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In October 2026, UNFPA identified critical gaps in GBV prevention and response at the level of Obock, including limited specialized GBV capacity, gaps in case management and psychosocial support, lack of clear referral pathways and non-availability of services or sufficient medical personnel, and the need to operationalize aWomen and Girls Safe Space (WGSS). UNFPA also identified gaps in Sexual and reproductive health services including access to services and kits and the continued need for dignity and menstrual hygiene support. These concerns add up to the limited services available to the host community. Specific attention is required to build protection from sexual exploitation and abuse and ensure services are accessible to all without discrimination.
Security Situation Summary in country and main threats: (i.e armed conflict, terrorism, crime, social unrest, hazard)
Djibouti is generally stable, but Obock’s position facing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait exposes the region to spillover from the conflict in Yemen, including maritime insecurity in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and to smuggling and trafficking networks operating along the migration route. Rising pressure on water, shelter and services in Obock town and at the Markazi site could generate tensions between population groups or with the host community. Other main threats are extreme
heat, road travel on the Obock–Tadjourah–Djibouti axis, vector-borne diseases (including malaria and dengue) and limited medical facilities locally, with MEDEVAC requiring transfer to Djibouti- ville.
Role Description:
Under the overall supervision of the UNFPA Head of Office, and in close collaboration with the Humanitarian Coordinator and relevant country office team, the GBV in Emergencies Programme Specialist will provide emergency technical and operational support for three months, subject to the continuation of the mandate, availability of funds, operational requirements, and satisfactory performance, to strengthen UNFPA's GBV prevention and response programme in Obock, with primary focus on the camp population, without any discrimination based on nationality or other status related considerations. By reinforcing available services and referral pathways within the town of Obock itself, services should be made available, within the limitations of capacities and resources, to other refugees as well as migrants and host communities living outside the camp.
The assignment will respond directly to gaps identified including through renewed consultations and assessment of changing needs in consultation with affected women and girls and various stakeholders. Priority areas include supporting the finalisation and operationalisation of the GBV referral pathway, including Clinical Management of Rape (CMR), reinforcing capacities of all key personnel in GBV case management, and setting up at least one Women and Girls Safe Space (WGSS) within the camp of Markazi. The incumbent will also lead on evaluating and supporting the needs in terms of sexual and reproductive health, including for dignity and menstrual hygiene support, and will support the setup and operationalisation of a protection from sexual exploitation and assault (PSEA)framework.
A central component of the assignment will be to strengthen the capacity of local civil society organizations (CSOs), the Red Crescent, community volunteers, and other frontline actors such as midwives within the town and camp to safely contribute to GBV prevention, risk mitigation, community engagement and referrals. Particular attention will be given to strengthening the capacity of existing female and youth volunteers, recognizing their proximity to affected communities and their potential role in providing information, identifying protection concerns and facilitating safe access to services.
The Specialist will work closely with relevant government authorities, UNHCR, IOM, health providers, CSOs, the Red Crescent and other humanitarian and development actors operating in Obock. In the
absence of a formal GBV coordination structure, the Specialist will focus on practical bilateral and multisectoral collaboration, service mapping and referral arrangements, in close collaboration with the protection coordination. For sustainable, high-quality of National GBV programming, the Specialist will also facilitate discussions with relevant national authorities and partners on the opportunity and feasibility of reviewing and updating the National Gender-Based Violence Standard Operating Procedures, based on identified gaps, emerging needs, and relevant standards. All activities will follow relevant UNFPA and global standards and guidance for gender-based violence in emergencies.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
GBV Assessment, Safety Audit and Programme Planning:
● Conduct regular assessments and safety audits to determine needs and gaps for GBV prevention and response. Where appropriate, and culturally acceptable, ensure GBV issues are integrated into other key assessments.
● Ensure meaningful consultation with affected women and girls without discrimination, including adolescent girls, throughout assessment, programme implementation and
monitoring.
