MHPSS Clerk – Beirut - International Rescue Committee

وصف

Requisition ID: req46537

Job Title: MHPSS Clerk – Beirut

Sector: Health

Employment Category: Occasional

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: No

Location: Beirut, Lebanon

Work Arrangement:

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the worlds leading humanitarian relief and development organizations. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC responds to the worlds worst humanitarian crises and helps people survive, recover and regain control over their lives. Working in more than 40 countries, the IRC is helping to restore hope and opportunity to millions of people. The health technical unit (HU) is organized in three sectors: Health (integrating general primary healthcare including sexual and reproductive health, child health, chronic care, mental health & Psycho-Social Support), environmental health and nutrition.

Background on MHPSS Health Work: The IRC is committed to bringing mental health out of the shadows and making it more visible and supported across humanitarian crises. We are committed to addressing the mental health treatment gap by integrating mental health into primary health care within all countries where we implement health programs by adopting evidence-based interventions and adapting them to the local context. Nearly 80 million people worldwide are affected by conflict and displacement. At the same time, an estimated 15 million people around the world are living with a mental health condition. This staggering number is likely an underestimate with conditions like suicide, self-harm, chronic & toxic stress, and other psychological distress not counted. Conflict and forced migration have a profoundly negative impact on mental health and wellbeing, and unsurprisingly, mental disorders tend to double in the acute phase of an emergency. Sharing figures from World Health Organization, that an estimated 22% of people living through conflict or war will experience mental health challenges, most commonly anxiety, post-traumatic stress and depressive disorders. Globally, about 14% of adolescents live with a mental disorder, and suicide is a leading cause of death among young people. Emergencies situations have demonstrated immense need and opportunities for strengthening mental health systems, service delivery and funding.

One of the most effective ways of closing the global treatment gap is to integrate mental health care into primary health care across the humanitarian development nexus. This past year of MHPSS work at the IRC included the expansion of MHPSS within primary health care programs, integrated into emergency responses in Afghanistan and Ukraine, and continued support in 20 other countries: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda and Yemen.Additionally, there has been technical assistance provided to a handful of country programs in the Latin America region (Mexico, Colombia, etc) who are starting to grow and establish their MHPSS programming linked with Health.

Strategic Actions: Mental health is rarely considered a priority within humanitarian settings. Even when the need is recognized, it can be perceived as too difficult or too expensive to implement. At the IRC, we believe it is a human right and is a critical piece of improving overall health for those affected by conflict. We know that ignoring mental health can have profound consequences on a persons ability to regain control of their lives after conflict and displacement, and so we want to bring mental health out of the shadows and make it more visible and supported across humanitarian crises. We are committed to closing the mental health treatment gap within our health programs by integrating mental health into primary care through adoption of evidence-based interventions and adapting them to the local context. Since 2021, a core group of MHPSS Technical Advisors have supported country programs, the health unit and global stakeholders in strengthening critical IRC functions and capacity linked with MHPSS Health. Within the last year key strategic actions have included:

The MHPSS Health Program Clerk will provide support with roll out of the IRC initiative entitledCatalyzing Resilience in Emergencies Project. Which will initially run for one year, it is designed to strengthen IRCs MHPSS Health capacity and quality of integrated services. Key objectives of the project include: Boosting essential MHPSS staffing, expanding access to technical assistance, and strategically improving the quality of integrated services.

The MHPSS Health Program Clerk will work directly with the MHPSS Technical Advisor(s) responsible for the above mentioned project. The clerk will collaborate directly with IRC health and mental health country focal points engaged in the project.

Scope of work and Deliverables

Key Working Relationships:

Qualifications

Education: Degree in Psychology, public health, community health or other relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

Work Experience: Some work in the mental health field preferred

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

Language Skills:English fluency required.

Working Environment: Remote work and supervision

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct.These are Integrity, Service, Equality, and Accountability.In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

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