The Organisation
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances childrenโs rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.
Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support childrenโs rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.
For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.
We wonโt stop until we are all equal.
The Opportunity
Plan International Sudan aims to respond effectively, rapidly, and at significant scale to the core humanitarian needs of children and their families affected by the conflict between the armed forces in Sudan. Specifically, Plan International Sudan aims to minimize disruption to formal and non-formal education systems and to restore formal education services; strengthen the proactive environment for children and their families including age and gender appropriate services during and after disasters; create opportunities for and build capacity of young people affected by the armed conflict to generate income and to improve their life skills; and to become recognized actor in both in linking related community based interventions to national coordination and interagency mechanisms where Plan International Sudan will gradually take on leadership functions.
The conflict between Sudanese Arm Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been going on since April 15, 2023, characterised by continuous and heavy clashes, arterially shelling and air strikes causing an unprecedented mass displacement. As a result, Sudan has become the largest children and people displacement in the World with no signs of peace in the horizon despite the different attempts of negotiations by several actors. The conflict has caused more than 13,900 fatalities and 27,700 persons were injured, including children.
The conflict left 25 million people in need of humanitarian assistance; 14 million of these are children. The conflict has resulted in an increased risk of civiliansโ protection, especially for children, girls and women. It is crucial to acknowledge that children are subjected to various types of rights violations and violence, which fall under the six grave violations category as there have been allegations of over 3,150 severe child rights violations and 6.7 million estimated to be at risk of gender-based violence, including: killing, maiming of children and torture by direct or indirect actions; recruitment and use of children by the armed groups in the different conflict zones. According to some estimates over 70 % of all Health facilities across Sudan are no longer functional. Schools the countries have been occupied by IDPs. Plan International like other humanitarian actors is particularly concerned about the prolonged closure of the schools thereby denying more than 19 million children access to education, a basic right for children, 7 million of whom were already out of school even before the conflict started.
Do you have what it takes?
This position will play a key role in the support to country and regional level activities and will provide support and guidance on policy and advocacy to Plan International teams and partners in Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and CAR. The Humanitarian Policy & Advocacy Specialist will lead development and implementation of policy and advocacy positions related to the conflict within and around Sudan. The staff member will lead coordination on policy and advocacy work across the organization related to the Sudan crisis. In addition, they will identify and ensure strong representation with external fora. The position will be based in Sudan or in the Regional Office in Kenya.
- Have a deep understanding of the crisis both within Sudan and in the neighbouring countries in order to be able to frame Plan Internationalโs positioning on how we can bring these agendas together and develop clear advocacy objectives and positions for each country and the region as a whole;
- Map the most relevant stakeholders and targets and monitor the progress of the advocacy actions;
- Work with the Country Office team to help in the scale up the humanitarian profile of Plan International by positioning our childrenโs rights focus and the gender, age and diversity perspective in the humanitarian architecture as well as our principled humanitarian approach;
- Develop strong relationships in the humanitarian sector working on Sudan and help to represent Plan in inter-agency initiatives.
- Liaise closely with Planโs Global Humanitarian Policy, Advocacy, and Diplomacy Unit
- Identify advocacy approaches to solve key barriers and challenges;
- Identify potential partners/allies, as well as influencing targets for advocacy;
- Identify entry points and opportunities to engage in this space through our advocacy, in particular over the next six months;
- Conduct advocacy on issues ranging from childrenโs rights in conflict (including the 6 grave violations), the protection of civilians, humanitarian access, forced displacement, sexual and gender-based violence, the specific needs of girls and young people, attacks against education and hospitals, and other protection issues, as well as other pressing humanitarian focuses.
For more information regarding the person and role specification, please click the below link: Role Profile Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Specialist.doc
*National candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Location: Where Sudan has programme locations. For instance, Port Sudan
Type of Role: 2-year fixed term contract. Mandatory unaccompanied posting. Must be able to re-locate to Sudan beginning of August 2024.
Reports to: Country Director
Competitive salary and package available
Closing Date:23rd May 2024
Anticipated written assessment: 31st May
Anticipated oral interview: 5th and 6th June
Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.
We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.
We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girlsโ rights and inclusion.
Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.