Venezuela – Abogado/a (Respuesta VBG y TdP) At COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale

Since 2019, COOPI has established a presence in Venezuela to assist the local population following the worsening of the country’s socio-economic crisis. As of July 2020, it has launched a regional crisis response program implemented in consortium with Venezuelan organizations for the protection of vulnerable groups. In recent years, COOPI has expanded its interventions and is currently implementing projects in the Capital District, Miranda, Sucre, Bolívar and Delta Amacuro in the sectors: Protection (General Protection and GBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Livelihoods and Food Security.

Objective/Job Description

Within the framework of the project “Multisectoral assistance and vital protection services for the Venezuelan population in situations of greatest vulnerability and risk affected by the crisis in Venezuela”, the intervention aims to improve protection conditions and increase the security and well-being of the Venezuelan population in situations of greatest vulnerability and at risk through the provision of multisectoral protection and assistance services. The organizations of the Consortium will concentrate their actions in nine (9) states of Venezuela: Amazonas, Apure, Bolívar, Delta Amacuro, Distrito Capital, Falcón, Miranda, Sucre, Táchira and Zulia, carrying out activities with interventions in various subsectors of the Protection Sector, including the response to gender-based violence, child protection and psychosocial support (PSS). In addition, it will also include complementary activities in different subsectors of Food Assistance, Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and Humanitarian Coordination, Information Management and Evaluations.

The Lawyer, under the supervision of the Local Protection Officer, will be the person responsible for providing guidance and legal advice to the people served by the project, focusing on the legal and protection response to GBV survivors and TdP victims, adhering to the objectives, methodological and ethical guidelines established in COOPI’s standard operating procedures for the care and response of GBV and TdP survivors.

The lawyer is responsible for developing actions within the framework of the protection component from the field case management line, as well as other activities related to the implementation of the protection and gender component of COOPI. Their essential role is to provide legal support and advice to populations at risk, with special emphasis on people at risk or survivors of GBV and TdP, compliance with the actions, standards and approaches included in the case management model, contributing from their position to the mainstreaming of the gender approach in the activities developed.

Areas of Responsibility

Main Activities

• Provide information, guidance and legal advice in a way that best suits the context (in person or remotely) to people in vulnerable conditions identified within the framework of the project, including survivors of GBV and victims of Human Trafficking, facilitating access to rights of the people served, from a gender perspective.
• Guide, advise and accompany the beneficiary population of the project throughout the legal assistance process, ensuring the quality in the execution of the activities and services offered, as well as their adherence to current national and international legislation for the protection of GBV survivors and victims of TdP.
• Record information on cases attended to, detailing the care and vulnerabilities of the people assisted by legal guidance services.
• Contribute to the initial mapping for the identification of existing services available in the territory, related to protection routes, basic and specialized services, aimed at response and prevention in GBV and TDP, as well as other services aimed at the population addressed within the framework of the project.
• Process and share statistical reports on cases handled on a monthly basis under the principle of confidentiality.
• Maintain individual and confidential case files in accordance with data protection guidelines and policy.
• Support the process of alliances and coordination with organizations, public institutions and key actors for the activation of case referral routes.
• Participate in facilitating community awareness-raising and training for the prevention of human trafficking, gender-based violence and other forms of violence in priority territories.
• Participate in the processes of strengthening and supporting community networks that support women by sharing information on access to rights and the administrative channels available in Venezuela to offer a comprehensive service.
• Prepare and organize follow-up tools such as: documents received and delivered, photographic records, attendance lists and any other printed or digital support for awareness-raising activities and legal assistance provided.
• Participate in team and supervisory meetings.
• Participate in the training and experience exchange processes to which they are invited.
• Comply with safety guidelines and promote compliance during team field trips.
• Ensure compliance with COOPI’s Code of Ethics and Conduct, Gender Policy, Protection and PEAS Policy.
• Availability to travel within the state to the municipalities where the project is implemented.

Desired profile:

ESSENTIALS

• Legal professional, with sensitivity and experience in caring for GBV and TdP survivors.
• Duly registered and solvent in the Bar Association corresponding to the federal entity in which he/she will practice.
• Registration with the Social Security Institute for Lawyers.
• Excellent knowledge of the local legal system and legal procedures.
• Postgraduate degree in gender studies and/or human rights approach desirable.
• At least three (3) years of work experience in care for GBV survivors and TdP victims, gender equality approach and/or survivor-centered approach.
• Communication and argumentative skills.
• Extensive humanitarian and empathetic knowledge and practices.
• Skills to raise awareness among groups on legal guidance on GBV, TdP, Women’s Rights, Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents, DSDR.
• It is desirable to have worked with non-governmental organizations specializing in GBV and/or TdP.
• Excellent knowledge of the institutional structure of comprehensive support for survivors of GBV, TdP and protection routes at the community and institutional levels.
• Availability to work in interdisciplinary teams and under pressure conditions.
• Emotional strengths for working with GBV survivors: good emotional management, stress management, assertiveness, self-care strategies.
• Know and implement the survivor-centered approach.
• Know and apply the guiding principles of care for GBV survivors, including: safety, confidentiality, respect and non-discrimination.
• Understanding and knowledge of the local situation and community dynamics.
• Ability to gather information objectively, appropriately and sensitively, observing carefully, listening actively, paying full attention to the situation and information from various sources.
• Know and apply the principles of humanitarian action: neutrality, humanity, impartiality and independence.
• Respect for COOPI’s Vision and Mission.
• Know, adapt and apply key GBV tools to the context, including: Inter-agency Guidelines for GBV and TdP case management; IASC Guidelines for GBV interventions in humanitarian settings; Minimum standards for GBV interventions; GBV standard operating procedures, among others.
• Availability to travel to the municipalities prioritized in the project.
• Sensitivity to gender and diversity.
• Handling of computer tools (Microsoft Windows operating system) and office automation (Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).