8 \ outline of protection initiatives 3. key protection initiatives Priorities 3.1 UNRWA Agency-wide Protection The scope and depth of UNRWA’s service delivery places it in a strong position to contribute a holistic response to protection threats13 and vulnerabilities.14 It also, however, places a strong responsibility on the Agency to ensure that the manner in which it provides its services promotes and respects the rights, dignity and safety of its beneficiaries. As a major provider of public services, UNRWA seeks to ensure that the manner in which it delivers its services protects the safety and dignity of beneficiaries and staff. For example, throughout its Fields of operation: • • • • • • UNRWA takes steps to ensure a violence free environment in all its learning facilities; UNRWA promotes knowledge of individual rights through a human rights and tolerance curriculum in its schools; UNRWA staff have a responsibility to report any protection problems encountered; UNRWA takes steps to prevent and respond to incidents of gender based violence and child abuse; Partnership with the community is an vital aspect of UNRWA’s approach to protection; The perspective of UNRWA beneficiaries is taken into account in the planning and implementation of services; mainstreaming of protection within all its programming and more specifically to UNRWA’s strategic objective 12: • Capacity-building of staff Practical protection involves the responsibilities of every staff member who comes into contact with a person in need thereof or with a situation requiring a protection response. Timely and effective action by the staff member may be of critical importance to the outcome. The nature of the staff member’s responsibility will be determined by her or his position in the Agency and by the specific situation. Staff require training to enhance a shared understanding of what protection means to UNRWA in order to equip them with the knowledge and tools to implement protection in their day-to day work. Overall one of the most important outcomes of this capacity-building process, closely linked also to the work on mainstreaming UNRWA protection standards, is to further develop an awareness of protection concepts and a protection way of thinking, or a ‘protection reflex’,16 throughout the Agency. UNRWA will provide protection training for staff at different levels targeting different needs: 3.1.1 Agency wide key protection initiatives • Mainstreaming UNRWA protection standards UNRWA has developed a tool15 providing means to assess progress towards mainstreaming protection in UNRWA programming and service delivery. The tool has been used by each of the five UNRWA fields to conduct ‘protection audits’, producing quantitative baselines for measuring the degree of alignment with UNRWA standards for incorporating protection across all aspects of programming. The tool will be continuously used in order to monitor progress compared to defined baselines. • The protection audits contribute to UNRWA’s 13 The term “protection threat” refers to any event or process that, if it occurs or continues to occur, will negatively impact on the safety, dignity, rights or overall well-being of an individual or group. 14 UNDP defines vulnerability as “A human condition or process resulting from physical, social, economic and environmental factors, which determine the likelihood and scale of damage from the impact of a given [threat].” UNDP, Reducing Disaster Risk: A Challenge for Development,2004. 15 Tool to Assess the degree of Compliance with UNRWA Protection Standards Ensure Service delivery meets the protection needs of beneficiaries, including vulnerable groups. • Introduction level for all new local and international staff. In-depth training for relevant staff on protection principles and their associated responsibilities. Technical training for managers on incorporating protection into the project cycle management. The protection training will provide UNRWA with the capacity to mainstream protection within all its programming and more specifically contribute to UNRWA’s strategic objectives12 and 13: • • Ensure Service delivery meets the protection needs of beneficiaries, including vulnerable groups. Safeguard and advance the rights of Palestinian refugees by promoting respect for human rights, international humanitarian law and international refugee law. 16 The term ‘protection reflex’ was used by Nicholas Morris to refer to staff being ‘alert to instances where the rights of individual refugees are threatened or violated, coupled with competencies and mechanisms to address those violations wherever possible’. Morris, N. (2008) “What protection means for UNRWA in concept and practice”, consultancy report, paras. 1.2 and 9.2.