Snr Regional Protection Officer (Statelessness)

Senior Regional Protection Officer (Statelessness)

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This post covers all 35 countries under the responsibility of the Regional Bureau for the Americas. Of these States, only 14 are parties to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and seven to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Seven States pledged at the 2011 ministerial meeting to accede to one or both Conventions. Few States have statelessness determination procedures in place under the 1954 Convention, though five pledged in 2011 to establish such procedures.
A number of States have gaps in their nationality laws and/or policies which might cause statelessness.
The post is responsible for providing technical advice and support as well as assisting UNHCR offices in the Americas to undertake effective and timely legal and operational responses to statelessness.
The incumbent will work to map statelessness situations and key challenges, help to ensure coordination and harmonization of national and regional interventions, and support offices and the Regional Bureau in developing strategies to address statelessness that are consistent with the regional operational context.
The Regional Protection Officer (Statelessness) will work as a member of the Regional Legal Unit (RLU) in Costa Rica, with a managerial/administrative reporting line to the Senior Legal Officer in the RLU, and in close coordination with the Senior Protection Officer of the Bureau for the Americas in Headquarters.
The incumbent will have a functional reporting line to the Head of the Statelessness Unit/DIP. Within its functional responsibilities this post covers all countries covered by the Bureau for the Americas.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Accountability
- The Americas has a clear and coherent regional strategy on statelessness which reflects UNHCR¿s country, regional and global priorities and objectives and complies with UNHCR¿s age, gender and diversity (AGD) policy.
- Statelessness Determination Procedures (SDP) are implemented in accordance with relevant UNHCR guidelines, standards, and policies, including policies related to Age, Gender, and Diversity mainstreaming (AGDM).
- Persons of concern have fair and transparent access to the SDP.
- The SDP capacity of Government authorities and legal partners is progressively improved.
- Statelessness is entrenched in the comprehensive protection framework of the country operations.

Responsibility
- Provide support through technical guidance to Country Offices in the Americas.
- Monitor the implementation of operational plans with regards to coherence, consistency, quality and efficiency with regard to all matters related to statelessness (Policy on Regionalization in UNHCR, 4.9.2 Profile of Staff for Regional Positions).
- Assist the Regional Legal Unit and the Bureau for the Americas in exercising the necessary oversight and control of operations concerning statelessness matters (ibid).
- Promote all appropriate actions to support the implementation of UNHCR Global Action Plan to End Statelessness (2014-2024) and the Brazil Plan of Action (Chapter 6) in the Americas, including coordination measures with regional/national offices.
- Develop/update the regional strategy on eradication of statelessness for endorsement by the Head of the Regional Legal Unit and Headquarters (Bureau for the Americas).
- Liaise with the Department of International Protection (DIP, Statelessness Unit) to accomplish the described regional functions, as appropriate.
- Assess regional compliance with Global Strategic priorities and global policies on statelessness.
- Identify potential partners outside UNHCR, including for operational responses, training and fundraising purposes and initiate and cultivate contact with them.
- Enhance awareness and build capacity of national and local governments, UN agencies and civil society through training seminars, workshops and other initiatives to address issues of statelessness.

Authority
- Under the supervision of the Head of the Regional Legal Unit, manage budget dedicated to the roll-out of UNHCR Global Action Plan to End Statelessness (2014-2024), the Brazil Plan of Action (Chapter 6), and the regional implementation strategy (¿We have a dream¿).
- Represent UNHCR at the appropriate level in external meetings on statelessness at the regional and national levels.
- Enforce compliance with Global Strategic Priorities and global policies on statelessness.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Advanced university degree in Law, with specialisation in Public or Private International Law and focus on International Human Rights Law.
- Minimum 10 years (12 years with university degree) of previous professional experience in areas relevant to protection activities, including 5 years of working experience at the international level and 4 years of experience working on nationality or statelessness issues.
- Excellent English drafting skills.
- Strong communications and advocacy skills.
- Field experience.
- Fluency in English and Spanish.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
- Experience in developing/implementing activities to address statelessness.
- Strong knowledge of international legal standards on statelessness, protection standards and doctrinal issues related to nationality and statelessness.
- Completion of the Protection Learning Programme and Thematic Protection Learning Programme on Statelessness an asset.