CONTEXT

As part of the prevention and management of violence, since March 2023 MdM-CH has been implementing the third phase of a three (3) year project entitled “Strengthening the protection of vulnerable populations in the North-West and West regions of Cameroon”, which aims to contribute to reducing violence and optimizing victims' access to integrated victim care services in the North-West and West regions of Cameroon, targeting internally displaced populations from the NWSW crisis as well as vulnerable host populations. Like with all MdM-CH’s interventions, this project is part of a dynamic that combines institutional anchoring to facilitate the development of service provision and community anchoring to improve demand, all with the aim of eliminating exclusion and moving towards universal access to care.

BRIEF PRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT

To alleviate the difficulties of access to care for victims of violence, the  aforementioned project provides free holistic care for victims in hospitals in the North-West (Bamenda and Santa) and West (Bafoussam and Mbouda) regions, with a particular focus on male victims of violence, by supporting the operations of 2 Integrated Support Units (ISU) in the regional hospitals of Bamenda and Bafoussam, and 2 emergency care units in the district hospitals of Mbouda and Santa. The demand for services by victims of violence is guaranteed through the actions of 2 community protection mechanisms: 2 networks of 20 community relay agents (Bamenda and Bafoussam) and 3 multidisciplinary mobile clinic teams of 5 persons each (nurse, lawyer, psychosocial agent, community mobilizer, social worker) operating in communities of the towns of Bamenda, Bafoussam and Santa. These 2 community-based mechanisms, supported by community-based organizations (CBOs), ensure the detection, emergency psychosocial care and referral of victims of violence to specialized care units through awareness-raising campaigns and mobile medical consultations. 

Corporal punishment has been officially banned in Cameroon for over twenty years, both in schools and in communities. However, violence against children is still common in the country, and schools are still the scene of daily violence. It is therefore essential to help schools become a truly safe and protective environment for these children. To address this issue, MdM-CH is implementing violence risk reduction actions in 12 partner schools (4 in Bamenda and 8 in Mbouda) through a network of protection support agents. Specifically, these agents carry out activities to promote living together between internally displaced pupils and those from host communities, in order to reduce incidents of school violence. These activities include recreational activities, awareness-raising sessions and educational support activities. In 2023, these activities were carried out in 6 schools in the town of Mbouda, reaching 1,101 pupils.

As part of the implementation of this project, MdM intends to hire a fulltime service provider for a period of 6 months to carry out 2 participatory community diagnoses and 2 follow-up/monitoring missions.

OBJECTIVES AND TARGET POPULATION

OBJECTIVE AND PURPOSE

General objective

Contribute to the fight against violence in the North West Region.

Specific objectives

-        Conduct a CPD on the perception of violence against boys and men and the effect on their physical and mental health in the town of Bamenda and Santa.

-        Conduct a CPD on the perception of violence against children in 4 partner schools in the town of Bamenda.

-        Monitor the implementation of post CPD violence risk reduction strategies.

-        Contribute to the elaboration of a charter against violence in schools.

PERIMETER

The study will take place in the target communes of the towns of Bamenda and Santa, as well as in the 4 partner primary schools in Bamenda. 

             RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS OF THE CONSULTANT

Under the responsibility of the project manager, in close collaboration with the Mental Health Supervisor and the Santa Community Action Focal Point involved in the implementation of project activities, the service provider will have the following specific tasks and responsibilities:

-        Identify, through community participation, the main types of violence perpetrated against boys/men in communities and on children in schools, their root causes and the effects on their physical and mental health.

-        Identify, through community participation, the actions to be taken to address this violence, and the resources or potentials available in target communities and schools to implement these potential solutions.

-        Plan and ensure the implementation of priority solutions and ensure follow-up.

-        Support the elaboration of a charter against violence in schools based on recommendations from the DCP and following concertations with educational stakeholders.

          KEY PEOPLE / INSTITUTIONS

A.    Community protection stakeholders 

1.      Community protection mechanisms (10 community relays and 10 members of the 2 mobile teams of the towns of Bamenda and Santa)

2.      CBOs

3.      The population of target communities of the town of Bamenda and Santa. 

B.     Actors of the basic education system

1.      North West Regional Delegation for Basic Education

2.      Inspectorate of Basic Education Bamenda 

3.      4 partner primary schools

4.      Communities of 4 partner schools

15 protection support agents

LOGSTICAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE MISSION

The service provider will be required to have the required information and communication technology material (laptop, recording devices….) necessary for the execution of the current service provision.

SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE MISSION

The service provider will be responsible for formalizing a suitable approach and methodology, supporting and leading the study process, collecting and analysing the necessary data, producing and delivering expected outputs.

             The skills of the desired candidate include:

-        Minimum Degree in Socio-Anthropology.

-        Professional experience of at least 3 years in support of the community protection system and in schools.

-        Completion of at least 02 similar projects

-        Good ability to work with a multidisciplinary team.  

-        Demonstrate knowledge of the region/localities where the project is to be implemented.

-        Good knowledge of the protection sector.

-        Have a perfect command of English with a very good writing style. French will be an asset.

Candidates are invited to submit a full application to the following email address: < recrutement.cameroun@medecinsdumonde.ch> specifying "CPD Protection NW Bamenda and Santa" in the subject line. Applications submitted via any other channel will not be considered. The application will only be considered complete if it includes the following 3 elements in a SINGLE PDF FILE:

1.      A Motivation letter addressed to the General Coordinator of MdM-CH

2.      A detailed curriculum vitae of not more than 2 pages

3.      Proof of professional experience (work certificate, certificate of successful completion).

4.      References for 2 previous similar projects (certificate of satisfactory completion).

5.      Declaration on honour attesting to the absence of any conflict of interest.

6.      A statement indicating the expected monthly fee for the mission.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 15/06/2024 at 12:00 (local time).

The selected candidate will be invited to draft a technical proposal including a budget proposal as well as a calendar of execution of the mission,

Applications are processed in the order of arrival, and we reserve the right to close the offer before the term initially indicated if a good application is successful. Only full applications will be considered. Only accepted applications will be contacted.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply