Job Detail

Afghanistan is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and an increasing risk of economic collapse. Forty years of armed conflict, recurrent natural disasters –  including droughts and floods, increased poverty, food insecurity, failing health systems, and lack of shelters, compounded by COVID-19 –  have made most of the people in Afghanistan vulnerable to extreme protection risks.

Events after August 2021, in addition to the global economic impact of COVID-19, have severely affected the coping mechanisms of vulnerable population groups in the country, particularly internally displaced people. The prices of main food commodities in Afghanistan are significantly higher than in the first half of the year. An average food basket now costs more than 82 per cent of the average family income. It is anticipated that 95 per cent of Afghans are now facing food insecurity. Some 23 million people, over half of Afghanistan’ s population, are facing acute food insecurity.

UNHCR has put in place a  Preparedness and Response Plan to meet needs in this fast-evolving context to: (i) provide critical protection and life-saving assistance and prevent human suffering; (ii) ensure life-saving assistance by improving access to essential services and by creating a conducive protection environment to mitigate further displacement; and (iii) support building resilient communities through  area-based programming, in so-called Priority Areas of Return and Reintegration (PARR), in line with the whole-of-society approach.

UNHCR Afghanistan’s population of concern includes 3.7 million persons including refugees, refugee returnees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and members of the host communities.

Against the backdrop, UNHCR has been working to complement and support the de facto authorities in addressing the needs of IDPs through its coordinator role in the Afghanistan Protection and ES/NFI Clusters as well as the provider of last resort. In particular, during emergency phases, UNHCR conducts joint needs assessments with other humanitarian actors and coordinates its responses. In addition, UNHCR is one of the key actors conducting Community-Based Protection Monitoring (CBPM) to assess the protection needs and concern of the IDPs and other POCs. In addition, for IDPs identified as most vulnerable, UNHCR provides assistance through its Persons with Specific Needs Programme (PSN) and Cash for Protection Programme (CFP). Under the “Whole of Community Approach” and to realize the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus, UNHCR also concentrates its effort to support durable solutions for IDPs, primarily in the Priority Areas of Return and Reintegration (PARRs). In the PARRs, IDPs benefits from a range of services and projects, including, among others, education, health, shelter, youth empowerment, livelihood opportunities, WASH, and infrastructure.

Senior Field Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Field Assistant is normally supervised by the (Senior) Field Officer/Associate and performs a variety of functions related to Field activities within the office. The supervisor defines work processes and provides regular advice and guidance.
The incumbent keeps frequent internal contacts with staff members in the same duty station to exchange information and with the external contacts generally with officials of national and international institutions, leaders of the refugee community, local population and/or Implementing Partners (IPs) on routine subject matters under the direction of the supervisor.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Assist in monitoring the implementation of UNHCR programme including the delivery of all assistance items and monitoring of infrastructure.
- Assist in administrative tasks as required such as preparation of reports and meeting authorized personnel and assisting them during field missions.
- Act as interpreter in the exchange of routine information, contribute to related liaison activities and respond directly to routine queries.
- Collect data and other information relevant to UNHCR and report to the supervisor accordingly.
- Keep regular contacts with local authorities and implementing partners as requested by supervisor.
- In coordination with implementing partners, assist in the reception, registration and provision of assistance to persons of concern to UNHCR.
- Follow up, on a regular basis, the overall situation of persons of concern in camps and other areas where they have been accommodated and report accordingly.
- Liaise with local authority counterparts, partners and populations of concern.
- Direct incidents and problems to the supervisor when they cannot be resolved at their level.
- Perform other related duties as required.