levels Proven management experience with diverse teams
- Experience of working closely in support of government / diplomacy.
- Strong spoken and written English communication skills. Spoken Arabic is required,
- A minimum of seven (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and response, inter-agency coordination, or in a related area of expertise with at least three years of that experience must be at the international level,
- A minimum of two (2) years professional field experience (actual setting where a mission and/or project is being implemented) in emergency situations (complex emergency and/or natural disaster) is required,
How to apply:
If you have all of the above-mentioned skills, please register with CANADEM
before contacting us. This can be done on our website at
www.CANADEM.ca/register . Then send an email no later than the 5th of Oct, 11:59 pm EDT to
ben.james@canadem.ca with a Subject Line: "OCHA-HAO-Tunisia (for Libya)". In your email, please include an updated resume, date of availability, your current location, and a phone number where we can reach you.
