Sofia Martin

♦ Ensuring quality and consistency of submissions through compliance with innovative referral formats such as the IBM especially devised to increase processing capacity.

♦ Conducting first and second reviews of cases referred for resettlement submission through various programs including the Safe Mobility Offices (SMO) with fast-paced reviews of classic and abridged submissions - around 30 cases a week.

♦Screening for exclusion and inadmissibility issues and drafting tailored assessments to bolster acceptance when relevant.

♦ Contributing to the capacity building of caseworkers through creating drafting tools for each referral format used depending on the country selection criteria as well as devising ad-hoc resettlement trainings according to the needs identified by the country operations.

♦ Liaising with UNHCR counterparts in the country offices, implementing partners, IOM and resettlement countries to provide expert advice/ respond to queries regarding submissions or any other matter relevant to case processing.

♦ Elaborated a backlog strategy to help the state asylum agency CNAR in reducing a backlog of 13 000 cases including through the establishment of an electronic filing system.

♦ Laid the groundwork for the complete overhaul of RSD procedures with the update of the RSD SOPs and draft of new SOPs for differentiated processing modalities.

♦ Devised and delivered training sessions on substantive and procedural aspects of Refugee Law and the RSD module of ProGres V4 to CNAR and UNHCR personnel.

♦ Advised on RSD relevance in the prospective verification exercise.

♦ Built a repository of expertise for the Asylum Capacity Development of the Congo with updated COI, assessment templates, list of focal points and target audience at the individual, institutional and socio-political levels.

♦ Devised high-level advocacy tools regarding the access of RSD procedures to certain populations in legal limbo.

♦ Conducted second reviews of cases referred for resettlement submission by providing feedback to reviewers on the reviews of RRFs; As needed, conducted first reviews of the most complex cases and provide feedback to caseworkers directly.

♦ Acted as the focal point for reviewing the RSD material of the cases referred for identification and made recommendations on their eligibility for resettlement consideration.

♦ Acted as the focal point in guiding and capacitating the country operation to prepare consistent and quality resettlement submissions. Provided basic training on RRF preparation and review for all new staff members. Devised and delivered ad-hoc training sessions. Compiled and updated Country of Origin Information (COI).

♦ Coordinated the response to US deferrals i.e. coordinated the schedule of additional interviews and reviewed updated RRFs to be shared with the US as part of the deferral response.

♦ Conducted Refugee Status Determination and resettlement interviews for potential resettlement cases which were identified by the Resettlement Officer as particularly sensitive and/or complex thereby warranting a heightened level of expertise/scrutiny.

♦ Mapped existing capacity in the MCO region, both within UNHCR and at the partner level, with a focus on RST identification, intervention and internal/external referral practices, with emphasis on vulnerable individual members of the LGBTIQ+ community.

♦ Devised new Identification process for the MCO and drafted RST SOPs.

♦ Conducted targeted training for both UNHCR and partner organizations in operations with no/limited RSD/RST capacity.

♦ In the absence of any existing capacity and/or where access was limited, planned mission and intervened to interview and process urgent individual cases.

♦ Where processing capacity existed, reviewed RRFs referred by the country operations under the MCO’s purview.

♦ Followed up on submissions and tracked approval/rejection by resettlement countries and ensured appropriate out-processing of accepted cases in close co-ordination with UNHCR resettlement partners.

♦ Counselled refugees as needed and assisted in activities geared towards managing refugees’ expectations towards RST.

♦ Reviewed resettlement RRFs referred by Country Offices /Branch Offices (BOs) covered by the Bureau including cases from Niger for individuals evacuated from Libya under the Emergency Transit Mechanism. In that context, trained the case workers on RSD and RST; provided guidance for complex cases and/or with exclusion triggers and strengthened legal analysis for borderline cases with mixed-migratory background.

♦ Undertook support missions to the field to assist with interviews and the preparation of RRFs and/or with pre-screening or profiling of cases.

♦ Acted as focal point for Urgent and Emergency Cases: monitored the swift processing of these cases, liaised with HQ, Country Offices/BOs and resettlement countries to ensure refugees departed in a timely manner. For countries lacking processing capacities for these cases: conducting remote interviews and/or undertook missions to the field to conduct RST profiling/casework and/or conduct mandate RSD.

♦Provided capacity-building and training of UNHCR staff (incl. Protection, Community Services and Resettlement Staff), and external partners (NGO and government counterparts) on various aspects of the resettlement process.

♦ Conducted casework by interviewing refugees eligible for resettlement. Assessed the resettlement needs and drafted RRFs submitted to resettlement countries.

♦ Reviewed RRFs drafted by caseworkers. Ensured consistency and quality control of RRFs and contributed to fraud prevention by identifying problematic cases.

♦ Officer in Charge (OIC) in the absence of the RST Officer. Acted in this capacity pending replacement of the former RST Officer from April 2018 to August 2018.

♦ As OIC, managed the post-submission process including the following: Supported the resettlement assistants in the preparation of departures and resettlement country missions. Acted as focal point for the timely management of deferral responses. Prepared and chaired country briefings for adjudicating missions of resettlement countries (USCIS/UK).

♦ Creator and chairman of the Durable Solutions Committee aiming at identifying urban cases and their eligibility for resettlement and/or referral to other units susceptible of best addressing the protection problems identified.

♦ Conducted merged Refugee Status Determination (RSD) and Resettlement (RST) interviews of Syrian asylum-seekers.

♦ Provided legal information, advice and counselling during interviews and identified vulnerable cases (UAMs, SGBV, heightened risk of refoulement) for referral to the Protection team (child protection/legal/health/community services units).

♦ Identified needs for children's Best Interests Procedures (BIA/BID). Interviewed children and minors accordingly and drafted BIAs/ made recommendations for BID processing.

♦ Conducted legal and COI research on Syria. Drafting timely and well-substantiated merged RSD and RST assessments in the form of RRFs or IBMs using when applicable appropriate COI and UNHCR protection considerations on Syria.

♦ Conducted Refugee Status Determination (RSD) interviews in compliance with UNHCR procedural standards and in various settings (Immigration detention centers, prisons, airports).

♦ Provided legal information, advice and counselling during interviews and identified vulnerable cases for referral to the Protection and Resettlement teams.

♦ Conducted legal and COI research for a diverse caseload including complex cases of cancellation or with exclusion triggers. Drafted RSD assessments using appropriate COI and UNHCR guidelines on eligibility, legal interpretation of the Refugee Convention and credibility determination.

♦ Acted as second/third instance legal officer for appeal and re-opening cases. Reviewed complex files in light of adequate legal and procedural standards and drafted recommendations accordingly. Conducted sensitive appeal/ re-opening interviews in that context.

♦ Acted as focal point for the review/preparation of templates or reports to ease the workload of the RSD team.

♦ Drafted notification letters regarding the outcome of the RSD process.