Protection, Gender and Inclusion and Community Engagement and Accountability Research Intern at International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - IFRC

Job Purpose

Community engagement and accountability

Community engagement and accountability (CEA) is an approach to Red Cross and Red Crescent programming and operations. It is supported by a set of activities that help put communities at the Centre of what we do, by integrating communication and participation throughout the programme cycle or operation. CEA is the process of and commitment to providing timely, relevant and actionable lifesaving and life-enhancing information to communities. It is about using the most appropriate communication approaches to listen to communities’ needs, feedback and complaints, ensuring they can actively participate and guide Red Cross Red Crescent actions. CEA supports those involved in programmes and operations to adopt innovative approaches to better understand and engage with people and communities and help them address unhealthy and unsafe practices. It maximizes the Red Cross Red Crescent’s unique relationship with the community to help them speak out about the issues that affect them and influence decision and policymakers to implement positive changes. Within the IFRC, there is global leadership for CEA at the Geneva level, a Senior Advisor present in the Africa Regional Office and a Senior Officer Community Engagement and Accountability & Protection, Gender and Inclusion in the Southern Africa Cluster Office.

Protection, gender and inclusion

Like CEA, Protection Gender and Inclusion (PGI) is built on a people-centered approach to ensure that Red Cross Red Crescent programmes and operations promote the dignity, access, participation, and safety of all girls, boys, women and men based on their different needs, capacities and vulnerabilities, and without discrimination based on age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religious, race, legal status or other vulnerability factors. In emergency operations, PGI considerations are mainstreamed in all sectors and specialised activities that protect people at risk of harm due to who they are. In longer-terms plans, PGI initiatives may be more expansive, addressing issues of social exclusion in a more systemic and sustainable manner, allowing people to have equal access to resources, opportunities and rights without restrictions based on any aspect of their person. PGI as an area of focus means not only looking at the immediate risks and consequences of abuse but looking at the causes and potential causes of those risks, before, during and after a crisis event.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibilities

• Support the Senior Officer: Community Engagement and Accountability & Protection, Gender and Inclusion, to collect, document and share research outcomes, lessons learnt, good practices and experiences from mainstreaming CEA and PGI in emergency responses and projects, and coordinate and host experience-sharing events.  

Duties

• Support the design and implementation of qualitative and quantitative research studies on CEA and PGI

• Support the collection, documentation and sharing of good practices and lessons learnt in mainstreaming PGI and CEA in emergency responses and projects in southern Africa

• Support the use of research outcomes for evidence-based advocacy at local, national and international level internally in the Red Cross Red Crescent and with external stakeholders

• Design and undertake operational reporting to support initiatives to expand financial support for NSs.

• Support the drafting of concept notes, proposals and funding requests on topics such as sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), child marriage, menstrual hygiene management in emergency contexts, vulnerabilities in emergency contexts

• In collaboration with the PMER Assistant, develop and oversee tracking tools to ensure that National Societies collect and analyse sex, age, disability and other vulnerability-disaggregated data in all emergency responses and projects

• Support the planning and coordination of experience-sharing events

Provide administrative support in internal and external reporting support on PGI activities

Education

• Relevant university degree or similar professional qualification (gender studies, anthropology, sociology, psychology, communication, political science, international relations, law, human rights, etc.) (Required)

• Post-graduate qualification earned with a project or dissertation. ( Required)

• Qualitative research experience (quantitative research experience a bonus). (Required)

• Successfully completed the IFRC Stay Safe e-learning course (basic). (Preferred)

Experience

• One-year work or volunteering experience, even if in an unrelated field. (Preferred)

• Southern Africa contextual understanding (Required)

• Experience working for humanitarian or development organisations, within the context of developing countries. (Preferred)

• Experience working across multiple countries. (preferred)

Knowledge, Skills and Language

• Good knowledge of protection, gender and inclusion and/or community engagement strategies in African contexts. (Required)

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and networking skills. (Required)

• Strong academic research skills. (Required)

• Strong writing and analysis skills. (Required)

• Creativity and innovation. (Required)

• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment. (Required)

• Good stress management skills. (Required)

• Self-supporting in computers [Microsoft Office, database, e-mail (Outlook) etc.] ( Required)

• Fluently spoken and written English. (Required )

• Command of another IFRC official language. (Preferred )

Competencies and Values

• Communication;

• Collaboration and Teamwork;

• Judgement and Decision Making;

• Customer Relations;

• Creativity and Innovation;

• Building Trust;