INTERNATIONAL CIVILIAN PEACEKEEPER MINDANAO; PHILIPPINES
The Organization
Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) is a nonpartisan international organisation that aims to develop, promote and implement Unarmed Civilian Peacekeeping as a tool for reducing violence and protecting civilians in situations of violent conflict. In partnership with local civil society, NP teams of national and international Unarmed Civilian Peacekeepers apply proven strategies to strengthen protection of threatened individuals and communities, deter violence, and help create space for local actors to build sustainable peace. Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP)’s global activities are developed and managed from a headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. NP has operations in South Sudan, the Philippines, Myanmar and the South Caucasus region, and maintains a fundraising office in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Project
Nonviolent Peaceforce Philippines (NPP) launched a conflict prevention program in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao in May 2007, aimed at enhancing human security by working on protection and human rights issues through proactive, non-violent engagement. In 2009, NP was invited by the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to join the Civilian Protection Component (CPC) of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) that oversees the implementation of the GPH-MILF ceasefire agreement, mandated to ensure the safety and security of communities, including all non-combatants. In August 2011, NP became an implementing partner of the United Nations in monitoring, reporting, verifying and facilitating response to the Six Grave Child Rights Violations in Armed Conflict. NP works in Central and Western Mindanao with its main office located in Cotabato City, a strategic liaison office in Manila and field teams operating in Maguindanao, Lanao Del Sur, Lanao Del Norte, North Cotabato, SOCSKSARGEN, Zamboanga and the conflict-affected islands of Sulu and Basilan.
The Position
The International Civilian Peacekeeper (ICP) is part of NP Philippines’ frontline field teams implementing NPP projects in Mindanao. Currently projects cover the following focal areas: 1) Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) to armed conflict; 2) Community-Based Human Rights (CBHR); 3) Child Protection (CP) focused on Grave Child Rights Violations (GCRVs) in armed conflict; and 4) Civilian Protection Component (CPC) focused on monitoring compliance and non-compliance of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to their commitments under international human rights and humanitarian laws as outlined in the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Civilian Protection Component of the International Monitoring Team (IMT).
Under supervision of Head of Field Office and in coordination with other team members, the ICP is responsible for conducting activities related to monitoring, reporting, and verification of conflict-related civilian protection issues in their areas of responsibility including alleged human rights and IHL violations. This includes regular, proactive engagement with all parties and stakeholders to conflicts to ensure broad understanding and acceptance of NP's work on the ground – particularly with communities and community leaders, local civil society, local government officials, government line agencies and personnel of parties to conflict. In addition the ICP, in coordination with the HFO and other team members, is responsible for engaging and strengthening community-based monitoring structures established by local partners in vulnerable areas. The successful candidate, along with other NP staff, will ensure the accuracy, quality, security and timeliness of reporting in his or her field site.
Key responsibilities and requirements are outlined in the job profile [link]. The ideal candidate has working experience in immersive cross-cultural settings, preferably in the region, and is dynamic, team-oriented and professional. Previous experience in protection and peace / conflict prevention fields; working in conflict-affected areas or developing country contexts; and in community or grassroots level engagement are considerable assets.
All employees are expected to understand and uphold NP's mission, working principles and objectives, and have excellent written and verbal communication skills in English (the working language). The position will be based on require living and working in remote parts of the region.
Job Description
Job Title: International Civilian Peacekeeper
Dept/Field Office: Program
Reports To: Head of Field Office (HFO)
Staff Supervised: None
The Project
Nonviolent Peaceforce Philippines (NPP) launched a conflict prevention program in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao in May 2007, aimed at enhancing human security by working on protection and human rights issues through proactive, non-violent engagement. In 2009, NP was invited by the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to join the Civilian Protection Component (CPC) of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) that oversees the implementation of the GPH-MILF ceasefire agreement, mandated to ensure the safety and security of communities, including all non-combatants. In August 2011, NP became an implementing partner of the United Nations in monitoring, reporting, verifying and facilitating response to the Six Grave Child Rights Violations (GCRVs) in Armed Conflict. NP works in Central and Western Mindanao with its main office located in Cotabato City, a strategic liaison office in Manila and field teams operating in Maguindanao, Lanao Del Sur, Lanao Del Norte, North Cotabato, SOCSKSARGEN, Zamboanga and the conflict-affected islands of Sulu and Basilan.
