Protection Associate

About the role

The Protection Associate works for UNHCR in Uganda and reports to the Protection Officer or Senior Protection Officer. The role monitors protection standards, operational procedures and practices against international standards, supports information management and programme staff, and coordinates quality, timely and effective protection responses for populations of concern (PoC). It also helps mainstream protection safeguards across all sectors and liaises with authorities and partners on protection doctrine and policy.

Key responsibilities

• Stay informed on political, social, economic and cultural developments affecting the protection environment and apply international and national law and UN/UNHCR and IASC policy and standards.
• Assist in commenting on draft legislation for PoC, advise PoC on protection issues and liaise with authorities on documentation.
• Contribute to eligibility and status determination, child protection plans, education plans and measures to prevent statelessness.
• Monitor SOPs for protection activities and manage individual protection cases, including GBV and child protection, and intervene in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents.
• Help identify durable solutions such as voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement, and contribute to protection-related AGD programming.
• Provide disaggregated data on PoC, help capacitate authorities and partners on protection legislation, and assist the supervisor in prioritising cases for interview and counselling.
• Enforce compliance of implementing partners with global protection policies and SOPs, submit payment requests for PoC, and raise risks and issues to supervisors.

Required profile

• 3 years of relevant experience with a high school diploma, or 2 years with a bachelor's degree.
• Knowledge of international law and political science, understanding of refugee protection principles, and experience with protection-related guidelines and standards.
• IT and computer literacy.