The Office of the UNHCR was established on 14 December 1950 by the UN General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country (www.unhcr.org).
1. General Background
Niger is located in a geopolitical sensitive area in Africa: linking the Sahara Desert with the Sahel, as well as West with Central Africa. This land-locked country not only accommodates a large number of refugees from neighboring countries but is also a major transit hub for migratory movements northwards to Algeria, Libya and the shores of the Mediterranean Sea toward the European Union (EU). As Niger is signatory of the treaty of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its protocols, citizens of most neighboring countries enjoy freedom of entry and movement within the country.
Although there is no reliable statistical data, it is estimated that more than 60 percent of all migrants crossing through Libya and then Central Mediterranean transit through Niger, with Agadez being the main stop over on the migrants route, followed by Dirkou on the road to Sebha in Libya and Arlit on the road to Tamanrasset in Algeria. In fact, following the effective closure of the migratory route through Senegal / Mauritania, the Niger route has grown increasingly popular with Sub-Saharan migrants, in particular from West Africa, given the closure of the Chad-Libya border and the fact that route joining North Mali to Tamanghasset in Algeria is too risky.
In this context, the situation in Agadez is characterized by a lack of effective State authority, both administrative and law enforcement, and viable economic development. Various economic activities depend on the flow of migrants and refugees i.e. transport, travel agencies, hotel-keepers, restaurant owners, sex-workers, mechanics, while many migrants are stuck in Niger because they cannot pay their passage or have been turned back or expelled from Libya or Algeria.
Although Trans-Saharan migration through Niger is not essentially refugee-related, it is noted that Mali and Nigeria rank high amongst the countries of origin. Although it is not known what segments of the migrants originate from conflict zones in these countries, there is a viable assumption that part of the migrant population could fall under UNHCR¿s mandate. Based on IOM statistics, some 100,000 migrants were assisted in their reception centers, notably in Agadez in 2014. UNHCR has been working closely with IOM toward establishing and improving standard operating procedures where identified asylum-seekers among migrants can be referred with a view to seek access to international protection, assistance and access to Refugee Status Determination (RSD) procedures established by authorities of Niger.
UNHCR estimates that in the absence of any foreseeable solutions to the underlying causes of regional instability that produce migration and refugee flows, trend of population movements from West and Central Africa through Agadez will persist in the coming years. Until monitoring and identification mechanisms allow more accurate projections of expected populations of concern, UNHCR initially plans to process asylum requests of an estimated 100 referrals per month in 2016 with the assumption is that the number of asylum seekers will gradually increase in 2017.
Since 2012, Niger has also been hosting around 60.000 Malian refugees who fled violence in northern Mali following a major and ongoing political crackdown that has prompted the country into violence. Although tripartite agreements were signed to provide a framework for spontaneous returns to Mali from Niger, UNHCR is still of the opinion that the current situation in northern Mali where these refugees come from is not conducive for return. Original initiatives are in place to facilitate self-reliance for this caseload. This includes settlements in Refugee hosting Areas as opposed to camps, cash-based interventions, support to livelihood initiatives etc. In addition, some five thousand urban refugees are hosted in Niamey (mainly from Mali) and around six hundred in Zinder, essentially from Chad
Since 2014, the ongoing regional fight against the ex-Boko haram Islamic group have generated significant displacements in Diffa region in south eastern Niger, which is now host to a mixed situation, with Nigerian refugees, Nigerien returnees from Nigeria and formal IDPs living in close vicinity. Most of those displaced in Diffa region are scattered in tens of spontaneous sites and some are in host communities.
Since 2017, the Government of Niger has agreed to establish an Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) aiming at evacuating PoCs from Libya to Niger pending the research of durable solutions. Asylum-seekers evacuated to Niger under this mechanism undergo RSD, with UNHCR conducting refugee status determination jointly with the Niger Government. It is anticipated that a good number of those recognized as refugees will be resettled outside Niger. The Government has also agreed to provide asylum in Niger in a limited number of cases and VolRep remains available throughout the process.
The incumbent will conduct RSD interviews and assessments of asylum-seekers international protection needs under UNHCR mandate and conduct RSD reviews.
The incumbent will report to UNHCR RSD supervisor.
