Terms of Reference
Post Title
Contract type
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Duration
Starting date
Duty Station
Supervisor
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Child Protection Specialist in Assessment and Information Management
Temporary Appointment
L-3
6 Months
01 November 2011
Nairobi
??? (50%-50% Kenya and Somalia offices)
BACKGROUND
The Eastern Horn of Africa has experienced two consecutive seasons of poor rainfall, resulting in one of the driest
periods since 1995. Some areas in Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia have recorded the worst rains in over 50
years. Somalia and Kenya are worst affected. The severity of the crisis is compounded by a sharp rise in food and
fuel prices (grain prices in drought hit districts have doubled or tripled), and the persistent effects of armed conflict
in Somalia where humanitarian access is extremely limited. Altogether nearly 13.3m people are in need of
humanitarian assistance in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti, including 940,000 Somali refugees and 1.5m
Somalis displaced in their own country. Since the military standoff between the Kenya military and militant groups in
Somalia escalates and seasonal rains arrive in Somalia and Kenya, new complications are being introduced to the
humanitarian context of the Horn of Africa.
Among the affected population in the Horn there are over 2m children acutely malnourished including an estimated
half a million in Somalia alone. The complex nature of the crisis has led to an aggravation of child protection concerns
in the region, including increased number of separated and unaccompanied children, increase in gender-based
violence, and negative coping mechanisms like early marriage.
PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENT
The Child Protection Working Group (CPWG) is an “area of responsibility” under the Global Protection Cluster and
the mechanism through which child protection in emergencies is coordinated within the inter-agency humanitarian
system. The CPWG’s objective is to ensure more predictable, accountable and effective child protection responses in
emergencies. Having an information management capacity as part of the cluster coordination has been recognized
by most clusters as a good practice.
Child protection inter-agency coordination mechanisms are in place in Kenya and Somalia as humanitarian agencies
are actively responding to the needs of children affected by the crisis. Improved information management is
necessary to feed into elaboration of programming strategy, humanitarian funding processes, mainstreaming child
protection into other sectors, advocacy and situation reports (sitreps) thus maximizing the use of limited resources.
In line with the agreed CP coordination strategy document for the HoA, the two country offices of Kenya and Somalia
are looking for an Information Management Specialist to fulfill information management responsibilities as an
integral part of a coordinated approach to child protection.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In collaboration with CPWG coordinators, the following tasks will be performed in a way to support and strengthen
outcomes and results of the two national coordination mechanisms as well as cross-border collaboration where
necessary. The overall objective of this assignment is to provide hands-on support as well as advices to member
organizations regarding information management towards better compliance with CPWG responsibilities as defined
by the humanitarian reform in response to the current crisis in the Horn of Africa:
Information management tools and systems
The support provided CPWGs1 will be defined in regard to the overall need of information at the sub-regional level.
Collaboration and consultation with CPWG coordinators/focal points, OCHA, protection cluster coordinator as well as
sub-cluster members is essential to the process:
Key activities and deliverables of consultant

Mapping of available data/information and making them available to CPWG members as well as other clusters through a
variety of forums;

Working with CPWG members to identify information gaps at national and sub-regional levels and to propose ways to bridge
such gaps;

Inventory of existing IM tools (e.g. 4W matrix), proposing improvements if needed, and supporting CPWG members in using
them;

Contributing to development of a functioning monitoring system for the CPWG including the compilation of a core list of
indicators for national CPWGs;

Capacity building of CPWG members through training and coaching on IM processes including data collection, storage and
analysis to inform decision-making, advocacy, dissemination, etc.;

Assist in formulating and providing regular inputs to UNICEF and OCHA sitreps;

Maintain regular contact with the protection cluster towards harmonization of tools and sharing of information where
necessary;

Part-take in OCHA’s Assessment and Information Management coordination meetings to ensure child protection is included
in multi-sectorial assessments;

Support CPWG members in the use of harmonized information management system for case management at national level
(CPWG);

Provide technical assistance on the information management aspect of referral mechanisms;

Ensuring that existing information on child protection is represented in existing online platforms, such as OCHA website;

Respond to other CP information management needs for the CPWG as identified by the coordinators and member
organizations.
Child Protection Assessments
In coordination with the national CPWG coordinators and members and in view of current and future CP assessment
requirements:
Key activities and deliverables of consultant

Lead CP assessment planning and activities on behalf of the CPWGs;

Ensure that key child protection concerns are reflected in OCHA-led multi-sectorial assessments, as well as other non-child
protection assessments;

Capacity building on CP assessment tools mostly through on the job training and coaching;

Provide leadership on data analysis and report writing for inter-agency assessment initiatives.
TIME ALLOCATION
Recognizing that many of the activities of the IMO will be benefiting both country offices, the standard allocation of
time between the two country offices will be 50%-50%. However, based on needs that may arise, the supervisors
may agree on a different arrangement for time allocation.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Nairobi – with travel within Kenya and Somalia, including to hardship locations where children are most in need of
protection as a result of the Horn of Africa Crisis.
1
The term CPWG is used as a generic word inclusive of the different existing architectures of CP coordination mechanisms in Somalia and Kenya,
while acknowledging that they might be referred to differently in country.
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QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES
Education
Masters degree or equivalent in relevant fields such as: business administration (information management), disaster
and emergency management, information technology, information systems, geographic sciences, communications or
statistics.
Professional experience
 At least five-year’s combined field and headquarters experience in a relevant humanitarian organization(s)
(e.g. UN agencies, INGOs, IOs, Donors, IFRC or ICRC) in the area of information management and needs
assessments;
 Experience with research and monitoring and evaluation systems is a plus;
 Good track-record of working under pressure and in multi-cultural environments.
Coordination and Communication Skills
 Good communication and interpersonal skills. Must be able to work with many different functions from
high level decision makers to technical specialists to IT experts;
 Able to provide leadership and guidance when necessary.
Technical Skills
 Strong knowledge of MS Excel and preferably MS Access or other databases;
 Understanding of GIS and map-making processes and ability to collect and organize data to support their
production (knowledge of ArcGIS is a plus);
 Ability to present information in digestible forms (e.g. tables, charts and graphs);
 Familiarity with web-based applications;
 Good knowledge of the cluster approach to humanitarian response;
 Knowledge of Child-protection-related technical guidelines, standards, and indicators;
 Knowledge of the use of information management in humanitarian emergency, crisis management or
disaster management contexts.
 Proven statistical and analytical skills.
Core Competencies
 Demonstrated ability in context of partnership-building and consensual decision-making;
 Demonstrated team-building skills;
 Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills;
 Willingness and ability to work in a difficult and stressful environment with basic living conditions;
 Cultural and gender sensitivity;
 Cultural and gender awareness and sensitivity.
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