Community-Based Protection and Gender-Based Violence Officer

Job Description

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based): A (least hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based): Family

Staff Member / Affiliate Type: International Expert UN Volunteer

Target Start Date: 2025-09-01

Deadline for Applications: August 22, 2025

Terms of Reference

Description of assignment title: Community-Based Protection / Gender-Based Violence Officer

Mission and objectives: UNHCR works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution, war or disaster at home.  Since 1950, UNHCR has provided support in the face of multiple crises globally, and provided vital assistance to refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced and stateless people, many of whom have nobody left to turn to.  UNHCR helps save lives and build better futures for millions forced from their homes.  

Assignment context:

In September 2024, building on the previous experience with the issuance of Humanitarian Visas for Afghan nationals, Brazil launched a new initiative of community sponsorship for Afghans – the “Resettlement, Admission, and Humanitarian Reception Program through Complementary Pathways and Community Sponsorship for Afghan Nationals”.

The initiative aims to (i) improve access to protection and provide better conditions for local integration of Afghans, (ii) promote greater coordination between the actors involved in the reception arrangements, (iii) ensure better use of resources, and (iv) provide parameters for civil society organizations involved in the initiative. A call for applications was issued in October 2024, for civil society organizations interested in joining the community sponsorship programme. Selected organizations will be accredited to receive at least 700 new arrivals of Afghans already expected in 2025. The government of Brazil will accept project proposals from interested sponsors on a rolling basis throughout 2025, so that these numbers are expected to increase.

UNHCR has already started to work with the Brazilian authorities to provide technical assistance and capacity building to all actors involved in the community sponsorship. This has been done through technical support to the establishment of the programme, through the outreach and capacity building of civil society organizations who are interested in becoming sponsors, and through the development of specific operating procedures and guidelines for the identification and referral of individuals by UNHCR.

The position is part of the Field Office São Paulo unit and is directed supervised by the Head of the Field Office. The incumbent will support the office in providing support to the protection component of UNHCR’s support to Brazil’s community sponsorship programme for Afghan nationals within the São Paulo Office Area of Responsibility.

Task description: Within the framework of delegated authority and under the supervision of the Head of Office Field Office and/or his/her designated representative, the UN Volunteer will carry out the following tasks:

• Maintain protection presence through regular field missions and reports, making direct contact with Persons of Concern (PoC) and partners.
• Be fully informed about community structures and the protection and security situation of the population of concern and develop strong links with a cross-section of members of refugee communities, using an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) approach.
• Ensure that the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the PoC are reflected in the protection strategy, planning processes and operations plan addressing the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, minority groups such as sexual minorities and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
• Support communities in establishing representation and coordination structures.
• Support PoC to develop structures that enhance their participation and protection.
• Promote and integrate community-based approaches to protection and contribute to capacity-building initiatives for communities and individuals to assert their rights.
• Support the application of community-based approaches in programming and communities considered as key stakeholders.
• Support the systematic application of participatory, community, rights-based, and gender-responsive protection approaches throughout the phases of the local operation, assisting in the implementation of community-based Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response as well as community-based child protection programmes, consistent with the Brazilian protection environment and regulation.
• Proposing and supporting the elaboration communication with communities’ informative material.
• Conduct needs assessments, in coordination with the Brazil operation, and identify the main challenges on Child Protection (CP) and GBV prevention, mitigation, and response, including through focus group discussions (FGD), key informant interviews (KII), and the observation approach.
• Conduct capacity-building sessions on CP and GBV prevention and response for the Afghan cultural mediators and GBV awareness raising with the Afghan community, as well as workshops for UNHCR and partners’ staff on the most prevalent forms of GBV and CP in the Afghan community, and ways to mitigate, prevent and respond to them.
• Support and build capacity and systems for individual GBV case management for survivors and persons at-risk of GBV.
• Participate in initiatives to capacitate national authorities, relevant institutions and NGOs to strengthen national protection related legislation and procedures.
• Draft routine documents, contribute to assessments, and participate in inter-agency meetings.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Required education: Bachelor degree or equivalent

Area(s) of specialization (education): Social Assistance, Psychology, Business Administration, Political Science, International Relations, Law.

Required experience: 7 years of relevant work experience

Required skills and experience:

• Essential
  • Professional experience related to the protection of Afghan refugees and/or persons in need of international protection in host countries.
  • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development.
  • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.
  • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment.
  • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.
• Desirable
  • Previous work providing technical guidance related to and/or applying UNHCR’s policies on CBP, AGD and Accountability to Affected People (APP), child protection, disability, youth empowerment and gender equality.
  • Previous work with capacity-building initiatives regarding community-based refugee protection.

Area(s) of expertise: Community Development; Crisis and Emergency; and Social Work

Languages: Fluency in English and Dari are required. Fluency in Pashto is desirable.

Living conditions and other remarks: Brazil is South America’s largest and only Portuguese-speaking country. A considerable number of expatriates lives in Brazil. In the Southeast Region of the country, São Paulo is the most populous city in Brazil, the Americas, the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere, as well as the largest economy by GDP in Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere. The city serves as the capital of the surrounding state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest state in Brazil. It is a cosmopolitan, melting pot city that exerts strong international influences in commerce, finance, arts, and entertainment and is home to the largest Arab, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese diasporas.

Air and water pollution in the city is intense, and São Paulo is also increasingly susceptible to drought and water shortages due to climate change and despite heavy rain and lightning during summer. Winters in São Paulo can also be cold, with cloudiness around town, frequent polar air masses and occasional frosts.

The living conditions in São Paulo are good as well as the access to health services. The access to medical services is good. Accommodation facilities are in general good, and the choice is wide. Rent for a small one-bedroom / studio apartment ranges from 250 USD (unfurnished) to 800 USD (furnished) per month.

Security is generally good with some exceptions and caution is always advisable in larger cities. UNDSS provides clear security guidelines, as well as risk and mitigation measures, which can be consulted at their website. All United Nations personnel must scrupulously comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment in Brazil.

The currency used in Brazil is called Real (BRL). In July 2025, the average exchange rate is 1 USD = 5.51 BRL. Many hotels, restaurants and businesses in Brazil accept the main international credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, etc.). It is also possible to withdraw cash from automatic telling machines found in all the major cities.

To enter Brazil, a valid passport is required. Nationals of other countries may be required to have an entry visa or long stay visa. They should contact the closest Brazilian representation. The UNV Field Unit can assist in booking temporary accommodation for the first nights at UN Volunteer expenses, which can be extended or not at UN Volunteer discretion until getting permanent accommodation. Note: For all international travel to Brazil, security clearance must be requested a minimum of 7 days prior to travel.

It is required that Volunteers be duly vaccinated against Covid-19 and yellow fever.

Brazil is a unique country. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as stamina and commitment to make life comfortable and affordable.

Inclusivity statement: United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin, or other status.

In the selection process for this UNV position, UNHCR aims to hire candidates from groups still underrepresented in its workforce in Brazil, namely black people, indigenous people, transgender persons and persons with disabilities. Refugees of all nationalities, regardless of race, sex, gender identity, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other status are highly encouraged to apply. Candidates will be treated equally regardless of their social status.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements: Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity’s policy

Other information: This position doesn’t require a functional clearance

Remote: No.

Deadline for Applications: August 22, 2025

“While we try our best to keep our information updated, the closing date of the actual job source may be changed by the recruiter without prior notice. With this, please make sure to check the official job link when submitting your application. Thank you.”