● Develop and regularly update a practical three-month GBV implementation plan and an extended, costed plan for the GBV programme in Obock, based on identified needs.
● Strengthen mechanisms for community feedback on GBV/ SRH services, WGSS activities, dignity kits and other interventions.
● Contribute, in liaison with other key agencies, to vulnerability assessments and systematically advocate and ensure that all assessments, consultations and services are inclusive and
accessible without limitations of age, nationality, status, residence, etc. to include the most vulnerable and forgotten groups and categories (including adolescent girls, unregistered
refugees, migrants, women and girls with special needs, vulnerable groups etc.).
GBV Case Management and Psychosocial Support (PSS)
● Assess existing capacity and gaps in GBV case management and PSS and support the strengthening of available services.
● Provide technical support and capacity development to relevant personnel who deliver or support GBV case management and PSS.
● Strengthen linkages between case management, PSS, WGSS, health and other relevant services.
Women and Girls Safe Space (WGSS)
● Operationalize and strengthen the basic WGSS planned to be established in the camp.
● Expand WGSS activities and services based on the needs and priorities identified by women and adolescent girls.
● EnsureWGSS outreach and activities are available to vulnerable women and girls within the
camp, and regularly assess services’ accessibility to all.
● Strengthen the capacity of personnel, CSOs and volunteers involved in WGSS programming and management.
● Monitor utilization, accessibility and quality of WGSS activities and recommend improvements.
Health Response and Clinical Management of Rape (CMR)
● Assess priority gaps in CMR service availability, trained healthcare personnel, commodities, and referral arrangements in Obock.
● Strengthen linkages between CMR services and the broader GBV referral pathway.
● Provide priority CMR training/refresher training for relevant healthcare providers as well as other stakeholders involved in the response
● Support practical GBViE and referral-pathway orientation for relevant actors across
sectors.
● Support organization and monitoring of CMR commodities and identify additional requirements.
● Document CMR-related gaps requiring national-level follow-up, including issues related to
SOPs, commodities, trained personnel and service availability, and communicate with country
office for advocacy and follow-up purposes.
GBV Service Mapping and Referral Pathways
● Map and regularly update the availability of GBV and related services in Markazi camp and in Obock.
● Support the finalisation and operationalisation of a clear and functional GBV referral pathway
linking community, GBV, PSS, health and other relevant services.
● Strengthen referral linkages between the camp and services available in Obock and surrounding communities where required.
● Orient relevant service providers, CSOs, Red Crescent personnel and volunteers on available services and safe referral mechanisms and ensure the dissemination of information on the
referral pathway within the camp’s population, without discrimination, and host community.
Dignity Kits and Menstrual Hygiene
● Support distribution and monitoring of dignity kits already procured for the initial two- month response.
● Consult women and adolescent girls on the adequacy, relevance and preferred composition of
dignity and menstrual hygiene items.
● Assess additional needs beyond the initial two-month supply and support planning for additional procurement and distribution where required.
● Strengthen linkages between dignity-kit activities, GBV information, community outreach
and access to available services.
● Coordinate with health, WASH, and other relevant actors on protection concerns related to menstrual hygiene, sanitation, and access to appropriate facilities.
Capacity Strengthening of CSOs, Red Crescent and Community Volunteers
● Assess the GBV capacity needs of local CSOs, government, Red Crescent personnel, community volunteers and other relevant frontline actors.
● Develop and implement priority GBViE capacity-strengthening activities based on identified gaps.
● Strengthen the capacity of young female and other community volunteers to support GBV
prevention, community engagement, information dissemination and safe referrals.
● Provide ongoing mentoring, coaching and technical support to relevant local actors during the
assignment.
Coordination:
● Work closely with the UNFPA Humanitarian Coordinator and the protection working group to strengthen coordination and information-sharing among relevant actors in Obock and, if
agreed with key stakeholders, support discussions to establish a local GBV Task Force to facilitate joint planning, service mapping, referral pathways, and coordinated GBV prevention and response.
● In consultation with the Head of Office and the Humanitarian Coordinator, represent UNFPA
in relevant Cluster and other humanitarian coordination bodies to ensure that GBV issues are adequately considered in the context of the humanitarian response efforts.
● Identify the opportunities for SRH/GBV integration using the available UNFPA guidance and resources.
● Support discussions with relevant national authorities and partners on the opportunity and feasibility of reviewing and updating the National Gender-Based Violence Standard
Operating Procedures, based on identified gaps, emerging needs and relevant standards and guidance.
PSEA
● Support the integration of Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) across
UNFPA SRH and GBV programme activities.
● Strengthen PSEA awareness and capacity among CSOs, Red Crescent personnel, community volunteers and other relevant frontline actors.
● Support inclusive community awareness and dissemination of information on PSEA, rights
and available reporting mechanisms.
● Strengthen appropriate linkages between PSEA reporting mechanisms and survivor
assistance/referral services.
Programme Monitoring, Reporting and Handover
● Monitor implementation, accessibility and quality of UNFPA-supported GBV interventions in
Obock.
● Track progress against the three-month priorities and identify operational gaps and implementation bottlenecks.
● Provide regular, concise updates to the UNFPA Head of Office on achievements, challenges,
emerging GBV risks, and required actions.
● Support relevant programme, humanitarian and donor proposals, and reporting.
● Document good practices and lessons learned from the Obock GBV response.
● Prepare a final three-month report and handover/action plan outlining achievements, remaining gaps and recommended priorities for continuation and scale-up.
Qualifications and Skills Required
● Advanced technical degree with specialization in areas such as social work, public health, gender, law/human rights, international relations, and/or other related social science
disciplines.
● 2 to 10 years of specialized experience addressing GBV at the international and national level; experience in a humanitarian context is necessary.
● Demonstrated leadership and management experience in a multinational, multicultural
environment.
● Direct experience providing support to GBV survivors is an asset.
● Demonstrable knowledge of humanitarian emergency operations, including cluster and refugee response architecture and the roles/responsibilities of key humanitarian actors.
● Fluency in French is required for liaison and coordination with national authorities, reporting
and UN coordination . Arabic is highly desirable for community engagement
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.
UNFPA-GBV Programme Specialist-P3-Obock, Djibouti
Position Title: GBV Programme Specialist
Receiving Agency: UNFPA
P Level: P3
Location: Obock, Djibouti
Duration: 3 months
Language: Fluency in English and French required. Knowledge of Arabic an asset
Background Description of Emergency / Justification for Request (Please provide a short paragraph outlining the prevailing humanitarian situation and context and why this justifies the role.)
As fighting along the West Coast of Yemen continues, new displacement within Yemen has sharply increased with some people fleeing the country altogether. Since 10 September 2026, Djibouti has faced a growing influx of people, the majority women and children, fleeing the escalating conflict in Yemen. As of 16 September, the government of Djibouti registered a total of 2,776 new arrivals on the northern coast, Obock region. These new arrivals already represent more than 9 per cent of Obock town's resident population. Available essential services for the host community are overstretched and there is a need for additional support to strengthen local response capacities.
While disaggregated data remains limited at this stage, displaced women and girls face heightened sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and protection risks. Medical staff at the Markazi site recorded four births within 48 hours of the new arrivals. According to the midwife in Markazi camp, six pregnant women are currently within the camp. It is important to note, in addition to these women, the existence of a large number of families currently residing outside the camp, in addition to migrants and Eritrean refugees who have limited access to services. UNFPA is supporting the nationally led response alongside Djibouti's national government agency for refugee assistance and disaster relief (ONARS), UNHCR, UNICEF, ICRC and the Djiboutian Red Crescent. As a key actor in sexual and reproductive health and gender based violence, UNFPA provided the Obock Medical-Hospital Center (CMH) with RH supplies for safe delivery, family planning commodities, and other essential medicines to address infections and maternal micronutrient deficiencies, along with 100 dignity kits 1, and is scaling up its response.
Receiving Agency: UNFPA
P Level: P3
Location: Obock, Djibouti
Duration: 3 months
Language: Fluency in English and French required. Knowledge of Arabic an asset
Background Description of Emergency / Justification for Request (Please provide a short paragraph outlining the prevailing humanitarian situation and context and why this justifies the role.)
As fighting along the West Coast of Yemen continues, new displacement within Yemen has sharply increased with some people fleeing the country altogether. Since 10 September 2026, Djibouti has faced a growing influx of people, the majority women and children, fleeing the escalating conflict in Yemen. As of 16 September, the government of Djibouti registered a total of 2,776 new arrivals on the northern coast, Obock region. These new arrivals already represent more than 9 per cent of Obock town's resident population. Available essential services for the host community are overstretched and there is a need for additional support to strengthen local response capacities.
While disaggregated data remains limited at this stage, displaced women and girls face heightened sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and protection risks. Medical staff at the Markazi site recorded four births within 48 hours of the new arrivals. According to the midwife in Markazi camp, six pregnant women are currently within the camp. It is important to note, in addition to these women, the existence of a large number of families currently residing outside the camp, in addition to migrants and Eritrean refugees who have limited access to services. UNFPA is supporting the nationally led response alongside Djibouti's national government agency for refugee assistance and disaster relief (ONARS), UNHCR, UNICEF, ICRC and the Djiboutian Red Crescent. As a key actor in sexual and reproductive health and gender based violence, UNFPA provided the Obock Medical-Hospital Center (CMH) with RH supplies for safe delivery, family planning commodities, and other essential medicines to address infections and maternal micronutrient deficiencies, along with 100 dignity kits 1, and is scaling up its response.
In October 2026, UNFPA identified critical gaps in GBV prevention and response at the level of Obock, including limited specialized GBV capacity, gaps in case management and psychosocial support, lack of clear referral pathways and non-availability of services or sufficient medical personnel, and the need to operationalize aWomen and Girls Safe Space (WGSS). UNFPA also identified gaps in Sexual and reproductive health services including access to services and kits and the continued need for dignity and menstrual hygiene support. These concerns add up to the limited services available to the host community. Specific attention is required to build protection from sexual exploitation and abuse and ensure services are accessible to all without discrimination.
Security Situation Summary in country and main threats: (i.e armed conflict, terrorism, crime, social unrest, hazard)
Djibouti is generally stable, but Obock’s position facing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait exposes the region to spillover from the conflict in Yemen, including maritime insecurity in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and to smuggling and trafficking networks operating along the migration route. Rising pressure on water, shelter and services in Obock town and at the Markazi site could generate tensions between population groups or with the host community. Other main threats are extreme
heat, road travel on the Obock–Tadjourah–Djibouti axis, vector-borne diseases (including malaria and dengue) and limited medical facilities locally, with MEDEVAC requiring transfer to Djibouti- ville.
Role Description:
Under the overall supervision of the UNFPA Head of Office, and in close collaboration with the Humanitarian Coordinator and relevant country office team, the GBV in Emergencies Programme Specialist will provide emergency technical and operational support for three months, subject to the continuation of the mandate, availability of funds, operational requirements, and satisfactory performance, to strengthen UNFPA's GBV prevention and response programme in Obock, with primary focus on the camp population, without any discrimination based on nationality or other status related considerations. By reinforcing available services and referral pathways within the town of Obock itself, services should be made available, within the limitations of capacities and resources, to other refugees as well as migrants and host communities living outside the camp.
The assignment will respond directly to gaps identified including through renewed consultations and assessment of changing needs in consultation with affected women and girls and various stakeholders. Priority areas include supporting the finalisation and operationalisation of the GBV referral pathway, including Clinical Management of Rape (CMR), reinforcing capacities of all key personnel in GBV case management, and setting up at least one Women and Girls Safe Space (WGSS) within the camp of Markazi. The incumbent will also lead on evaluating and supporting the needs in terms of sexual and reproductive health, including for dignity and menstrual hygiene support, and will support the setup and operationalisation of a protection from sexual exploitation and assault (PSEA)framework.
