Afghanistan: Afghanistan - A Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Mental Health Advisor in Jalalabad

Première Urgence Internationale (PUI) is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-political and non-religious international aid organization. Our teams are committed to supporting civilians’ victims of marginalization and exclusion, or hit by natural disasters, wars and economic collapses, by answering their fundamental needs. Our aim is to provide emergency relief to uprooted people in order to help them recover their dignity and regain self-sufficiency. The association leads in average 190 projects by year in the following sectors of intervention: food security, health, nutrition, construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures, water, sanitation, hygiene and economic recovery. PUI is providing assistance to around 5 million people in 20 countries – in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe and France.

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Humanitarian situation and needs

Afghan mission is the oldest PUI mission, with first medical intervention launched in 1980 just after the Soviet Invasion. Since then, the country has mostly been in conflict, with both national armed groups and international forces, causing mass casualties and massive movements of population, within or out of the countries: out of the 30 millions in country population, 805.000 are registered as IDPs. 272.000 since January 2015, 3.703.000 Afghan refugees are registered in foreign countries (UNHCR, 2014).

Since NATO intervention in 2001, humanitarian assistance and development projects have reached unprecedented levels of funds and intervention in the country. In the 2012 Tokyo Conference, Afghanistan announced its road map toward self-reliance. However, great challenges remain to overcome. Security, social and economic development, good governance, and justice are, among other issues, essential pre-conditions in order to achieve the country’s ambitious objectives.

However, due to the raise of Armed Opposition Groups and the constantly increasing number of fights in the country, the security situation remains unstable. Many attacks continue to claim lives among the Afghan population. In April 2014, the Presidential poll marked the transfer of power from one elected president to another for the first time in the country’s history. The political transition coincides with a security transition as Afghan security forces have taken up security responsibility from international forces which withdrew at the end of 2014. Humanitarian stakeholders forecasted an increased level of violence, a rise in unemployment and criminality. Those most affected are IDPs, the war wounded, and the people living in contested areas. As a consequence of constant unrest and lack of economic perspectives, many people flee the country being to neighboring countries such as Iran or Pakistan, or to Europe (in terms of population, Afghan people are the second nationality represented in the migrants continuous flux to Europe according to Frontex Agency).

Thus, Afghanistan is today at crossroads, between increasing autonomy and development of infrastructures, within chronic vulnerabilities and complex emergencies to deal with: AOG are extending their territories, number of armed clashes and of casualties is constantly increasing, and natural disasters (such as the Earthquake which affected the country on 23^rd October 2015) are challenging the resilience of communities ( 8 millions people were assessed in food insecurity situation in 2015 according to Fewsnet)

Rebuilding and strengthening the health-care system is still a priority in Afghanistan, with the country-wide continuation of the implementation of BPHS (Basic Package of Health Services) and the EPHS (Essential Package of Hospital Services), initiated in 2003 and 2005, and the implementation of emergency responses.

Our action in the field

PUI strategy is to address the fundamental needs of the Afghan population in respect with all humanitarian principles. Indeed, Neutrality and impartiality are key principles to respect in order to enable humanitarian access to the affected populations.

PUI has a strong health expertise in the country that can be used as an entry point to implement an integrated approach to support the population to regain their most basic needs and also to their self-sufficiency. Indeed, such problems as malnutrition and undernutrition request a multi sectoral and comprehensive response in order to decrease the prevalence of the phenomenon.

Since the beginning of 2013, PUI in Afghanistan decided to start interventions on emergency preparedness and medical interventions for conflict-affected populations. With constant increasing of civilian casualties during from January 2014 to June 2015 (4.900 registered during the first 2015 semester), it is indeed crucial to have health staff prepared and equipped for mass casualties, and also to implement responses to population displacements.

Due to the violent recent history of the country and the constantly increasing number of security incidents in the country, PUI is developing an advocacy plan for development of PFA in the country, in order to support the development of such activity countrywide.

Click here for more information about our response to the crisis

As part of our activities in Afghanistan, we are looking for a Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Mental Health Advisor in Jalalabad.

The Psychosocial First Aid (PFA) and Mental Health Advisor will be working under the responsibility of the Field Coordinator in Jalalabad and will be in charge of the training of the project staff on psycho-social counseling at health facility and hospital level to the general Kunar and Nangarhar Population including Internally Displaced People. Depending on the security situation he/she will be mainly based in the liaison office in Jalalabad (Nangahar province, 2/3 time) with frequent trips to Kabul coordination office for coordination purposes and liaising with stakeholders at national level (1/3 time).

• Programs: He/She will ensure implementation and oversight of the activities related to psycho-social counseling of the program in the frame of PUI emergency response in Eastern Region; He/She will also develop PUI internal capacity on PFA management (Afghan Mission and organization level: HQ+ Regional Office) by development of internal curriculums and human resources


• Representation: He/She will liaise with stakeholders in Afghanistan working on psycho-social support


• Strategy / Advocacy: He/She will ensure representation and lead advocacy process by national partners in Afghanistan (MoPH, International and National NGOs, local authorities) for development of PFA and integration in the emergency response phase).

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Training and Experiences

Training:

Psychologist

Professional Experiences:

Humanitarian

International

Technical

Knowledge and Skills:

Excellent training skills

Excellent planning skills

Software:

Pack Office (Word, Excel)

Other (to be specified)

Languages:

English is mandatory.

French, Dari and other languages are desirable.

Proposed Terms

Employed with a Fixed-Term Contract – 11 months

Starting date : June 2016

Monthly gross income: from 1 650 to 1 980 Euros depending on the experience in International Solidarity + 50 Euros per semester seniority with PUI

Cost covered: Round-trip transportation to and from home / mission, visas, vaccines…

Insurance including medical coverage and complementary healthcare, 24/24 assistance and repatriation

Housing in collective accommodation

Daily living Expenses (« Per diem »)

Break Policy : 5 working days at 3 and 9 months + break allowance

Paid Leaves Policy : 5 weeks of paid leaves per year + return ticket every 6 months