Programme Specialist, Peacebuilding

Details

Mission and objectives

Who we are (Mission) UNDP has been working in South Sudan for over 30 years. With the formation of the independent Republic of South Sudan in July 2011, UNDP established a Country Office and has staff working all over the country to help build government institutions. UNDP has maintained its presence in South Sudan despite significant challenges in the operating environment by adopting a flexible approach to its work with the Government of South Sudan. Since the conclusion of the Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in August 2015, UNDP aims to work in partnership with the Transitional Government of National Unity, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, multilateral aid agencies, bilateral donors, academia, media and the private sector. The overarching aim of UNDP is to support the progress towards peace and reconciliation, early recovery and governance, and towards the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). What we do UNDP’s goal is to help creating more resilient communities and reinvigorated local economies; strengthening peace and governance; and empowering women and girls. UNDP South Sudan aims to do this by supporting the Government to manage public finances in an environment of respect for the rule of law, with an accountable government to deliver inclusive economic growth.

Context

The situation in Abyei has been characterized by the lack of an agreement on the final status of Abyei between Sudan and South Sudan since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, and South Sudan’s referendum for independence in 2011. UNDP South Sudan Country Office cover Abyei Administrative areas, one of the administrative areas governed by the Republic of South Sudan. The highly politicized environment, insecurity, and violent conflicts have created access restrictions in ways that threaten UNAFPs’ programme delivery and UNISFA’s mandate implementation in accordance with the UN principles of neutrality, impartiality, and leaving no one behind. Therefore, the United Nations Volunteer Expert is required to support the peacebuilding programme and monitoring, data compilation and reporting to inform decision making process.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Team Leader for Governance and overall guidance of Deputy Resident Representative (P) and Governance Adviser or designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Programme Specialist – Peacebuilding will: • Support implementation of relevant peacebuilding aspects enshrined in UNISFA’s mandate (UNISFA SCR 2609 of 15 December 2021) under the joint Programme (JP) framework will include coordination of workplan activities under the signed UN2UN Agreement in terms of timeliness implementation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation to delivered as “one joint Programme • He/she will collaborate with stakeholders including Local Administration of both communities and partners. The level of collaboration includes support to community peace dialogue by the Misseriya, Ngok Dinka, and all other communities to strengthen intercommunal relationships and facilitate stability in the Abyei to foster intercommunal reconciliation and facilitate the return of displaced persons to their villages. • Engage local communities on peacebuilding initiatives, conflict prevention and mitigation and establishment of integrated rule of law support strategy to pave the way for conflict resolution and community stabilization in consultation with the Abyei Administrative government. • He/she will ensure UNDP South Sudan’s inputs contributes to Livelihoods and Peacebuilding Working Groups among others in line with UN Cooperation Framework (UNCFSS) and UNDP (CPD 2023-25) thematic areas, as well as needs identified in the Abyei area. A list of potential locations along the disengagement line and the migration corridors to be targeted has been explored during the needs assessment phase, and will be validated during the inception period of the programme. Preliminary selection criteria include: Places of high and/or regular interaction between conflict-affected groups. Limited or unequitable access to basic services for communities. Conflict hotspots. Scarcity of water, grazing land, and other shared natural resources. High number of young people with conflict carrying capacity. High number of vulnerable women, children, or other vulnerable groups. • Leads the design, development, and implementation, monitoring of UNDP South Sudan Workplan for peacebuilding response in Abyei for a coherent, efficient, and effective co-ordination and within the procedures on human rights and peacebuilding. • Assist in data analysis and research on policies in the areas of peacebuilding support on overall governance, human rights, and reconciliation responses. • Ensures effective support to South Sudan Joint Programmes coordination, implementation and reporting protocol for the immediate, and longer-term strategies. • Liaise with JP Coordinators, UNISFA Management and technical counterparts to ensure well-established relationship and functional support to the RCO and the leadership of government in Abyei Administration • Ensures coherence coordination of Annual Work Plan activities related to UNDP South Sudan in Abyei within the agreed UN Framework for Socio-Economic and Livelihood Response. • Coordinates with the Task Force under the leadership of Resident Coordination Office (RCO) regarding UN Framework Response and working in consultations with/and among other Non/UN Agencies in Abyei. • Contributes to joint accountability framework on the Abyei Programme including sharing of information, planning, and reporting and further assistance, where required. • Support the identification of strengths and weaknesses in the Abyei JP programmes in the context of Triple Nexus and provide advice/revisions on current strategies and implementation for cost-effective and efficient implementation of the JP programme. • Supports JP Working Groups and RCO Coordination mechanisms. • Support Livelihoods/Peacebuilding Working Groups (WG) on behalf of UNDP South Sudan peacebuilding in Abyei for effective, and timely implementation of peacebuilding activities in coordination with the Abyei JP Teams. • Manages the development of all UNDP South Sudan activities per the approved workplan with RCO/UNISFA leadership. • Supports preparation of inputs, where necessary participation in the Abyei JP and UN Humanitarian Coordination Team. • Participates to broader Cluster in relation to the Abyei JP response, Mixed Migration Cluster, Social Protection and Education Clusters, Women and Youth, especially TVET/VTC, and other sectoral and sub-sectoral responses. • Ensures coherent and efficient implementation of resources action and efficient implementation of project agreements (UN2UN) contract. • Ensures coherent resources implementation, and alignment for effective and efficient project execution in terms of timely implementation of all activities being undertaken, including Monitoring, and reporting within the RM Partnership with the UN Secretary General Funds • Supports the development of private sector network, where possible, through the use of private sector Resource Mobilization thinking of financing for Abyei JP development . • Assists the development and creation of new project concepts, project documents, any other documents that would be needed by the UNDP South Sudan Management. • Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results. • Conduct knowledge building and continuously mapping and updates on products in collaboration with the UNDP South Sudan communication and Acclab Unit, • Leads best practices and lessons learnt from the regional Joint Programmes and response. • The results expected include increased access to services for the people of Abyei including for livelihoods as a basis for reducing conflict drivers and grievances and thus remove key obstacles to building peace and social cohesion at grassroot mechanisms. An important component of the programme is to address perceived inequalities of access to services by communities in the Abyei Area. The broader infrastructure for peace and rehabilitation of key communities’ infrastructure should help to reduce intercommunal violence. Institutional Arrangement • Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative (P), and Governance Adviser with Direct supervision of Governance Team Leader, the Programme Specialist will lead, coordinates and implement the JP programme in Abyei through the management of preparation launch of the programme, coordination, implementation and reporting in line with the Secretary General Framework to address grievances and human rights violations in Abyei, stemming from long standing history of inter-communal violence and social prejudice that remained unaddressed Abyei. • Support any on any other administrative functions that may be assigned. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day). Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities. Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc. Assist with the UNV Buddy Programmed for newly arrived UN Volunteers. Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.