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Nigeria: National Protection and Gender Specialist

Apr 5, 2020 | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.

The main role of FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition; to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors; and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner. In Northeast Nigeria, mass population displacements and insecurity resulting from the ongoing insurgency in the Lake Chad basin have put livelihoods and food security at high risk.

The findings of the October 2019 Cadre Harmonisé (CH) analysis highlighted that an estimated 3.6 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states may struggle with critical levels of food insecurity (Phase 3 and above on the CH scale) in the period June to August 2020. The now decade-long conflict continues to displace populations from their homes. As at December 2019, there were over 1.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the BAY states, of whom over 80 percent are displaced in Borno state alone (IOM DTM Round 30, December 2019). However, in addition to the current number of IDPs, approximately 1.6 million formerly displaced individuals have returned to their communities of origin owing to improved security conditions. These returnees are in need of substantial assistance to resume their lives and livelihoods, and FAO interventions are supporting the restoration and promotion of sustainable agriculture based livelihoods with the aim of improving food security and nutrition in the BAY states.

However, the ongoing crisis in Northeast Nigeria is termed a ‘protection crisis’, with vulnerable social groups –  particularly children, women and the elderly – disproportionately affected by the impact of the ongoing conflict.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative and under the direct supervision of the FAO Head of Office in Maiduguri, the Protection and Gender Specialist will work closely with the Emergency Programme Coordinator while also maintaining a wide network of contacts consisting of managers, staff and stakeholders both inside and outside the office to ensure the quality and consistency of the programme/projects. 

Technical Focus

The Protection and Gender Specialist will support the mainstreaming of protection – including protection from gender-based violence (GBV) and protection from sexual abuse and exploitation (PSEA) – gender and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) in FAO Northeast Nigeria interventions.

The incumbent is expected to provide effective and efficient integration of protection (including GBV and PSEA), gender and AAP aspects in FAO Northeast Nigeria policies, strategies, tools, and programming.

Tasks and Responsibilities

  • Provide strategic, operational and programmatic advice based on sound analysis to ensure that FAO’s programming and operations take into account protection concerns and gender equality considerations in support of safe, dignified and accountable livelihood assistance.
  • Provide and facilitate professional and technical support for FAO Northeast Nigeria interventions to ensure quality in the development of gender equality, GBV and PSEA protective livelihood programmes and mainstreaming of gender perspectives.
  • Undertake gender, GBV and PSEA analyses and reports.
  • Support the integration of GBV, PSEA and gender equality principles and actions through FAO interventions in line with FAO’s resilience strategy.
  • Integrate gender, GBV and PSEA in current project tools, concept notes, and monitoring exercises, ensuring sex and age disaggregated data are collected and analysed in close collaboration with relevant project/programme staff.
  • Support the delivery of orientation sessions and deliver trainings on gender, protection, GBV and PSEA, as required.
  • Support the capacity building of FAO staff, partners, Food Security Sector members, and national and state-level government to prepare for and respond to gender, GBV and PSEA protection initiatives.
  • Strengthen mechanisms to enable affected populations to provide feedback and submit complaints related to FAO’s interventions.
  • Linking up with inter-agency mechanisms for handling of complaints.
  • Engage with local and international protection, GBV and women’s empowerment organisations and inter-agency coordination mechanisms – e.g. Protection Sector Working Group/GBV Sub Working Group, PSEA Focal Points and AAP/Community Engagement meetings, etc. – to provide inputs and information to these and assist FAO to coordinate with UN sister agencies, NGO partners and other relevant interlocutors on assessments of current and emerging gender, GBV, PSEA, AAP and other protection-related matters relevant to response planning.

Candidates will be assessed against the following:

Minimum Requirements

  • Master’s level degree or equivalent in gender, human rights, social sciences, development, politics, or other relevant discipline.
  • Minimum 5 years’ experience in protection, gender and/or GBV with UN agencies, non-governmental organizations or research institutions, with at least 3 years’ field experience and, preferably, proven experience in emergency contexts.
  • Nationals of Nigeria.

FAO Core Competencies

  • Results Focus
  • Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Building Effective Relationships
  • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

  • Gender analysis and gender/protection mainstreaming in food security; livelihoods programming preferred
  • Familiarity with gender in humanitarian action, protection needs in humanitarian settings, the IASC’s ‘Commitments on Accountability to Affected Populations and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse’, and Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS)
  • Experience in organizing trainings on gender and GBV, and other cross-cutting issues such as protection, AAP and PSEA
  • Sound understanding of the functioning of UN agencies and the UN system in an emergency context
  • Analytical skills and ability to write clear and concise reports in English
  • Ability to work under pressure and with limited supervision
  • Strong willingness to undertake deep field missions
  • Experience with projects involving multiple and diverse stakeholders including governments, private sector, civil society and end users
  • Knowledge of one of the major languages (e.g. Kanuri, Hausa) spoken in the northeast states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe would be a valuable asset.
  • Excellent analytical and writing skills, MS Office
  • Interpersonal skills, including cultural sensitivity

Additional information

  • FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
  • Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: Careers@fao.org
  • Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
  • Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications
  • For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/