Policy Monitoring and Advocacy Officer

الوصف الوظيفي

EWASH Policy Monitoring and Advocacy Officer

Context:

The Emergency, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (EWASH) Platform used to be a coordination body before the WASH Cluster was activated in 2009. EWASH was founded in 2002 to address the emergency situation that resulted from Israeli incursions into the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It aimed to coordinate the work in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector to avoid duplication and help ensure optimum results. EWASH member organisations were working extensively across Gaza Strip and the West Bank to improve and develop WASH conditions in Palestine through producing reports, factsheets, photo stories and videos with our dedicated search.

EWASH Vision: Our work is inspired by a vision of change. We envisage a Palestine where all of its people can fully realize and enjoy their rights to water.
EWASH Mission: To improve water, sanitation and hygiene conditions in the Palestine and minimize the adverse effect of the political situation on Palestinian water rights.

EWASH main objectives are: 1) Respond to the water, sanitation and hygiene needs of every Palestinian in the oPt. We strive to address these needs through the coordinated work of implementing organizations. 2) Coordinate among member organisations, particularly in the case of emergencies, to share information and avoid duplication and overlapping of projects implemented by the governmental, UN and non-governmental actors in the WASH sector. 3) Ensure an integrated and coherent EWASH approach between West Bank and Gaza. 4) Advocate for Palestinian rights to water at the national and international level. We aim to bring about policy change that will remove obstacles and facilitate, on a sustainable basis, Palestinian access to water and sanitation facilities.

EWASH Advocacy work is relevant to advocating Palestinians’ water rights, as well as to the work of EWASH members, in providing data and support in advocacy constantly. To enhance its relevancy, stakeholders had emphasized the necessity to align advocacy actions with national policies and strategies; proactively reaching out to the PA and national partners, putting advocacy in WASH sector into the wider picture of Palestine.

EWASH products are widely used by some EWASH members, where it is applicable and useful. Newsletters and factsheets are found very useful, and Thirsting for Justice Campaign is perceived as creative. The efficiency of the products was highly noted throughout the war on Gaza in July – August 2014. As for efficiency, improvements suggested were directed at: additional accuracy in data; ensuring reliability of references and information; releasing factsheets on specific date on a monthly basis.

Job Title: EWASH Policy Monitoring and Advocacy Officer

Duty Station: Ramallah, with regular travel to the West Bank and potentially to the Gaza Strip

Purpose of the Job:
The main purpose of the EWASH Policy Monitoring and Advocacy Officer is to harness the resources of EWASH, a group of 27 organisations working in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector in Palestine. The role of the Policy Monitoring and Advocacy Officer is to strengthen monitoring in the WASH related activities and policy implementation and provide steer to the implementation of advocacy activities to advance agreed objectives. The Policy Monitoring and Advocacy Officer will bring jobs.ps the relevant advocacy experience, previous work experience with coordinating the work of a coalition and understanding of key WASH sector and Human Rights issues in

Palestine. The Policy Monitoring and Advocacy Officer will be in charge of liaison with, and reporting to, the EWASH Members and the EWASH Steering Committee.

Qualifications and Competencies
Education: Bachelor degree in communication Human Science, Public Relation or International law studies. Master degree is a plus.

Experience:
At least 5 years of experience working in monitoring policies and advocacy work with local and international NGOs (essential).

Core Competencies:

-Familiarity with WASH issues in Palestine.
-Familiarity with International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law.
-Good understanding of the political context in both the country and the region.
-Good knowledge of advocacy and lobby -Proven lobbying and advocacy experience to achieve specific objectives at local and international level.
-Ability to bridge between conflicting positions of a large and complex coalition towards a common approach and joint ways of working.
-Experience in motivation of team and coalition members to achieve results within given timeframes and encouraging others to respond positively despite frustrations and setbacks, in order to accomplish objectives.
-Substantial experience in making sound decisions, ability to show flexibility from initial plans and willingness to consult, as well as ability to remain impartial in complex situations.
-Good knowledge of local and international NGOs and key actors in the WASH Sector and beyond.
-Excellent spoken & written Arabic and English (essential).

Tasks and Responsibilities:

Advocacy at local and international level

-Provide regular briefings to policy-makers, media and civil society organizations to raise WASH issues in Palestine through media and other means in support of the overall advocacy strategy;
-Represent EWASH in certain events upon nomination;
-To reinforce EWASH capacity to contribute to national reform and policies, following the principles of independence, internal governance, transparency and accountability;
-To strengthen the role of Palestinian CSOs as policy monitors and decision making bodies;
-Edit a bimonthly newsletter depending on the news provided by the members, or delegate this role to a designated working group/staff;
-Shares recommendation with EWASH member’s organizations and with Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) that can be raised with donors and international policy makers;
-Maintain the production of Advocacy material and policy paper in full coordination with the WASH Partners;
-Conduct Field visits to the Diplomats and international community.

Improve governance in the WASH sector
-To promote reform and increase public accountability, to advocate and to support EWASH role as a monitor in the WASH sector;

-Conduct WASH sector analysis for current and proposed policies, laws, initiatives and to meaningfully participate in the definition of performance criteria and related monitoring systems;
-Carry out field trips to the EWASH member’s activities, as well as conduct regularly meetings with the implementing organizations;
-To support the production of local evidence on key issues of public service delivery related to WASH at local and national level and to draft recommendations based on findings;
-Provide steer input to EWASH’s popular mobilization campaigns and mobilize local and international constituencies for action on the priority issues identified by the EWASH;
-Mainstream good practices in WASH governance sector.

Support to coordination and communication

-Support coordination among EWASH partners and other relevant stakeholders;
-Facilitate monthly EWASH meetings as well organize events depending on the need of the emergency situation;
-Circulate the MoM, agenda and any other needed documents for the members;
-Gather information from different organizations, circulate the main concerns and needs among the EWASH group;
-Circulate any document sent by any of the members to the group;
-Follow up with the specialized working groups;
-Maintain and update the EWASH contact list.

To apply please send your most updated CV and a short motivation letter to