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UNFPA-GBViE Speicalist-P3/P4-Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, JamaicaPosition Title: GBV in Emergencies Specialist
Receiving Agency: UNFPA
P Level: P3/P4
Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Duration: 3 months
Language: Fluency in English
Health facilities across the southwest and west—particularly Black River Hospital and other major hospitals—are severely damaged, leading to major disruptions in SRH and protection services.
GBV risks have increased sharply due to displacement, overcrowded shelters, unsafe temporary housing, loss of livelihoods, and weakened community protection structures. Referral pathways that previously linked survivors to medical care, psychosocial support, and legal assistance are now inconsistent or non-functional across parishes.
UNFPA has taken several initial steps to respond to these risks. Working closely with the Bureau of Gender Affairs, the Domestic Violence Intervention Unit, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, PAHO, and civil society partners, UNFPA has helped re-establish coordination and align priorities for the national response. Joint assessments with OPDEM have identified critical vulnerabilities in shelters. UNFPA co-chaired an emergency national GBV Working Group meeting with over 60 stakeholders, initiated the mapping of disrupted referral pathways, and disseminated GBV and PSEA guidance to frontline actors. Dignity kits have also been procured to be used as entry point for GBV and SRH.
Despite these efforts, significant gaps persist. Safe, confidential, and accessible GBV services are still limited, and many parishes lack adequate psychosocial support, case management capacity, or Women and Girls Safe Spaces. Referral pathways remain incomplete, and shelters often lack the minimum standards required to prevent and mitigate GBV. Survivors continue to face major obstacles in accessing clinical management of rape and other essential services, particularly with damaged health facilities and overstretched medical teams. GBV risk mitigation across the broader humanitarian response is insufficient, and as people rely more heavily on aid for basic needs, safeguards against sexual exploitation and abuse remain weak.
Main Tasks and Responsibilities
1. Programme Development, Strategic Planning and Implementation
2. Coordination and Partnerships
3. Capacity Development
4. Information Management, Assessments, and Analysis
5. Reporting and Documentation
6. Advocacy and Resource Mobilization
Qualifications and skills
Receiving Agency: UNFPA
P Level: P3/P4
Location: Kingston, Jamaica
Duration: 3 months
Language: Fluency in English
Background Description of Emergency / Justification for Request
Hurricane Melissa (Category 4) struck Jamaica on 28 October 2025, causing massive destruction—flooding, landslides, and collapse of critical infrastructure. A national disaster has been declared. Around 1.6 million people are affected, including large numbers of women, adolescent girls, and people requiring sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
Hurricane Melissa (Category 4) struck Jamaica on 28 October 2025, causing massive destruction—flooding, landslides, and collapse of critical infrastructure. A national disaster has been declared. Around 1.6 million people are affected, including large numbers of women, adolescent girls, and people requiring sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
Health facilities across the southwest and west—particularly Black River Hospital and other major hospitals—are severely damaged, leading to major disruptions in SRH and protection services.
GBV risks have increased sharply due to displacement, overcrowded shelters, unsafe temporary housing, loss of livelihoods, and weakened community protection structures. Referral pathways that previously linked survivors to medical care, psychosocial support, and legal assistance are now inconsistent or non-functional across parishes.
UNFPA has taken several initial steps to respond to these risks. Working closely with the Bureau of Gender Affairs, the Domestic Violence Intervention Unit, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, PAHO, and civil society partners, UNFPA has helped re-establish coordination and align priorities for the national response. Joint assessments with OPDEM have identified critical vulnerabilities in shelters. UNFPA co-chaired an emergency national GBV Working Group meeting with over 60 stakeholders, initiated the mapping of disrupted referral pathways, and disseminated GBV and PSEA guidance to frontline actors. Dignity kits have also been procured to be used as entry point for GBV and SRH.
Despite these efforts, significant gaps persist. Safe, confidential, and accessible GBV services are still limited, and many parishes lack adequate psychosocial support, case management capacity, or Women and Girls Safe Spaces. Referral pathways remain incomplete, and shelters often lack the minimum standards required to prevent and mitigate GBV. Survivors continue to face major obstacles in accessing clinical management of rape and other essential services, particularly with damaged health facilities and overstretched medical teams. GBV risk mitigation across the broader humanitarian response is insufficient, and as people rely more heavily on aid for basic needs, safeguards against sexual exploitation and abuse remain weak.
