The Position:

Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Representative, and with direct supervision of Programme Specialist, Gender Equality/Gender-Based Violence, the Coordination Specialist, Gender-Based Violence(GBV) & Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) will support the Myanmar Country office in leading coordination platforms for GBV and MHPSS in Myanmar. More specifically, this includes chairing national-level GBV sub-cluster, providing technical and coordination support to state-level GBV working groups, co-chairing national-level MHPSS working group, and representing GBV and MHPSS coordination mechanism at inter-agency forum. 

The Coordination Specialist, GBV/MHPSS is located in the UNFPA Country Office in Yangon, Myanmar. 

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 new strategic plan (2018-2021), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. 

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:

UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. We support countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. Advancing gender equality and promoting the empowerment of women is a key programme priority of UNFPA Myanmar’s fourth Country Programme Document (2018-2025). This includes addressing gaps in gender equality, improving sexual and reproductive health services, responding to and preventing Gender Based Violence (GBV) and integrating gender equality and human rights perspectives into national policies, development frameworks and laws. 

Under its global mandate to address GBV in humanitarian settings, and as the lead agency for multi sectoral coordination of GBV, UNFPA is committed to ensuring that women and girls affected by the different emergencies are protected and that the needs of GBV survivors are met through adequate health responses, psychosocial support and case management in line with international guidelines and best practices. In Myanmar, UNFPA leads the national GBV sub-cluster under the Protection Cluster (led by UNHCR and Norwegian Refugee Council) and works closely with Child Protection area of responsibility (led by UNICEF and Danish Refugee Council) and MHPSS working group (led by UNFPA and Action contre la Faim) to ensure strong linkages between the sub-cluster and the Protection Cluster. UNFPA currently also assumes lead role for state-level GBV working groups in Rakhine, Kachin, Shan, Northwest, Southeast and Yangon. MHPSS Working Group currently operates at the national level, but with strong participation from the field level. MHPSS working group is also under Protection Cluster and sits in at the Protection Cluster Strategic Advisory Group. 

The incumbent will assist the Myanmar Country office in leading GBV and MHPSS coordination mechanism. He/she will provide GBV/MHPSS coordination support for national and state-level GBV sub-cluster/working groups and MHPSS working group to ensure strong partnership and collaboration with the UN, CSOs and national/international NGOs towards a comprehensive multi-sectoral GBV survivor-centered prevention and response and prioritization/integration of quality MHPSS services. 

Through the coordination mechanism, the GBV/MHPSS Coordination Specialist will support quality and multi-sectoral service delivery, contribute to strategic decision making, plan and implement sector/cluster strategies, coordinate for monitoring and evaluation, build national capacity and support advocacy. He/she will coordinate closely with the UNFPA Gender/GBV team and other relevant programme colleagues to reinforce linkages between humanitarian and development interventions.

A.  Coordination: 

Act as co-chair for the national MHPSS Working Group, currently a working group of the Protection Sector, and maintain strong links with other clusters/sectors including the Health Cluster. This includes building effective relationship with a range of MHPSS actors in Myanmar and ensuring their activities are coordinated. Lead and coordinate the national GBV sub-cluster and provide regular oversight and support for GBV coordination at the state level.  Lead the GBV Information Management System (GBVIMS) Task Force, inclusive of ensuring quality reporting, analysis and presentation of data collected through GBVIMS. This also includes strong collaboration with the global GBVIMS Steering Committee as well as leading the process of GBVIMS+ rollout in Myanmar. Work in close collaboration with the relevant counterparts, the chairs of the various working groups/clusters, and other stakeholders to strengthen and facilitate inter-agency, multi-sectoral GBV prevention and response interventions at national level. Represent GBV sub-cluster/MHPSS working group at the Protection Cluster, Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) and other relevant inter-agency coordination forum. Work in close partnerships with other sectors/clusters to ensure GBV and MHPSS are mainstreamed across other areas of humanitarian intervention, such as, shelter, WASH and health sectors. Promote and facilitate the inclusion of GBV and MHPSS into all assessment tools, preparedness and contingency planning, the Humanitarian Programme Cycle and other appeal processes and documents.

B.  Capacity Building and Technical Support:

Provide technical support in developing and implementing a multi-sectoral and coordinated GBV prevention and response programmes for GBV humanitarian actors to include referral and reporting mechanisms, information sharing, coordination and monitoring/evaluation Ensure coordinated capacity building support for MHPSS working group members by setting quality assurance and standard training packages.  Develop harmonized guidelines and tools for MHPSS working group. Provide technical support to identify capacity building needs, develop capacity building plan and conduct a series of capacity building activities for GBV sub-cluster members to ensure quality and multi-sectoral GBV prevention and response interventions. Support strengthening of coordination capacities of chairs/co-chairs of state-level GBV working groups. Support development of IEC materials in line with international best practices to be utilized by GBV sub-cluster and MHPSS working group members. Provide technical support to other sectors/clusters to ensure adequate mainstreaming and integration of GBV and MHPSS related issues.

C. Advocacy and Informing Strategic Decision-Making:

Coordinate assessments and studies conducted by GBV sub-cluster members and disseminate the findings/reports to mitigate GBV risks and ensure effective GBV service delivery. In line with the Protection Cluster Strategy and Advocacy Strategy, identify key advocacy issues in consultation with GBV sub-cluster/MHPSS working group members and carry out advocacy activities. Support GBV and MHPSS actors to collect, store, analyze and disseminate relevant data in ethical and safe manner to be utilized for advocacy, programming, strategic planning and decision-making, etc. In collaboration with Protection Cluster, produce advocacy materials, required data, and document briefs to highlight and advance GBV and MHPSS issues. 

D. Monitoring and evaluation:

Conduct monitoring and evaluation as per the Humanitarian Response Plan. Working closely with Protection Cluster, ensure quality and timely reporting to the Protection 4Ws and any other reporting requirement. Support implementation of MHPSS working group indicator framework. Carry out any other duties as may be required by UNFPA leadership. 

 

Qualifications and Experience 

Education: 

Advanced University degree with specialization in areas such as public health, psychology, (clinical) social work, gender studies, development studies, law, or other related disciplines.

Knowledge and Experience: 

Five years of relevant professional experience, including experiences on GBV/MHPSS-related coordination and programme management.  Demonstrated experience engaging with and providing technical assistance to national actors and counterparts.  Demonstrated knowledge of Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on MHPSS in Emergency Settings, GBV Standard Operating Procedures, GBV Information Management System, IASC GBV Guidelines, GBV Coordination Handbook, etc. Demonstrated experience on Counseling skills and clinical supervision of lay counsellors. Field experience in complex emergencies, including humanitarian emergency response, in the areas of GBV and/or MHPSS will be an asset.

Languages: 

Fluency in oral and written English is essential.

 

Compensation and Benefits 

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus cost of living adjustment, rental subsidy, education grant, home leave, health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

Disclaimer 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm

In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.