The Regional Programmes Division is responsible for consolidating and enhancing the linkages between UN Habitat’s activities in the field with the Strategic Plan, the 2030 Agenda, and the UN-Habitat’s overall future priorities and to make sure that they are appropriate to the country context.

UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific manages UN-Habitat’s project portfolio in the Asia and Pacific region. It ensures that country priorities are in alignment with the UN-Habitat’s organizational policies and strategic objectives and brings through its Regional Representative to the attention of the Executive Management Committee (EMC) opportunities and challenges in the region, allowing for timely feedback and responses to urgent demands and requests from the Member States.

Since 1992, UN-Habitat has worked closely with Afghan communities, contributing to the physical and social reconstruction of the country. Our work has focused on the development of urban policies and regulations; strategic urban planning; increasing municipal revenue; establishing community-based organizations; addressing the land and housing needs of IDPs and returnees and contributing to the provision of basic urban services.

Insecure Housing, Land and Property (HLP) rights have resulted in frequent evictions for residents of informal settlements across Afghanistan, harming already vulnerable populations. Consequently, averting evictions is a priority to arrest a worsening humanitarian crisis. As well as evictions, insecure HLP rights constrain lifesaving service and infrastructure investments in informal settlements, leading to unsafe physical environments (unlit streets, exposure to disease, unsanitary/unavailable/inadequate WASH), and increasing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) risks. Fifty percent of women in informal settlements have experienced violence and/or threats, according to a REACH Initiative nationwide survey.

The proposed action deploys a community-based approach to strengthen HLP rights and make GBV risk-mitigating investments in informal settlements in two Afghan cities. The action will reduce the threat of eviction and increase women’s safety in the cities of Kabul and Herat where the 2023 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) shows high HLP and GBV risks, as well as overall humanitarian need. The action will achieve the following key results:

1. The Housing, Land and Property (HLP) claims of 42,000 people living in 6 informal settlements are documented and mapped, with maps endorsed by community-based groups and de facto authorities, to strengthen communal HLP rights; participatory settlement plans are developed with female and male residents that identify humanitarian needs, and prioritize GBV risk mitigation.
2. One priority investment is made in each informal settlement that reduces GBV risk and consolidates the settlement to

He/She will have the following duties and responsibilities:

• Development of a training manual on community mobilization in line with the People’s Process and Securing Land Rights for Gender-Safe Informal Settlements.
• With Support of team leader and project Engineer, conducting training for community CDCs and ensure they understand the project objectives and implementation modality.
• Develop a system for quality assurance of community-based initiatives of the sub project.
• Monitor and ensure that community consultation, meetings, trainings, demonstration activities, area mapping, community action, hazard mapping plan and capacity building of the community are done on a timely basis as per the agreed standards.
• Identifying the social related issues in the project area and providing the possible solutions to the field teams.
• Discuss project activities regularly with local communities (CDCs) and beneficiaries and receive their feedback on the activities.
• Maintain good liaison with the local authority’s district level, project partners and communities.
• Conduct regular field surveys and assessments; map information and ensure documentation.
• Identify and document good practices/lessons learned; bring to the attention of project officer and recommend solutions.
• Prepare weekly monitoring reports based on standard formats for submission to the project officer.
• Prepare monthly progress reports on community mobilization and training submission to project officer.
• Ensure adherence to UN-Habitat operational policies, procedures, and standards of conduct.
• Perform any other task assigned by the supervisor(s).

Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

• The Social Mobilizer will be reporting on a day-to-day basis to the provincial team leader.

• Close cooperation with Management and Technical team for the implementation of the project.

Results Expected:

• Communities well informed and sensitized to programme activities.
• Coordination mechanisms established with community-based organizations, and project beneficiaries and UN-Habitat colleagues.
• Ensure the completion of activities across project according to their respective work plans.
• Adequate and timely assistance as detailed my management and which my change in response to emerging need and project priorities.

Competencies (Select 3 Maximum)

Professionalism: Ability to identify and resolve budgetary problems and identify sources for data collection. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

Teamwork:  Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Planning& Organizing:  Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.