Associate Protection Officer - Panama City, Panama

Associate Protection Officer - Panama City, Panama

May 6, 2011

Application Deadline: May 27, 2011

Applications must be emailed to JPOCoordinator@state.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on the date indicated in order to be considered. Thank you.


How to Apply:
Please note that PRM-sponsored JPO positions are open to U.S. Citizens only.
Applicants must submit a completed United Nations Personal History form (UN P-11) via email to JPOCoordinator@state.gov by the deadline noted above. The UN P-11 form is available for download from the UNHCR website at http://www.unhcr.org/recruit/p11new.doc. PRM will accept the UN P-11 form without a signature. If desired, you may also submit a resume, curriculum vitae and a letter of interest. Please specify the position for which you are applying in the Subject line of the email (i.e. Associate Protection Officer – Kabul, AFGHANISTAN). You must send a separate email and application for each position for which you are qualified and wish to be considered. For more information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions on the PRM website.


PRM Notes:

• For more information about UNHCR’s operations at this post, please visit the UNHCR website at www.unhcr.org.
• Degree in International Law (LL.B) and 4 years of work experience or Advanced Degree in International Law (LL.M or JD) and 2 years of experience.
• At least two years relevant experience in humanitarian/legal work, desirably at the international level.
• Proficiency in written and oral English and Spanish required.
• The JPO job description and related information attached are provided by UNHCR.
• JPO contracts are initially issued for one (1) year and then renewed. American JPOs are expected to serve a complete (2) two-year JPO term.

Associate Protection Officer (JPO) 
Panama City, Panama
GENERAL INFORMATION
Title of the post: Associate Protection Officer (JPO)
Sector: Protection
Location: Panama City, Panama
Duration of the assignment: 2 years
SUPERVISION
Title of Supervisor: Representative P-4
Content and methodology of the supervision: The incumbent will receive direct supervision from the Representative on the day-to-day performance of his/her duties as well as guidance on general operational priorities and the political context of UNHCR operations in Panama.


DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contribute to the overall Protection Strategy of UNHCR Panama;
• Support government counterpart, ONPAR, in the process of Refugee Status Determination (RSD, including analysis of cases and presentation of recommendations on cases to the Eligibility Commission (National Commission for the Protection of Refugees);
• Coordinate the protection responses to individuals or groups in need of international protection with NGO partners and liaise with the government counterparts accordingly, with a focus on durable solutions.
• Contribute to Office efforts to strengthen the legislative framework for asylum, including advocacy initiatives with the Government and civil society sector;
• Undertake visits to the field at the border regions in accordance with UNDSS security regulations and to detention centres to assess the protection needs of persons of concern, including assessment of asylum claims, and provide the relevant recommendations;
• Assist the protection unit to discharge its protection functions with regard to the participation by UNHCR in the national commission of eligibility;
• Assist in the preparation of and conduct training courses on refugee status determination for the asylum authorities, the national commission of eligibility, immigration and other appropriate officials;
• Monitor the implementation of the legal counselling project by local partners and conduct training and coaching for project staff;
• Conduct researches (on country of origin and legal issues), manage and improve the country of origin knowledge base, reports on general trends in the relevant countries of origin and reply to queries on specific legal and protection issues;
• Provide analysis on the protection environment in Panama, in English and/or Spanish;
• Perform other duties as directed by the Representative.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Qualifications: University Degree in Law, International Law. LLB and 4 years of work experience or LLM (or JD) and 2 years of work experience.
Experience: Two years relevant experience in humanitarian/legal work, desirably at the international level.
Skills: Very good interpersonal skills and excellent written and oral communication skills in Spanish and English.
Competencies required:
Functional competencies:

• Protecting refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR
• Establishing eligibility for refugee status
• Promoting refugee law/protection principles
• Protecting refugees and other persons of concern at the field level
• Providing protection information

Cross functional competencies:

• Analytical Thinking
• Innovation & Creativity
• Negotiation & Conflict Resolution
• Technological Awareness
• Planning & Organizing
• Policy Research & Development
• Political Awareness
• Stakeholder Management
• Change Capability & Adaptability

Learning Programs:

• The JPO is expected to learn, and be conversant about the legal and protection instruments applied by UNHCR in the provision of assistance, and also about the search for durable solutions for refugees.
• Competence will be developed in the application of UNHCR standards to the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) procedures in Panama.
• The incumbent’s negotiation skills are expected to improve by the end of the assignment as his/her work will involve interventions with the government on the reform and implementation of the legal framework of asylum.
• The JPO will be involved in the drafting of annual and periodic reports such as the Summary Protection Assessment in the Country Operation Plan and in FOCUS. Drafting/Communication skills in both English and Spanish are expected to improve by the end of the assignment.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Office/Staffing
UNHCR Panama has one office in Panama City from which it also covers the border regions, in particular the Darien and Kuna Yala. The Office is staffed with one (01) international staff, five (05) local staff and two (02) national UNV.
Assistance Programs
The humanitarian crisis in Colombia has resulted in refugee movements to surrounding countries. Asylum-seekers enter into Panama mainly through the capital (airport) and to some extent, the Province of Darien at the border with Colombia.
The protection environment for asylum-seekers and refugees is restrictive. There is an insufficient refugee legal framework and practice not in accordance with the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, international human rights law and other relevant international standards. While the national legislation relating to asylum contains provisions on non-refoulement and the principle of no-sanction for illegal entry of refugees, the practice is largely discretionary, especially on the part of the Migration Office. There were several instances of refoulement at airports, sea, and land borders. Receptions conditions lack minimum safeguards, including documentation.


One of UNHCR´s main challenge is the status of some 863 Colombian refugees living in Darien since 1998/1999 and who have been placed under a special legal temporary protection regime by the Government of Panama (Temporary Humanitarian Protection Regime). This group suffers severe restrictions to freedom of movement (permit is required to circulate outside of the assigned village of residence) and is not afforded minimum rights such as access to labor rights. UNHCR and the civil society continue to promote the granting of permanent legal residency rights for this group.
Panama is also a country of both transit and destination for mixed migration flows. The arrival of so-called extra-continental migrants (mostly undocumented) has been an issue of concern to the authorities. UNHCR is working on establishing, together with IOM and the government, a mechanism to identify and refer asylum-seekers or victims of trafficking in need of international protection within broader migration movements, as part of the regional Puebla Process.
As of May 2010, the total number of refugees recognized by the Panamanian government is 1,105, 863 persons registered under a temporary humanitarian regime and 534 asylum-seekers. The population of concern to UNHCR comprises a rural population in the Province of Darien, mainly indigenous and afro-descendent Colombians who crossed the southern border in Panama and an urban refugee population in the capital and surroundings. While Panama has a relatively small refugee population when compared with neighboring countries, such as, for example, Ecuador and Costa Rica, this number is not representative of the actual size of the population currently residing in Panama that might be in need of international protection. Lack of information and distrust in the asylum process may explain that many have not approached the authorities in charge of asylum.


UNHCR´s activities include advocacy and lobbying for the legal reform, support to the national body in charge of eligibility, provision of legal counselling to asylum-seekers and small-scale humanitarian assistance to vulnerable cases.
UNHCR contributes to the provision of assistance to asylum seekers, refugees and other persons in need of international protection in Panama through agreements with three (03) NGO partners and one (01) government agency.
Humanitarian assistance, including medical care, housing, and food allowances to new arrivals and particularly vulnerable individuals such as women-at-risk, single parent households, unaccompanied minors, victims of violence, etc.
Legal assistance and counseling to asylum seekers, refugees, persons under temporary humanitarian protection regime and other persons of concern, directly by UNHCR and/or its partners in Panama City and the border region.
Community projects benefiting persons of concern and their vulnerable receiving populations in the border regions of Darien and Kuna Yala (Solidarity Borders component of the Mexico Plan of Action).


Special projects related to Sexual and Gender Based Violence, including awareness raising and capacity building initiatives, income generating activities, and support to safe-shelter facilities in Panama City and in the border regions.


Living Conditions
Panama City, with a population of one million, is the capital of the Republic of Panama. Panama is a duty station “A”. Security clearance by UNDSS is required only for the Darien border region, which is under Security Phase 1. Supplementary information on the conditions in Panama is available on: http://www.ipat.gov.pa