Project Coordinator – April 2021

Written test
NAME OF CANDIDATE:

Pls. provide your answers to the following scenarios/questions and return this within maximum 120 minutes from receiving the file. Every 5 minute delay results in a point deduction. Write your
answers in italics below each question. All answers will be checked to detect any potential ‘copypasting’ from other sources which will also result in point deductions.

SCENARIOS
Scenario 1: (8 pts) --- A group of Teduray leaders in Maguindanao have approached Geneva Call as they would like to dialogue with armed non-State actors (ANSAs) who remain outside of the
GPH-MILF Peace Process about the concerns of indigenous people (IP) in areas where these ANSAs operate, and while they believe they can dialogue with the groups based on customary norms
they would need technical assistance as well as the support of local politicians. They are also concerned about the legality of their initiative, considering the recent anti-terror bill and that the
target ANSAs are often tagged as terrorists.

Please prepare a short plan for a project with the tribal leaders to influence the conduct of ANSAs towards better respect for civilian protection. Please include foreseen risks (not only for security,
but legal, reputational, political, programmatic etc.) and mitigating measures and keep in mind Geneva Call’s mandate and guiding principles. Please also elaborate on the steps you would take to
convince the LGUs and the state security sector why constructive dialogue with ANSAs and their constituencies is needed, and what the role of Geneva Call would be in supporting traditional
leaders in such efforts.

You may draw up your own format for the project plan, but please include preparatory activities, actual activities, output(s), outcome(s) and indicators for all levels. Please include budgetary
aspects. Also indicate the distribution of labour between the IP leaders and Geneva Call.

Please use the following table for risks and mitigating measures:

Opportunities/ Description of Risk Risk Likelihood Risk Impact Mitigation measures Likely success
assumptions Very high Very high of mitigation
High High Highly likely
Medium Medium Likely
Low Low Possible
Very low Very low Unlikely
Courtesy meeting and Impact of the local lockdowns for High medium  The program team will regularly get situational updates High
project presentation with the actual site visits and prior, during, and after implementing this program.
Tribal leaders and partner implementation Identify local organizations already present in the target
implementers on the ground project sites to help implement key activities of WASH UP
project Sub-contract other WASH players (other
INGOs/Local NGOs) present in the target areas.
Partners meeting Information spill-over that may High High Filter information and gauge those that are shareable and High
(implementers only then a be taken out of context and not
succeeding meeting with credited to Geneva Call
partners, other INGOs
working on our areas of
intervention and CSOs)
Capacity building activities
highlighting IHL, protection
and promotion of rights of
prisoners of war, prohibition
of recruitment of child
soldiers and tie-up/linking of
activities for school-aged
rebel returnees to go back to
school (similar to Out of
School Youth (OSY)
programming)
Hesitance from leaders to report High High Partner implementers especially those that are living in high
cases of child soldier recruitment the camps themselves have first-hand information. It is for
as this would entail a reduction in us to handle fragile situations like this with utmost
their troop numbers. As this is a diligence.
rather sensitive topic, leaders
may deny allegations or declare
there are no reports to prove
such; discussions may ensue that
may put Geneva Call in a difficult
position.

Scenario 2: (4 pts) --- A training on IHL and Islamic Law is organised in Marawi City over three days and two nights. You had planned a total of 50 participants but may need to consider this due to
the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on gatherings and movement. How would you arrange venue, lodging, transportation and food? Participants will be coming from various provinces in
Central, Southern and Western Mindanao. Please describe the key steps.

- At present, the Philippine IATF has placed the majority of Mindanao under Modified General Community Quarantine – an option that has fewer restrictions on travel and fewer
restrictions on gatherings in a community.  Covid-19 still looms over Mindanao. With this, I am recommending participants not to travel from Central, Southern, and Western Mindanao.
Travel restrictions are still in place, and anyone travelling outside location would need quarantine or isolation methods. This would be costly on the part of the participant and for the
part of Geneva Call. Also, allowing for such travel and gathering will heighten the risk of COVID-19 transmission and would also be breaking the government-mandated COVID-19
protocols.
-
- With this, my action plan is to advocate for the use of videoconferencing or digital meetings. I am of the opinion that a training on International Humanitarian Law and Islamic Law is not
essentially needed for any physical engagement – such as face-to-face sessions. The evolving COVID-19 situation today prioritizes communication and mobility. As opposed to dispensing
expenses on venue, lodging, transportation, and food, I will instead use said budget to cover telecommunication costs for participants, such as cell phone loads and internet services, or
payment of digital videoconferencing subscriptions. We will then be able to secure fast, personal, and comprehensive engagement among participants, as well as protect them and the
community from COVID-19 transmission. 