Security Situation Summary in country and main threats:
No immediate threats.Main Tasks and Responsibilities
1. Programme Development, Strategic Planning and Implementation
- Conduct field assessments and analyses to identify GBV risks, needs, service gaps, and ensure GBV integration into multisectoral assessments.
- Lead development and periodic review of GBV response plans, SOPs, service mapping (incl. 5Ws), and evidence-based strategies aligned with UNFPA Minimum Standards and global guidance.
- Support implementation and monitoring of GBV activities ensuring timely delivery, quality, and alignment with workplans.
- Oversee procurement and appropriate use of GBV-related supplies
- Strengthen linkages with SRH and other relevant programmes.
- Identify programmatic and geographic gaps and work with partners, sectors, and UNFPA leadership to develop solutions.
2. Coordination and Partnerships
- Facilitate and strengthen inter-agency GBV coordination, ensuring strong communication between coordination levels and adherence to the principles of partnership.
- Ensure participation of diverse actors (government, UN, NGO, civil society, etc.) and contribute to inter-agency processes including joint assessments.
- Represent UNFPA and/or the GBV sub-sector in Protection Sector, Health Sector, OCHA-led coordination, and other relevant forums, advocating for GBV integration across all sectors.
- Establish and maintain partnerships with national authorities, UN missions, service providers, and community-based organisations, ensuring collaborative and coordinated GBV response.
- Support resource mobilization efforts for both UNFPA and inter-agency GBV priorities.
3. Capacity Development
- Develop and implement an inter-agency GBV capacity-building strategy addressing national and local stakeholder needs.
- Coordinate and deliver training on GBV in emergencies, safe and ethical GBV IM, survivor-centred approaches, etc. for health, protection, community, and security actors.
4. Information Management, Assessments, and Analysis
- Consolidate available assessments and secondary data and conduct participatory GBV assessments in line with Ethical and Safety Recommendations.
- Support adoption and safe use of standard GBV intake/reporting forms and strengthen partner capacities in ethical data management.
- Develop or refine reporting tools and support analysis of trends, risks, and gaps for strategic decision-making and inter-agency planning.
- Document lessons learned, best practices, unsuccessful and successful approaches for internal and inter-agency learning.
5. Reporting and Documentation
- Monitor implementation of UNFPA GBV programmes and partner activities, tracking progress, expenditures, agreements, and capacity-building efforts.
- Contribute to regular internal and external reports, including SitReps, donor updates, progress reports, and contributions to inter-agency documents.
- Share analytical findings, updates, and lessons learned with UNFPA Regional Office, HQ, and relevant humanitarian coordination mechanisms.
6. Advocacy and Resource Mobilization
- Provide technical inputs to advocacy messages, briefs, and policy documents addressing GBV.
- Support advocacy efforts with government, UN, and stakeholders.
- Support the engagement of the CO with donors to mobilize resources
Qualifications and skills
- Advanced university degree in social work, gender studies, public health, international relations, human rights, or a related field.
- At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in GBV programming, including substantial field experience in humanitarian or emergency contexts.
- Strong technical expertise on GBV in emergencies, including analysis of GBV risks, design of prevention and response strategies, and application of global standards and guidance.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating with a wide range of actors (government, UN, NGOs, civil society) and contributing to inter-agency mechanisms.
- Good understanding of humanitarian systems and roles of key humanitarian actors.
- Demonstrated experience in designing, managing, and monitoring GBV programmes at scale; direct experience supporting GBV survivors and experience supporting GBV service delivery (e.g., case management) is an asset.
- Strong communication, partnership-building, and teamwork skills in multicultural environments.
- Proficiency in English required
CANADEM and its partners have a no-tolerance policy for inaction to prevent, respond to and follow up on alleged cases of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH). For this reason, we adhere to all policies, procedures and training of the United Nations on The Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH). CANADEM mandates all deployees successfully complete the PSEA online course. This e-learning course is composed of a set of lessons designed to raise awareness about SEAH, become familiar with a range of measures to combat SEAH, understand the impact on victims and the consequences for UN Personnel who commit Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment.