The Protection of Civilians/Humanitarian Liaison Section (PoC/HLS) is UNAMID’s main link with the humanitarian community.
Protection of Civilians represents the UNAMID’s core mission mandate, in line with SCR 2148 and the 2015 revised strategic priorities. In this regard, the PoC/HLS holds a critical Mission-wide coordination, advisory and information sharing role on issues related to protection of civilians in Darfur, both horizontally, across UNAMID components and sections, and vertically, with senior mission leadership and field-level Sector Offices and Team Sites, as well as with the United Nations Country Team and Humanitarian Country Team (UNCT/HCT).
Operationally, the PoC/HL section co-chairs and acts as the Secretariat of the Joint Protection Group at the MHQ, the main policy-focused forum for the discussion of Darfur-wide protection concerns and associated recommendations. In addition, at Sector-level, the Section plays a key coordination, advisory and secretarial role for the Sector JPGs in support of the Heads of Office.
Furthermore, PoC/HLS works to strengthen the established UNAMID-UNCT coordination structures in order to maximize the collective and individual impact of UN agencies and UNAMID protection and humanitarian activities in Darfur. In this regard, PoC/HLS is the point of entry for interaction of the Mission with UNCT/HCT partners, and the Section coordinates and facilitates requests for logistical assistance by UNAMID, including for the provision of escorts in relation to the delivery of humanitarian assistance and conduct of inter-agency assessment missions.
The work of the PoC/HL Section is also informed by the strategic objectives of the UNAMID/UNCT Integrated Strategic Framework (ISF), which includes the enhanced physical protection of conflict affected population; early warning and early response; creation of a protective environment; and the increased capacity to respond to protection needs on the ground.