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Apply to UNFPA-GBV in Emergencies Specialist -P3-Quibdo, Colombia
Position Title: GBV in Emergencies Specialist
Receiving Agency: UNFPA
P Level: P3
Location: Quibdo, Colombia
Duration: 3 months
Start date: ASAP
Language: Fluency in Spanish and English required
Background Description of Emergency / Justification for Request
Following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake on August 10, 2026, widespread structural damage has displaced thousands of people into ad-hoc and overcrowded temporary shelters across Chocó and neighboring departments. Many of these temporary living sites lack basic lighting, private sanitation facilities, and institutional oversight, creating high-risk environments for displaced women, adolescent girls, and children. The breakdown of community support systems, combined with acute financial strain, family separation, and unmet basic needs such as menstrual hygiene, drastically heightens exposure to gender-based violence (GBV), sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. Indigenous and Afro-Colombian women in remote rural areas face compounded vulnerabilities, leaving them with limited access to protective services or confidential medical and psychological care.
Security Situation Summary in country and main threats:
Humanitarian responders in Colombia face a complex security environment where disaster response intersects with active internal armed conflict. Responders face severe threats from non-State armed groups (NSAGs) that influence nearly 78% of rural populations. Key operational hazards include direct threats and violence against aid workers, vehicle theft, armed curfews, and illegal checkpoints that restrict movement. Responders also confront record levels of attacks on medical missions, high risks of crossfire during territorial clashes, and widespread explosive hazards, including anti-personnel mines, unexploded ordnance, and drone-deployed 3 munitions. These access barriers and security risks severely constrain the delivery of emergency shelter, healthcare, and humanitarian aid to disaster-affected communities.
Role Description: Deploying a GBV in Emergencies Specialist is essential to institute survivor-centered protection mechanisms and integrate GBV risk mitigation across all emergency response sectors. The specialist will oversee the rapid establishment of safe spaces for women and girls, ensure functional referral pathways for survivor care, and direct the distribution of dignity kits and targeted emergency cash assistance to remove financial barriers to critical services. Working in close coordination with national protection authorities, local women-led organizations, and the humanitarian GBV sub-sector, the specialist will implement prevention campaigns in shelters and oversee the provision of specialized mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Funding this technical expert equips UNFPA to directly mitigate protection threats and uphold the safety and dignity of women and girls throughout the humanitarian crisis.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under the general supervision of the UNFPA CO Representative and the direct supervision of Assistant Representative the incumbent is responsible for, but not limited to, the following assigned duties:
Support rapid GBV risk assessment, including in temporary shelters.
Support establishment/strengthening of safe spaces and GBV prevention and response services.
Provide technical guidance on GBV risk mitigation in shelter design and management.
Coordinate with the Protection Cluster/AoR and other GBV actors.
Support dignity kit distribution planning and service messaging.
Contribute GBV inputs to the Emergency Response Plan, sitreps and donor communications. Proficiency in Spanish and English is required
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 level; experience in this field in a humanitarian context is an asset.
● Demonstrated leadership and management experience within a multinational and multicultural environment.
● Direct experience providing support to GBV survivors as an asset
. ● Good knowledge of humanitarian response.
● Proficiency in Spanish and English is 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.
Receiving Agency: UNFPA
P Level: P3
Location: Quibdo, Colombia
Duration: 3 months
Start date: ASAP
Language: Fluency in Spanish and English required
Background Description of Emergency / Justification for Request
Following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake on August 10, 2026, widespread structural damage has displaced thousands of people into ad-hoc and overcrowded temporary shelters across Chocó and neighboring departments. Many of these temporary living sites lack basic lighting, private sanitation facilities, and institutional oversight, creating high-risk environments for displaced women, adolescent girls, and children. The breakdown of community support systems, combined with acute financial strain, family separation, and unmet basic needs such as menstrual hygiene, drastically heightens exposure to gender-based violence (GBV), sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. Indigenous and Afro-Colombian women in remote rural areas face compounded vulnerabilities, leaving them with limited access to protective services or confidential medical and psychological care.
Security Situation Summary in country and main threats:
Humanitarian responders in Colombia face a complex security environment where disaster response intersects with active internal armed conflict. Responders face severe threats from non-State armed groups (NSAGs) that influence nearly 78% of rural populations. Key operational hazards include direct threats and violence against aid workers, vehicle theft, armed curfews, and illegal checkpoints that restrict movement. Responders also confront record levels of attacks on medical missions, high risks of crossfire during territorial clashes, and widespread explosive hazards, including anti-personnel mines, unexploded ordnance, and drone-deployed 3 munitions. These access barriers and security risks severely constrain the delivery of emergency shelter, healthcare, and humanitarian aid to disaster-affected communities.
Role Description: Deploying a GBV in Emergencies Specialist is essential to institute survivor-centered protection mechanisms and integrate GBV risk mitigation across all emergency response sectors. The specialist will oversee the rapid establishment of safe spaces for women and girls, ensure functional referral pathways for survivor care, and direct the distribution of dignity kits and targeted emergency cash assistance to remove financial barriers to critical services. Working in close coordination with national protection authorities, local women-led organizations, and the humanitarian GBV sub-sector, the specialist will implement prevention campaigns in shelters and oversee the provision of specialized mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Funding this technical expert equips UNFPA to directly mitigate protection threats and uphold the safety and dignity of women and girls throughout the humanitarian crisis.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under the general supervision of the UNFPA CO Representative and the direct supervision of Assistant Representative the incumbent is responsible for, but not limited to, the following assigned duties:
Support rapid GBV risk assessment, including in temporary shelters.
Support establishment/strengthening of safe spaces and GBV prevention and response services.
Provide technical guidance on GBV risk mitigation in shelter design and management.
Coordinate with the Protection Cluster/AoR and other GBV actors.
Support dignity kit distribution planning and service messaging.
Contribute GBV inputs to the Emergency Response Plan, sitreps and donor communications. Proficiency in Spanish and English is required
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 level; experience in this field in a humanitarian context is an asset.
● Demonstrated leadership and management experience within a multinational and multicultural environment.
● Direct experience providing support to GBV survivors as an asset
. ● Good knowledge of humanitarian response.
● Proficiency in Spanish and English is 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.