Job Purpose
The International Civilian Peacekeeper (ICP) is part of NP Philippines’ frontline field teams implementing NPP projects in Mindanao. Currently projects cover the following focal areas: 1) Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) to armed conflict; 2) Community-Based Human Rights (CBHR); 3) Child Protection (CP) focused on Grave Child Rights Violations (GCRVs) in armed conflict; and 4) Civilian Protection Component (CPC) focused on monitoring compliance and non-compliance of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to their commitments under international human rights and humanitarian laws as outlined in the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Civilian Protection Component of the International Monitoring Team (IMT).
Under supervision of Head of Field Office and in coordination with other team members, the ICP is responsible for conducting activities related to monitoring, reporting, and verification of conflict-related civilian protection issues in their areas of responsibility including alleged human rights and IHL violations. This includes regular, proactive engagement with all parties and stakeholders to conflicts to ensure broad understanding and acceptance of NP's work on the ground – particularly with communities and community leaders, local civil society, local government officials, government line agencies and personnel of parties to conflict. In addition the ICP, in coordination with the HFO and other team members, is responsible for engaging and strengthening community-based monitoring structures established by local partners in vulnerable areas. The successful candidate, along with other NP staff, will ensure the accuracy, quality, security and timeliness of reporting in his or her field site.
The successful candidate will not be responsible for all the key tasks and responsibilities below at any given time; however s/he is expected to remain extremely flexible and fulfil additional roles as may be required.
Key tasks and responsibilities
General:
o Work alongside and in consultation with NP’s local partners in implementing the projects;
o Coordinate with all relevant authorities to ensure and improve the safety and security of both the communities and NP staff;
o Facilitate community meetings, orientations, dialogues;
o Create, strengthen and maintain professional contacts and working relationships with local partners, civilian and other stakeholder to the conflict, government authorities, military and recognized non-state armed groups, and peace process structures through regular meetings, phone calls, text messages, field visits etc;
o Provide regular patrolling and proactive presence in the most vulnerable communities, especially in buffer zones or other volatile areas
o Monitor and verify conflict incidents, civilian protection issues, and patterns of violence in Mindanao in line with mandate and program focus
o Give regular and ad hoc verbal and written updates to the field team and managers with respect to area of assigned work and the situation on the ground, particularly that which can improve mission effectiveness and staff security and safety;
o Support the HFO in developing weekly & monthly field work plans and budgets, specifying activities and indicators based on programmatic log frames and field-based strategic plans for project implementation
o Assist or lead in the writing of regular program and field reports as designated by the HFO (reports cover log frame based field activities and outcomes as well as patterns of violence and civilian protection cases)
Early Warning Early Response (EWER) Project:
o Regularly update and improve an area profile for the assigned area of responsibility, including but not limited to identification of potential partners or stakeholders and conflict-prone communities;
o Maintain an area-specific set of early warning indicators and monitoring plan;
o Identify appropriate early response mechanisms in order to preclude or mitigate violence;
o Design and conduct EWER training programs that are needs-based and context-specific to assigned area of responsibility;
o Establish, monitor and strengthen EWER capacities of community-based structures in assigned area of responsibility in partnership with key local stakeholders.
Community Based Human Rights (CBHR) Project:
o Establish, monitor and strengthen CBHR capacities of community-based structures in assigned area of responsibility in partnership with key local partners and stakeholders;
o Support monitoring, verification, reporting and referral of human rights violations (HRVs) in areas of responsibility, in close coordination relevant regional human rights commissions, line agencies / service providers and other protection actors
o Regularly monitor, assess and identify partners, stakeholders and vulnerable areas for HR interventions
o Design HR training programs and other interventions that are need-based and context-specific to assigned area of coverage;
o Develop and update human rights field operations manual that puts into context the NP HR Manual;
o Provide inputs and updates on human rights situation and trends in assigned area of responsibility for regular program and field reporting, including area profiles and incident tracking / data sheets;
o Upon request, provide protective accompaniment to survivors, members of local civil society groups, peace workers and human rights defenders facing threats
Child Protection:
o Regularly monitor, verify and report any incidents of GCRVs through community and stakeholder visits;
o Follow-up GCRV cases and monitor corresponding intervention(s);
o Establish, monitor and strengthen CP structures in assigned area of responsibility in partnership with key local stakeholders;
o Design CP training and awareness raising programs that are needs-based and context-specific to assigned area of coverage;
o Conduct regular information mapping in assigned area of coverage including but not limited to identification of potential partners and communities prone to conflict-related violence against children;
o Update and ensure the security and integrity of field-based documents related to CP (data sheet);
o Design area-specific child protection intervention/activities;
o Submit regular reports on the GCRV situation and developments in assigned area of coverage;
o Provide protective accompaniment, on request, to child victims and their families whose lives are threatened.
