Child Protection Officer (Reporting)

Mission and objectives

MONUSCO/MONUC was established in 1999 under the auspices of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). SCR 2277 (2016) requests MONUSCO to support efforts of the Government of DRC towards the protection of civilians, through a comprehensive approach involving all components of MONUSCO, including through reduction of the threat posed by Congolese and foreign armed groups and of violence against civilians, including sexual and gender-based violence and violence against children to a level that can be effectively managed by the Congolese justice and security institutions; and to support Stabilization through the establishment of functional, professional, and accountable state institutions, including security and judicial institutions. The project aims at a better understanding of the most serious violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law in DRC and supports the leadership of the Mission through informed policy and decision making on future vetting of security forces through risk assessment and mitigation, joint planning for MONUSCO operations, as well as advocacy efforts.

Context

The UN Volunteer will serve within the Child Protection/Reporting Unit of the MONUSCO Child Protection Section in Goma, which is responsible for the monitoring, documentation, and reporting of child protection concerns, including grave violations against children. The unit works closely with field teams, partner organizations, and UN agencies—particularly UNICEF and other members of the Country Task Force on the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM)—to ensure accurate, timely, and ethical reporting that informs child protection interventions and advocacy. This assignment supports the management of the child protection data base, which aims to strengthen child protection systems, improve data collection and analysis, and enhance referral pathways for children at risk. The UNV role contributes to MONUSCO’s broader child protection objectives and aligns with its global objective to promote the safety, rights, and well‑being of children affected by conflict.

Task Description

Within the terms of the organization’s delegated authority, and under the direct supervision of the reporting chief of unit in Goma, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: • Working with the chief child protection and the chief of the reporting Unit, UNICEF and the CTFMR to harmonize the collection and insertion of violations in the child protection central database to draft concise, accurate and timely reports to the MONUSCO leadership, the Security Council working Group on CAAC, the DPO child protection Team in New York and the SRSG CAAC office. • Ensure impartiality, neutrality, confidentiality, and security of information collected as well as the protection sources. • Train staff on reporting standards; verifying with field offices the info shared in the Daily Reports, Activity Reports, Weekly Incident Reviews, Monthly Reports, flash reports, Incident Reports. • When necessary, carry out field visits to gather and report on grave violations perpetrated against children in a timely and accurate manner. • Participation in the Child DDR, advising on child protection standards to separate children associated with armed forces or groups and liaison with UNICEF and the DDR-CS national programmes in place for the prioritization of child protection concerns. • Participate in the judicial follow up when children conflict with the law (perpetrators, victims, witnesses) as per the DRC Law on the Protection of Children as well as International Juvenile Justice Standards; Participate in the judicial follow-up of perpetrators of grave violations against children • Ensure Capacity building to the Force, UNPOL, MONUSCO civilian staff and civil society organizations • Ensure timely referral of children separated from armed groups or armed forces to appropriate UN Agencies, NGOs, Government institutions and other relevant actors and partners for transit care, family tracing and reunification. • Any other related duties as may be required.

Competencies and values

• Planning and organizing • Professionalism • Communication • Teamwork and respect of diversity

Living conditions and remarks

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa, and as a result is quite diverse. Living conditions therefore vary between MONUSCO duty stations, with all usual amenities present in the capital Kinshasa, but only very basic conditions in remote duty stations in the provinces, were, for instance, there may be no guarantee of public power supply nor running water. The ability to live and work in difficult and harsh conditions of developing countries is essential. Accommodation is very expensive in both Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. Supermarkets exist in the large towns (e.g. Bukavu, Goma, Kisangani), but consumer items are generally very expensive (as everything is imported). For food, local markets offer a much cheaper alternative. All MONUSCO duty stations are considered non-family duty stations, except for Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Entebbe which are now considered family duty stations, and most are currently under UN Security Phase III (“relocation phase”: internationally recruited staff are temporarily concentrated or relocated to specified sites/locations). In addition to insecurity related to the relatively volatile political situation as well as various conflict situations, certain places are subject to increasing street and residential crime, including in Kinshasa and Goma. Some degree of medical service is provided in all MONUSCO duty stations. Certain vaccinations are mandatory for MONUSCO personnel to enter the DRC, while others are compulsory for all other incoming persons. It is possible for incoming MONUSCO personnel, including UN Volunteers, to be asked to provide proof of some or all vaccinations, though this is unlikely. All UN Volunteers must ensure that they are up-to-date with all appropriate vaccinations, which should be clearly and properly endorsed in the International Certificate of Vaccination (“carte jaune”). Malaria is present virtually throughout the DRC, and it is therefore recommended to take prophylaxis. The unit of currency is the Congolese Franc. The US dollar is the other preferred currency. It may be impossible to exchange traveller’s checks away from the capital city. Credit cards are usually accepted in major hotels only in Kinshasa. In larger towns and cities (e.g. Kinshasa, Goma, Bukavu, Kisangani), UN Volunteers are recommended to open US Dollar bank accounts, while in other places, banks may be absent (including ATMs) and VLA payments will be processed in cash. UN Volunteers have the possibility to send part of their allowances to a bank account abroad. In addition to French, there are four major spoken languages in DRC, namely Lingala, Kikongo, Tshiluba and Swahili.