The Child Protection Area of Responsibility Co-Coordinator at GOALPrime Organization Nigeria (GPON)

Contextual Background North East Nigeria

 In 2022, an estimated 8.4 million people (2 million children are in need of child protection services; this includes an estimated 1.2m targeted children and 333,005 caregivers. The Child Protection Area of Responsibility is led by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and co-led by the United Nations Children’s Fund as the Sector Lead Agency and GOALPrime as the national co-coordinator host organization. The strategic direction of the Child Protection Area of Responsibility is guided by the Strategic Advisory Group, and technical working groups focused on prioritized thematic areas feeding into the AoRs strategy, Annual HRPs/HNOs The AoR is mandated to ensure that the continued response is focused on timely response, that is of quality, and streamlined approaches to deliver on the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian situation (UNICEF CCCs)

 As part of the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action, the Child Protection AoR Co-Coordinator is responsible for providing effective leadership and support to the child-protection coordination structure in northeast Nigeria. S/He will ensure an efficient and effective child protection coordination mechanism in north-east Nigeria; provide guidance to all partners on common standards, strategies and approaches; ensure all critical child protection gaps and vulnerabilities are identified; information is provided on roles, responsibilities and accountability to ensure that all gaps are addressed without duplication of efforts. S/He will also provide guidance in operations to a gender-balanced, multidisciplinary team of professionals to identify and correct gender-sensitive programs and strict adherence to PSEA accountability to each AoR Partner.

Key Responsibilities: 

1. Establish and maintain an appropriate humanitarian coordination mechanism           

1. Ensure all Child Protection (CP) relevant actors are engaged as Sector members and adhere to the Principles of Partnership and Produce sectoral reports and analysis.

• Regular updating of Mapping of child protection actors in north-east Nigeria and related sectors of interventions/capacities (5Ws and local partners including Community Based Child Protection Networks and Community Based Organizations)
• Strengthen pre-existing sectoral coordination through increased predictability and accountability at the state and LGA levels. 
• Ensure complementarity of partner actions to avoid duplication of services and gaps in the response                                          
• Ensure adequate resources are mobilized and are equitably allocated for the effective functioning of the Sector and its response.                                                                                     
• Effective and comprehensive integration of relevant cross-cutting issues, including age, gender, and HIV/AIDs.                  
• Maintain flexibility within the Sector to respond to changes in the operating environment, evolving requirements, capacities, and participation.
• Effectively use and transfer information to, from and between Sector participants and other stakeholders.

2.  Interact with other Sectors (including through inter-Sector coordination fora, humanitarian actors, government counterparts, and relevant authorities for operational planning, engagement, and active contribution of operational partners):                                                                                                                

• Participate in Protection, gender-based violence (GBV) and other relevant Sector’s meetings.

• Design a mainstreaming Child Protection matrix and advocate with other clusters for Child Protection issues to be mainstreamed (in particular work with Education cluster on integrating child protection through Child Friendly Spaces and other community-based initiatives, With Food Security and Nutrition etc.

• Ensure with Protection Sector that Child Protection issues are included in multi-sectoral assessments and initiatives
•  Ensure that there is effective communication, reporting, engagement and coordination between the state and LGA coordination mechanisms.

3.  Supporting service delivery:

• Provide a platform to ensure that service delivery is driven by the agreed strategic priorities.                                                                                                                          
• Develop mechanisms to eliminate duplication of service delivery. Monitor performance of the core Sector functions.

4.  Informing strategic decision-making of the HC/HCT for the humanitarian response:

• Develop and regularly update a CP Sector strategy including objectives and indicators for CP response that are aligned with and support the realization of the strategic priorities set out in the Sector strategy and HRPs
• Support Needs assessments and gap analysis (across other sectors and within the sector)
• Undertake analysis to identify and address (emerging) gaps, obstacles, duplication, and cross-cutting issues.
• Ensure that Prioritization grounded by response analysis and support in disseminating funding information in a timely way top the AoR partners.

5.  Advocacy:

• Identify advocacy concerns to contribute to HC and HCT messaging and action.         
• Undertaking advocacy activities on behalf of Sector participants and the affected population.
• Develop advocacy approaches/strategies for issues related to child protection that require sensitization of local authorities or donors and contribute to the development of key messages for broader humanitarian advocacy/messaging initiatives of the CP AoR or Protection Sector.

6.  Contingency planning/preparedness for recurrent disasters whenever feasible and relevant:

• Promote interagency/inter-sectoral Child Protection (CP) needs assessments, lead and participate in inter agency child protection assessments to identify priority child protection issues and advocate for delivery of appropriate response.

• Identify response gaps and promote members’ response (including activation of provider of last resort);

Behavioral Competencies and Values

• Integrity: Embeds honesty, transparency and openness in interactions and decision-making without undue internal and external pressure.
• Develops and maintains collaborative relationships: Communicates with respect, seeks, and recognizes the contributions of others and facilitates decision-making through a consultative approach.
• Motivates and influences others: Builds trust, uses effective listening and technically sound negotiation, and uses collaborative approaches to gain support towards the achievement of common goals. 

Qualifications, Experience and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, anthropology, community development, development studies or similar/related field.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of work experience in child protection in the humanitarian response in north-east Nigeria.
• Previous experience in emergency response coordination is an asset.
• Good communication skills with strong interpersonal, time management and analytical skills.
• Ability to juggle competing priorities, make timely decisions and work under pressure in an insecure environment
• Fluency in English, spoken and written, Willingness to travel to the field level.
• Commitment to promoting the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action and IASC’s Principles of Partnership.

Child Safeguarding:

The role of the CP AoR NGO Co-Coordinator will involve contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g., once a week or more) or intensively (e.g., four days in one month or more or overnight) and the NGO Co-Coordinator will be expected to abide by the child protection and NGO co-lead organization’s child safeguarding measures.

REPORTING:

Administrative Reporting: The co- Coordinator will report to the Country Director of GOALPrime:

• Technical Reporting: The co -Coordinator will report to the CP AoR Coordinator