Civilian Protection Component (CPC):
o Monitor compliance and non-compliance of both parties to their basic undertaking to protect civilians in accordance with the CPC Terms of Reference and the GPH-MILF Agreement on the CPC of the IMT, including respect for sanctity of all areas of a civilian nature (schools, religious places, hospitals, markets and other public establishments)
o Organize and conduct verification and fact-finding missions in response to alleged violations of civilians in conflict affected areas
o Lead in the provision of protective accompaniment to vulnerable and at risk civilians, particularly women and children during and after armed clashes, in order to bring them to safer locations or ensure safe return to places of origin
o Monitor internal displacement incidents and trends, and identify IDP sites and return movements
o Regularly visit and provide proactive presence to IDPs and returnees to ensure that basic services are afforded to them by agencies and the government,
o Monitor relief operations so that they are conducted without negative outside interventions or interferences
o Provide protective accompaniment to relief workers operating in conflict affected areas (where necessary)
o Maintain close relationships with and assist in the coordination of activities with other local CPC member organizations
o Conduct Community Orientations about the mandate and work of the Civilian Protection Component
o Contribute or take the lead in preparation of CPC-specific reporting requirements (inter alia daily reports, verification reports, IDP / Returnee Monitoring and Assessment reports)
Duties applicable to all staff
o Actively work towards the achievement of the goals and mandate of Nonviolent Peaceforce in line with organizational values and principles
o Abide and work in accordance with Nonviolent Peaceforce safety and security policies and rules
o Work closely and cohesively with all field team members to ensure smooth and effective program implementation, supportive working environment and overall team security
o Perform any other work related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line managers
Person Specifications
EDUCATION & TRAINING REQUIRED PREFERRED
University degree in a related field (Law, Human Rights, Social Science, Development Studies, International Relations, Management, etc.)
Post-graduate degree in Law, Human Rights, peace building & conflict mediation and/ or management
Formal training related to conflict, peacekeeping or nonviolence
Certificate or diploma course in peace building, conflict transformation or nonviolent peacekeeping.
Formal training on protection of children and/or GBV
WORK EXPERIENCE REQUIRED PREFERRED
Experience working in peace building, human rights, child protection, GBV, development and/ or relevant experience working in a conflict-affected country
3 years overall working experience including/or 2 year international experience.
Extensive cross-cultural experience working and living in a diversity of countries with an emphasis on South East Asia
Experience working in an international capacity preferably in a humanitarian context and cross-cultural work environment
Exposure to post-conflict or conflict contexts, especially Mindanao context
Experience in community organizing / mobilization
Field exposure in conflict-affected communities
Experience in dealing with armed groups, the military and with local and national government officials
Proven experience working in a team environment Experience in Early Warning Early Response
KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS REQUIRED PREFERRED
Sound oral and written English communication including report writing
Excellent oral and written English communication skills and the ability to write progress and impact reports based on measurable indicators
Understanding of conflict dynamics and peace building concepts
Understanding of the Mindanao conflict and the on-going peace processes
Above average decision making and analytical skills
Critical & strategic thinking
Ability to maintain non-partisanship and project organisational values in a range of contexts
PERSONAL QUALITIES REQUIRED
Personal/ emotional maturity
Eagerness to live, work and learn in a diverse cultural environment
Flexibility and willingness to learn
Team player in a multicultural context
Remains professional & focused under volatile and stressful situations
Ability to work in remote and developing areas with few amenities
Strong sense of responsibility and professionalism
Cross-cultural sensitivity and adaptability
Sense of diplomacy and tact Strict sense of discipline including full compliance with code of conduct, security protocols and other SOPs
Honesty and integrity
Other
This is a full time position based in one of Nonviolent Peaceforce Philippines’ field offices implementing NPP programmes in Mindanao, Philippines.
How to apply:
The Application Process:
Please send your CV/resume with three (3) references, along with a cover letter highlighting your experience and qualifications against the requirements of the position, to:
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications must be received by 25th October 2013 (1700 UTC) Due to high volume of applications, we will contact shortlisted candidates only. Nonviolent Peaceforce is an equal employment employer; female candidates are encouraged to apply.