2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment
The RSD Expert (Level 2) will be a member of the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) team within the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) in Niger. The incumbent will conduct RSD interviews and assessments for asylum seekers evacuated from Libya, including those with more complex profiles. S/he will also be asked to conduct reviews of RSD cases drafted by other members of the Team, and to provide on-the-job coaching and training to less experienced staff in the Unit. The RSD Expert will also be asked to provide counselling to asylum seekers and refugees on the RSD procedures as well as on their rights and obligations in the country of asylum. S/he may be asked to deliver RSD trainings to the Niger authorities or other UNHCR staff, and to design and implement tools to enhance the quality and efficiency of RSD decision-making, such as COI documents and pre-populated templates.
The RSD Expert (Level 2) will be expected to produce up to five Regular RSD cases a week, including interview and assessment. The targets, including those for case reviews, might be adjusted depending on the complexitity of the cases and the Staff’s experience.
Under the supervision and guidance of the RSD Officer, the RSD Expert (Level 2) will be responsible for the following duties:
– Conduct RSD interviews and draft RSD assessments in accordance with applicable standards and guidelines
– Conduct reviews of RSD cases
– Stay abreast of legal, political, security and other developments which have an impact on the protection environment, and in particular, on protection delivery through RSD
– Maintain accurate and up-to date electronical and physical records related to all work on individual cases
– Provide counselling to asylum seekers and refugees
– Assist in preventing and identifying fraud in RSD
– Assist in monitoring RSD trends and in compiling and analysing RSD statistics related to RSD case processing to identify and respond to developments or issues impacting on the efficiency or quality of RSD decision-making, and to propose remedial measures
– Conduct research on country of origin information (COI) and legal issues related to RSD and assist in maintaining a local repository of relevant information, guidelines, templates and standards accessible to RSD staff in the operation
– Support colleagues in the Unit through on-the-job coaching where necessary and in coordination with the Supervisor
– On exceptional basis conduct registration, protection or resettlement interviews and draft related documents
– Deliver training on RSD to Niger authorities and/or UNHCR staff as needed
– Support the Protection Unit with other activities as needed and in coordination with the Supervisor
3. Monitoring and Progress Controls
RSD interviews conducted and RSD Assessments drafted in accordance with applicable standards and guidelines; RSD cases reviewed and RSD decision endorsed in a quality and timely manner;
Accurate and up-to date records and data related to all work on individual cases are maintained.
4. Qualifications and Experience:
a. Education
Undergraduate degree (equivalent of a BA/BS) in Law, Political science, International relations or another related field plus minimum five years of relevant professional experience or Master’s degree plus two years of relevant professional experience; Doctorate degree (equivalent of a PhD) plus one year of previous relevant professional experience may also be accepted.
b. Work Experience
Minimum three years of work experience in a relevant field (e.g. assisting refugees in a registration, RSD or resettlement context, case advocacy, legal aid provider to asylum seekers), including minimum two years of direct RSD casework experience, preferably in a UNHCR mandate operation. Experience with case reviews, appeal/complex cases and managerial experience are considered an asset.
c. Key Competencies
Required Qualifications
– Knowledge of International Refugee Law and Human Rights Law and ability to apply the relevant legal principles;
– Excellent English oral and written communication skills;
– Excellent interviewing and counselling skills in an RSD context as demonstrated in previous assignments, including with vulnerable and traumatized individuals;
– Very strong attention to detail, very strong analytical skills, as demonstrated in previous assignments;
– Demonstrated awareness of gender issues and how to apply rights and community-based approach to identify and respond to specific needs;
– Ability to work effectively in stressful situations and in hardship locations;
– Demonstrated awareness of UNHCR mandate, the importance of preventing fraud and ways to mitigate risks;
– Ability to assess and to identify protection risks of individuals and groups, and family reunification needs, as demonstrated in past assignments;
– Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in teams;
– Strong research (in particular in relation to country of origin information) and analytical skills;
– Knowledge of and/or preparedness to become familiar with and abide by UNHCR¿s principles, code of conduct and humanitarian goals;
– Knowledge of UNHCR guidelines on refugee status determination / resettlement;
Desirable Qualifications
– Excellent knowledge of French (written and oral) is an asset;
– Experience with RSD case reviews, experience with complex cases and/or cases arising exclusion concerns;
– Completion of UNHCR’s RSD Learning Programme, Resettlement Learning Program, COI Learning Programme or Protection Learning Programme.
