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Job Summary

Eight years of crisis have had a devastating impact on Syria’s economy, infrastructure, social services and social fabric. The crisis has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people and has led to massive population displacement and hardship. Of the 22 million inhabitants that Syria had at the start of the crisis in 2011, around 6.6 million are now internally displaced, and close to 5 million have become refugees residing outside the country. More than 80% of Syrians are currently living in poverty,  and require humanitarian assistance.  

Syria’s economy has been devastated by the crisis. Manufacturing, agriculture, transport and communication sectors have been decimated,  while the health and education sectors have been hard hit. Thirty percent of the population can no longer meet their basic food needs and school enrollment rates have dropped below 80%, while maternal and child mortality rates have increased by more than 20%. By 2014, the economy had lost an estimated USD 200 billion,  and unemployment is now estimated at 50% as compared to 8.6% at the start of the crisis . 

The vulnerability of women, girls and young people has increased dramatically as a result of displacement, a collapse of the rule of law and due to changing social norms and household structures. Women, girls and youth are increasingly facing the loss of household income and social protection. Sexual violence has been a characteristic of the Syrian conflict from its inception  and negative coping mechanisms such as child, and forced marriages are increasingly prevalent among particularly vulnerable populations. Meanwhile, the absence, or unemployment of male relatives requires women and girls to generate additional household income, while social norms increasingly restrict their ability to enter the public space alone.  

Social exclusion is an increasingly prevalent phenomenon of the crisis in Syria. A high proportion of youth report limited social participation in informal settings. Meanwhile, youth unemployment exceeds unemployment among the general population. The lack of opportunities and social engagement generates frustration, prevents youth from realizing their full potential and limits their capacity to serve as positive agents of change in their communities. 

The development of youth-specific interventions, supporting leadership and building the capacities of youth networks, youth empowerment and youth participation are critical for social reconciliation, cohesion and resilience of communities.

Qualification and Experience

● 5 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in youth programming, peace-building, Programme management and innovation;

● Master ‘s degree in in Social Work, Sociology, Anthropology, Public Health, and/or other related social science field

● Demonstrable experience in youth programming in humanitarian setting a distinct plus;

● Experience in the region and knowledge of regional dynamics especially on youth strategies an important asset;

● Solid understanding of resilience and the New Way of Working as an approach to bridge the humanitarian-development- and experience with programming in the areas of Gender Based Violence (GBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) and/or Population Dynamics (PD); 

● Strong analytical ability and professional experience in development of policies and strategies;

● Solid experience with Programme development, and monitoring is required, while experience with remote monitoring techniques and community satisfaction assessments is desirable; 

● Strong networking skills and strong writing and oral communication skills in English and Arabic;

● Successful experiences with Resource Mobilization from large donors is an asset;

● Field experience is required, and experience in sensitive humanitarian settings is an asset; 

● Fluency in English is required and knowledge of Arabic will be a definite asset;

● Previous experience with UNFPA especially at the international level is highly desirable.