A central component of the assignment will be to strengthen the capacity of local civil society organizations (CSOs), the Red Crescent, community volunteers, and other frontline actors such as midwives within the town and camp to safely contribute to GBV prevention, risk mitigation, community engagement and referrals. Particular attention will be given to strengthening the capacity of existing female and youth volunteers, recognizing their proximity to affected communities and their potential role in providing information, identifying protection concerns and facilitating safe access to services.
The Specialist will work closely with relevant government authorities, UNHCR, IOM, health providers, CSOs, the Red Crescent and other humanitarian and development actors operating in Obock. In the
absence of a formal GBV coordination structure, the Specialist will focus on practical bilateral and multisectoral collaboration, service mapping and referral arrangements, in close collaboration with the protection coordination. For sustainable, high-quality of National GBV programming, the Specialist will also facilitate discussions with relevant national authorities and partners on the opportunity and feasibility of reviewing and updating the National Gender-Based Violence Standard Operating Procedures, based on identified gaps, emerging needs, and relevant standards. All activities will follow relevant UNFPA and global standards and guidance for gender-based violence in emergencies.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
GBV Assessment, Safety Audit and Programme Planning:
● Conduct regular assessments and safety audits to determine needs and gaps for GBV prevention and response. Where appropriate, and culturally acceptable, ensure GBV issues are integrated into other key assessments.
● Ensure meaningful consultation with affected women and girls without discrimination, including adolescent girls, throughout assessment, programme implementation and
monitoring.
● Develop and regularly update a practical three-month GBV implementation plan and an extended, costed plan for the GBV programme in Obock, based on identified needs.
● Strengthen mechanisms for community feedback on GBV/ SRH services, WGSS activities, dignity kits and other interventions.
● Contribute, in liaison with other key agencies, to vulnerability assessments and systematically advocate and ensure that all assessments, consultations and services are inclusive and
accessible without limitations of age, nationality, status, residence, etc. to include the most vulnerable and forgotten groups and categories (including adolescent girls, unregistered
refugees, migrants, women and girls with special needs, vulnerable groups etc.).
GBV Case Management and Psychosocial Support (PSS)
● Assess existing capacity and gaps in GBV case management and PSS and support the strengthening of available services.
● Provide technical support and capacity development to relevant personnel who deliver or support GBV case management and PSS.
● Strengthen linkages between case management, PSS, WGSS, health and other relevant services.
Women and Girls Safe Space (WGSS)
● Operationalize and strengthen the basic WGSS planned to be established in the camp.
● Expand WGSS activities and services based on the needs and priorities identified by women and adolescent girls.
● EnsureWGSS outreach and activities are available to vulnerable women and girls within the
camp, and regularly assess services’ accessibility to all.
● Strengthen the capacity of personnel, CSOs and volunteers involved in WGSS programming and management.
● Monitor utilization, accessibility and quality of WGSS activities and recommend improvements.
Health Response and Clinical Management of Rape (CMR)
● Assess priority gaps in CMR service availability, trained healthcare personnel, commodities, and referral arrangements in Obock.
● Strengthen linkages between CMR services and the broader GBV referral pathway.
● Provide priority CMR training/refresher training for relevant healthcare providers as well as other stakeholders involved in the response
● Support practical GBViE and referral-pathway orientation for relevant actors across
sectors.
● Support organization and monitoring of CMR commodities and identify additional requirements.
● Document CMR-related gaps requiring national-level follow-up, including issues related to
SOPs, commodities, trained personnel and service availability, and communicate with country
office for advocacy and follow-up purposes.
GBV Service Mapping and Referral Pathways
● Map and regularly update the availability of GBV and related services in Markazi camp and in Obock.
