Mission and objectivesUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Formally known as the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1950 in the aftermath of the Second World War to help the millions of people who had lost their homes. Today, UNHCR works in 136 countries. We provide life-saving assistance, including shelter, food, water and medical care for people forced to flee conflict and persecution, many of whom have nobody left to turn to. We defend their right to reach safety and help them find a place to call home so they can rebuild their lives. Long term, we work with countries to improve and monitor refugee and asylum laws and policies, ensuring human rights are upheld. In everything we do UNHCR considers refugees and those forced to flee as partners, putting those most affected at the centre of planning and decision-making. UNHCR's vision is a world where everyone forced to flee can build a better future. UNHCR's primary objective is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees and other people of concern, providing international protection and humanitarian assistance.
ContextUNHCRโs Regional Bureau for East and Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes (EHAGL) is overseeing a broad portfolio of projects that operate at the humanitarian-development nexus, including major initiatives such as PROSPECTS and other multi-partner programmes focused on refugee inclusion and systems strengthening. In parallel, the Bureau is updating and expanding its mapping of national social protection systems across nine countries: Kenya, Djibouti, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Zambia. The Bureau aims to use these efforts not only to support policy dialogue and donor engagement, but also to derive learning and document promising practices from across the region. The Visual Design Online Volunteer will play a key role in turning this knowledge into visually engaging country profiles, learning tools, and communication materials that can be used by governments, development partners, and UNHCR staff. These products will strengthen staff capacity, support advocacy, and promote shared understanding of how forcibly displaced populations can be included in national systems.
Task DescriptionThe Online Volunteer will provide visual design and communications support to a team of researchers developing country profiles and learning materials on the inclusion of forcibly displaced populations in national social protection systems across the East and Horn of Africa region. The UNV will be responsible for designing visually appealing materials that explain complex research findings in accessible and engaging formats. Key tasks: Design high-quality country profile layouts, infographics, and data visualizations that synthesize key findings from policy and institutional analysis. Create PowerPoint presentations, Canva publications, and other materials that support learning, advocacy, and donor engagement. Collaborate with three research UNVs to translate research findings into compelling visual formats. Develop visually consistent and branded templates for briefings, summaries, and knowledge products. Support the creation of simple, short videos or animated visuals to accompany learning materials and country-level overviews. Assist with packaging lessons learned, best practices, and case studies for both internal and external audiences. Contribute to maintaining shared visual content libraries and aligning outputs with UNHCR branding and accessibility standards. The Online Volunteer will work remotely, participating in weekly coordination calls and ad hoc design consultations with the research team and regional supervisor. Collaboration will take place via MS Teams, email, and shared platforms such as OneDrive and Canva.
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