WPE Community Mobilization Assistant 375 views0 applications

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, provides relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of natural disaster, oppression and violent conflict in 42 countries. The IRC is committed to bold leadership, innovation and creative partnerships. Active in public health, education, livelihoods, women’s empowerment, youth development, and protection and promotion of rights, IRC assists people from harm to home.

WPE Community Mobilization Assistant

Requisition ID: req6382
Location: Mubi, Adamawa
Employment Type: Full-Time
Employment Category: Fixed Term
Sector: Women Protection & Empowerment

Background

• IRC entered Nigeria in October 2012 in response to a widespread flood disaster. Since then, the IRC has expanded its scope and size of the programs as new areas became accessible after prolonged conflict and insecurity, in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States. The IRC’s response to the humanitarian situation includes integrated health and nutrition services, as well as reproductive health care and women protection services. In 2015 IRC Nigeria developed a five-year long term Strategy Action Plan.  The plan has Health, Education and Economic Wellbeing as high priority program areas.
• The IRC WPE program implements Prevention, Response and Empowerment activities to address Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and the focus of this program is to provide good quality health and psychosocial response services to conflict-affected women and girls in Borno State, North-Eastern Nigeria in a timely manner.

Scope of Work:

• The WPE Community Mobilization Assistant will be focal point in conducting of all awareness/community education component of IRC WPE programming. This component aims to facilitate a change in attitudes and behaviors that condone and perpetuate Gender-Based Violence: this involves encouraging men and women to reflectively examine gender roles and inequalities in order to support a safer environment for women and girls, and to facilitate gender-inclusive development in the community.
• S/he will work with communities to develop and implement plans to improve the safety and security for all individuals in the community. S/he will collaborate and coordinate with other partners to facilitate an effective multi-sectoral approach to addressing GBV.

Key Duties and Responsibilities
Community Mobilization , Education and Awareness Raising:

• Work with the Community Engagement Officer to design the contents and participate in awareness raising activities aimed at promoting changes in attitudes, behaviors and practices regarding gender, gender equality and GBV.
• Identify and strengthen strategies that promotes active community participation in the prevention and response interventions designed to address GBV.
• Play a lead role in the formation of community groups for response, empowerment and prevention activities.
• Work with the WPE Capacity building assistants, Comprehensive Women Center integration officers, Case Worker to facilitate information dissemination and sensitizations sessions to community groups, local partners and Community Based Organizations on GBV issues.
• Promote the involvement of men and youth in GBV activities through EMAP and SASA.
• Utilize participatory methodology and adult education techniques to assist communities in developing community-driven prevention and response plans.
• Mobilize community to form ‘action groups’ for awareness raising and encourage greater self-reliance amongst women in the communities.
• Identify advocacy concerns, Initiate and coordinate advocacy actions
• In collaboration with case worker ensure that women are engaged in psycho social activities at the comprehensive women’s centers, by sharing information on activities being conducted at these safe spaces.
• Identify and train EMAP allies and link them to SASA activities within their communities

Planning, Collaboration and Coordination

• In collaboration with WPE Case Management Assistants and Capacity Building Assistants, Women action groups and adolescent girls Groups, identify training needs of local structures including community members and facilitating these training in a consistent and appropriate manner using approved training tools.
• Plan and implement safety audit activities in the camps and communities to triangulate protection concerns that may have been overlooked during protection monitoring.  Liaise with community leaders, government agencies, IRC sectors, Partners to organize training and capacity building activities as the needs may arise.
• Promote women’s active participation in leadership and decision-making positions within their communities.
• In collaboration with the case management officer, case workers and community members conduct FGDs in the camps and communities to identify potential protection risks, and develop sustainable risk reduction strategies to address them.

Reporting and Monitoring:

• Compile and summarize weekly activity data to M&E Officer for monitoring purpose.
• Submit weekly narrative reports to WPE Program manager in a timely manner.
• Communicate all challenges encountered to the Community Engagement Officer, for brainstorming and solution.
• Take note and document all emerging issues observed during program implementation and share back with the Community Engagement Officer for informed program design.
• Follow-up on training, sensitization and meetings conducted to ensure implementation of action plans

Financial:

• In collaboration with other WPE Staff submit monthly activity cash projections for prevention activities in a timely Manner to program manager.
• Ensure that all liquidations are done in a timely manner with relevant supporting   documentations.
• Submit all financial request to program Manager in a timely manner for onward submission to either supply chain or finance.
• Any other duties assigned as needed

Qualifications

• Possess a higher level education in Community Development or a related field
• Previous experience with community mobilization using participatory methodology.
• Good interpersonal and problem-solving skills and flexibility.
• Must be interested and committed to Human Rights, Gender Equality and Gender issues
• Must be fluent in community language, spoken and written English: Fluency in Kanuri will be an added advantage
• Proficiency in Word and Excel required.
• Be able to work effectively in unstable, challenging, and fast-paced environments.
• Ability to keenly observe confidentiality and discretion.
• Ability to work as part of a TEAM.

Work Envirnoment:

• Security level orange. The situation in Mubi, Adamawa remains unpredictable; there is active conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and other states.