Project/ CP Program Background

Through a PRM funded program, International Medical Corps (IMC) is going to provide health, resilience, well-being, and inclusion of refugee returnees and host communities in conflict- and drought-affected areas of Afghanistan by providing quality and integrated WASH, CP, GBV prevention and response, and MHPSS services (Nangarhar, Kunar, and Laghman).

IMC proposes a structured, three-year child protection (CP) program in Kunar, Laghman, and Nangarhar provinces, designed to empower communities with a holistic community-based CP system through community capacities and integrated services, ensuring accessibility for host communities and returnees and integrating local cultural practices into provided services while fostering community collaboration. This approach adheres to the guidelines of the Global CP cluster, IASC, and Child Protection Minimum Standards (CPMS) and reflects the commitment towards international best practices while considering the need for adaptations to respect unique cultural, social, and environmental contexts of the targeted provinces.

Job Purpose

Reporting to CP Manager, the CP Officer will be responsible for implementation of all planned activities under Provision health, resilience, well-being, and inclusion of refugee returnees and host communities in conflict- and drought-affected areas of Afghanistan by providing quality and integrated WASH, CP, GBV prevention and response, and MHPSS services eastern zone in Afghanistan in collaboration with the CP manager. S/he will be based in IMC Jalalabad/Kunar/Laghman office but will be involved in regular travel to project sites to provide technical/operational/administrative support, supervise, review and document progress, community initiative fund, and challenges in the field.

The CP officer will also be responsible for providing technical support and capacity building to child protection teams in the field in collaboration with CP Manager and organize project related trainings and maintain close relationship with relevant stakeholders such as community, camps/settlement, district and provincial authorities, CPAN, UN agencies and Clusters, INGOs and NGOs. S/he also supports the field team developing weekly and monthly planning, progress reporting and resolving problems in the field.

CP Officer with the support of Social Workers/CP caseworkers will provide CP Case Management including identifying individual cases of vulnerable children who have experienced or are at a high risk of experiencing neglect, exploitation, violence, and/or abuse at home, at school, and/or in their community. In cooperation with community leaders Community based Child Protection Committees (CBCPCs), and Child Protection Action Network (CPAN) members they will secure referrals to service providers offering legal, financial, health, in-kind, and other services.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

• Planning, and supervision of child protection activities in the field, supervise CP team to ensure that all planned activities are carried out timely.
• Ensure that the child protection activities are implemented following standard procedures and sensitivity to avoid negative impact in the field.
• Strengthen case management and referral system and improve data management system within the targeted working areas.
• Organize and facilitate project related training to staff and stakeholders.  
• Work with team and communities to develop appropriate prevention and awareness raising in the targeted provinces.
• Collect progress updates for the field team, prepare biweekly, monthly and quarterly reports on time and submit to line manager.
• Work closely with logistic and security department and ensure necessary logistical/administrative and security processes and protocols for the field team.
• Represents International Medical Corps and the CP project component at local and provincial level in coordination with line manager; attend meetings, sharing information and providing feedback when requested.
• Actively participate in protection working groups (CPAN/CPAoR) and contribute to interagency initiatives and promote International Medical Corps as a leader agency in GBV.
• Ensure maximum visibility of International Medical Corps and donor while implementing the project activities.
• Supervise, support and guide the field team and other project staff such as social workers and CP caseworkers in the province to ensure project objectives are met, to improve program quality, cultural appropriateness and adheres organizational policies and procedures, donor requirements and host government guidelines.
• Technical Support to CP/GBV team in conducting CP prevention and response activities in the field, referral of CP survivors and conducting training for health/MHPSS/WASH/GBV staff in the targeted provinces.
• Manage data collection tools.
• Assist in establishing CP Referral network among CP Actors
• Establish and support working groups in the province and conduct regular meetings.
• Conduct meeting and community dialogues with CBCPCs, WASHCN to lead community initiative fund.
• Ensure compliance with security protocols and policies.
• Consider security implications of all program activities, review all new initiatives with national staff and community leaders.
• Perform other duties as requested to oversee the implementation of quality CP prevention and response activities, building capacity and promote international Medical Corps as a leader agency in CP.

Organizational Responsibilities

Policy Adherence

• Adhere to the Code of Conduct, maintain humanitarian principles and respect international humanitarian law.

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse:

• Actively promote PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) standards within International Medical Corps and amongst beneficiaries served by International Medical Corps.

Compliance & Ethics:

• Promotes and encourages a culture of compliance and ethics throughout the International Medical Corps. As applicable to the position, maintains a clear understanding of International Medical Corps and donor compliance and ethics standards and adheres to those standards.  Conducts work with the highest level of integrity.

Safeguarding

• It is all staff’s shared responsibility and obligation to safeguard and protect populations with whom we work, including adults who may be particularly vulnerable and children. This includes safeguarding from the following conduct by our staff or partners: sexual exploitation and abuse; exploitation, neglect, or abuse of children and adults at risk; and any form of trafficking in persons.