The signing of Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on 9 January 2005 marked the end of Africa’s longest civil war and opened the way for a transition to peace. A key requirement for this is restoring and strengthening security through Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (herein DDR) of ex-combatants and Women Associated with Armed Groups and Forces (WAAF) who might otherwise, again, undermine public security and constrain progress towards development and sustainable peace. The primary responsibility for the positive outcome of the DDR process rests with national and local actors who are ultimately accountable for the peace, security and development of Sudan. In this context, the DDR process is nationally owned and led, The South Sudan DDR Commission (SSDDRC) oversees the DDR program. UNDP provides technical support and funding for the Reintegration component of the adult DDR program. The first phase of DDR in Southern Sudan aims to demobilize 34,000 ex-combatants consisting of special needs groups (herein SNGs)--the disabled, elderly, and women associated with armed forces (WAAF)—and able-bodied members of former Other Armed Groups (OAGs) aligned to Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). South Sudan-specific studies and focus group discussions reveal that a significant number of the SNGs require targeted support to enable them to successfully reintegrate into communities as civilians. This support includes referral and linkage with specialized health and mental health services, referral to available community and government support services, and psychosocial interventions. The 30 year war between in South Sudan was particularly brutal, with much of the fighting conducted outside of the Laws of War/Geneva Conventions. Landmines were widely used by all sides to the conflict and many ex combatants have lost limbs and vision as a result of the conflict. After the SPLA split in 1991 along Nuer/Dinka tribal lines, many civilians: in particular women and girls were subject to gross human rights violations, including sexual violence, often at the hands of members of armed groups originating from communities whom previously lived peacefully beside them. Community structures deteriorated during the war, with the forced recruitment of children and young adults into armed groups in South Sudan contributing to the breakdown of family structures. In addition, during the displacement of over four million people including refugees fleeing to neighbouring Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, many families were split up. Many ex-combatants and WAAF display symptoms of PTSD and communities have consistently raised concerns about alcohol abuse amongst returning ex combatants. The DDR program relies on the existence of external social support services to refer ex combatants to, for psychosocial support. However, there is a general lack of infrastructure for mental health support within South Sudan, and the ministry of health offers very rudimentary services for reproductive health. Expertise in the area of social (including psycho-social) support is required to both assess the needs of the caseload and the availability and capacity of potential implementing partners. The DDR program needs to establish modalities for either developing programmatic interventions, or partnering with other intervention providers and provide training as needed to government and other partners.
Duties and Responsibilities |
Under the direct supervision of UNDP DDR Social Reintegration Team Coordinator, the UNV volunteer will undertake the following tasks: - Track and monitor the physical and psychosocial vulnerabilities of the DDR caseload, and the impact this may have on their successful economic and social reintegration as civilians
- Provide guidance to the UNDP DDR social and economic reintegration teams and SSDDRC staff on addressing identified vulnerabilities of special needs groups;
- Assess the availability and capacity of potential implementing partners within South Sudan to address social (including psycho-social needs) of the caseload,
- Work with partners to design and implement interventions addressing the economic, health, mental health, and psycho-social needs of the caseload support potential implementing partners with capacity building to enable them to better serve the DDR caseload;
- Support and build the capacity of the SSDDRC Disability Advisor in planning and designing programs for disabled and elderly ex-combatants
- Act as UNDP DDR focal point for disabled, elderly and vulnerable ex-combatants, tracking volumes of disabled candidates passing through demobilization sites and monitoring the data provided by the demobilization site doctors.
- Support UNDP DDR and SSDDRC in designing and implementing referral processes for linking vulnerable ex-combatants and WAAF with available health and social support services. Support the Social Reintegration Team in carrying out training and interventions related to reintegration of WAAF
- Design training materials and conduct training on disability, mental health, and psychosocial support topics for SSDDRC staff, UNDP caseworkers, implementing partners, ex-combatants, and communities of return;
- Work closely with SSDDRP Public Information officers to design targeted outreach messages for special needs groups
- Support the M&E team to address the psycho-social aspects of M&E activities
Furthermore, UNV volunteers are encouraged to: - Strengthening their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD);
- Getting acquainted with and building on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
- Reflecting on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
- Contributing articles/write-ups on field experiences and submitting them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
- Assisting with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UNV volunteers;
- Promoting or advising local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encouraging relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Results/Expected Output:
- Tracking reports on the physical and psychosocial vulnerabilities of the DDR caseload on their successful economic and social reintegration as civilians
- The UNDP DDR social and economic reintegration teams and SSDDRC staff able to address identified vulnerabilities of special needs groups;
- Enhanced capacity of the SSDDRC Disability Advisor in planning and designing programs for disabled and elderly ex-combatants
- Enhanced knowledge and capacity of SSDDRC staff, UNDP caseworkers implementing partners, ex-combatants, and communities of return in dealing with issues on disability, mental health, and psychosocial support.
- Enhanced advocacy targeting special needs groups
- A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for development during your assignment such as specific quantification of mobilized volunteers, activities, capacities.
|
Competencies |
- Ability to assimilate and analyze information and derive programme-relevant findings
- Problem solving skills with the ability to design and implement innovative solutions
- Ability to multi-task and cope with competing demands under tight deadlines
- Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment
- Proven ability to establish priorities and to plan, organize, coordinate and monitor own work plan and provide advice and guidance to others; in-depth understanding of division's strategic direction; resourcefulness, sound judgment and decision-making skills.
- Demonstrated sound judgment in resolving issues/problems; ability to proactively seek and recommend sound policy initiatives.
- Ability to actively seek to improve programmes/services, offer new and different options to solve problems/meet client needs.
- Excellent and effective communication (verbal and written) skills, including ability to prepare reports and conduct presentations by clearly formulating positions on issues, articulating options concisely conveying maximum necessary information, making and defending recommendations; diplomacy and tact; ability to convey difficult issues and positions to senior officials.
- Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
|
Required Skills and Experience |
- Either (a) Masters degree in public health, sociology, social work, international relations, anthropology, public administration, development studies or other relevant fields or (b) Bachelors degree in public health, sociology, social work, international relations, anthropology, public administration, development studies or other relevant fields and a minimum of four years substantive experience in social work, refugee support, protection etc.;
- Minimum 3 years work experience in human services, humanitarian or development setting; experience working on issues related to physical and mental disability, mental health, and/or psychosocial support highly desirable.
- Experience writing proposals and budgets and conducting trainings highly desirable but not required.
|
| |
| UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. |
| Refer a Friend Apply Now |
|