● Support the finalisation and operationalisation of a clear and functional GBV referral pathway
linking community, GBV, PSS, health and other relevant services.
● Strengthen referral linkages between the camp and services available in Obock and surrounding communities where required.
● Orient relevant service providers, CSOs, Red Crescent personnel and volunteers on available services and safe referral mechanisms and ensure the dissemination of information on the
referral pathway within the camp’s population, without discrimination, and host community.
Dignity Kits and Menstrual Hygiene
● Support distribution and monitoring of dignity kits already procured for the initial two- month response.
● Consult women and adolescent girls on the adequacy, relevance and preferred composition of
dignity and menstrual hygiene items.
● Assess additional needs beyond the initial two-month supply and support planning for additional procurement and distribution where required.
● Strengthen linkages between dignity-kit activities, GBV information, community outreach
and access to available services.
● Coordinate with health, WASH, and other relevant actors on protection concerns related to menstrual hygiene, sanitation, and access to appropriate facilities.
Capacity Strengthening of CSOs, Red Crescent and Community Volunteers
● Assess the GBV capacity needs of local CSOs, government, Red Crescent personnel, community volunteers and other relevant frontline actors.
● Develop and implement priority GBViE capacity-strengthening activities based on identified gaps.
● Strengthen the capacity of young female and other community volunteers to support GBV
prevention, community engagement, information dissemination and safe referrals.
● Provide ongoing mentoring, coaching and technical support to relevant local actors during the
assignment.
Coordination:
● Work closely with the UNFPA Humanitarian Coordinator and the protection working group to strengthen coordination and information-sharing among relevant actors in Obock and, if
agreed with key stakeholders, support discussions to establish a local GBV Task Force to facilitate joint planning, service mapping, referral pathways, and coordinated GBV prevention and response.
● In consultation with the Head of Office and the Humanitarian Coordinator, represent UNFPA
in relevant Cluster and other humanitarian coordination bodies to ensure that GBV issues are adequately considered in the context of the humanitarian response efforts.
● Identify the opportunities for SRH/GBV integration using the available UNFPA guidance and resources.
● Support discussions with relevant national authorities and partners on the opportunity and feasibility of reviewing and updating the National Gender-Based Violence Standard
Operating Procedures, based on identified gaps, emerging needs and relevant standards and guidance.
PSEA
● Support the integration of Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) across
UNFPA SRH and GBV programme activities.
● Strengthen PSEA awareness and capacity among CSOs, Red Crescent personnel, community volunteers and other relevant frontline actors.
● Support inclusive community awareness and dissemination of information on PSEA, rights
and available reporting mechanisms.
● Strengthen appropriate linkages between PSEA reporting mechanisms and survivor
assistance/referral services.
Programme Monitoring, Reporting and Handover
● Monitor implementation, accessibility and quality of UNFPA-supported GBV interventions in
Obock.
● Track progress against the three-month priorities and identify operational gaps and implementation bottlenecks.
● Provide regular, concise updates to the UNFPA Head of Office on achievements, challenges,
emerging GBV risks, and required actions.
● Support relevant programme, humanitarian and donor proposals, and reporting.
● Document good practices and lessons learned from the Obock GBV response.
● Prepare a final three-month report and handover/action plan outlining achievements, remaining gaps and recommended priorities for continuation and scale-up.
Qualifications and Skills Required
● Advanced technical degree with specialization in areas such as social work, public health, gender, law/human rights, international relations, and/or other related social science
disciplines.
● 2 to 10 years of specialized experience addressing GBV at the international and national level; experience in a humanitarian context is necessary.
● Demonstrated leadership and management experience in a multinational, multicultural
environment.
● Direct experience providing support to GBV survivors is an asset.
● Demonstrable knowledge of humanitarian emergency operations, including cluster and refugee response architecture and the roles/responsibilities of key humanitarian actors.
● Fluency in French is required for liaison and coordination with national authorities, reporting
and UN coordination . Arabic is highly desirable for community engagement
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.