Scenario 3: (4 pts) --- While unlikely, there are times that real security situations occur affecting directly humanitarian actors like Geneva Call. You are traveling from Cotabato City for an activity
to Libutan in Geneva Call’s vehicle when flagged down by unidentified armed men. Your driver slows down to halt. The armed men are shouting for you both to get out of the car and are asking
what you are doing in ‘their area’ without coordination. It is not clear to you what they want, but please detail the first four actions you would take in this situation and why.

- By forcing our vehicle to slow down or stop, we are vulnerable to any attacks or ambush. The best defence against any vehicle ambush is to plan ahead and prior coordination with the
Libutan government and agencies. In this situation, to deescalate and survive the situation, I will:
o I will request that the driver stop the vehicle while keeping the engines running – unless we are told otherwise;
 o I will remain calm and in a neutral tone so we don't intimidate the armed men. I will also keep my hands visible to ensure that we don't have any dangerous or life-threatening
weapons.
o In the event that we need to leave the vehicle, I will do so slowly and ask our driver to follow me, in a place or position that has a significant distance against armed people;
o We will try to explain to these armed men that our purpose and objective is to visit Libutan in peace. If they will let me, I will contact our Libutan partners to ensure the proper
coordination and communication with the local authorities.

QUESTIONS
Question 1: (2 pts) --- Do conflict parties have some specific duties to protect civilians in local conflicts (rido, land conflicts etc.) in Central Mindanao according to customary local or religious
norms (please indicate the IP or Moro tribes these norms relate to)? Could you quote 3 of these norms and please mention any similarities/contrast with key rules of International Humanitarian
Law (IHL)?

There is a duty on the part of combatants to protect civilians because even in conflict situations, rights remain. Despite the fact that ANSAs are not parties to international treaties, they
are expected to respect IHL, which is why IHL is promoted and their commitment is encouraged.   The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the
United Nations General Assembly. The Declaration is the most comprehensive instrument detailing the rights of indigenous peoples in international law and policy, containing minimum
standards for the recognition, protection and promotion of these rights.

1) Self-determination. The United Nations General Assembly affirmed that indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination and, hence, the right to freely determine their political
status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

Article 3 of the Declaration mirrors common article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Indigenous peoples see self-determination as a central right recognized at the international level. The implementation of the right to self-determination also complements the
implementation of other rights. All rights in the Declaration are indivisible and interrelated, and the right to self-determination is no exception.
2) Rights to lands, territories and resources.

The Declaration recognizes indigenous peoples’ rights to their lands, territories and resources, including to those traditionally held by them but now controlled by others as a matter of
fact and also of law. For many indigenous peoples, their relationship to their lands, territories and resources is a defining featureFor indigenous communities, relations to the land are not
merely a matter of possession and production but a material and spiritual element which they must fully enjoy, even to preserve their cultural legacy and transmit it to future
generations. Supported by developing and authoritative interpretations of existing human rights law by United Nations human rights treaty bodies and regional human rights
mechanisms, article 26 (1) of the Declaration acknowledges, in general terms, indigenous peoples’ right to the lands, territories and resources they have traditionally owned, occupied or
otherwise used and article 26 (2) refers to the lands, territories and resources that they possess under indigenous customary conceptions of “ownership”.

3) Economic, social and cultural rights

The provisions of the Declaration and ILO Convention No. 169 are consistent with interpretations of economic, social and cultural rights by the Human Rights Committee and the
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Human Rights Committee. To the outside world, and oftentimes also within indigenous communities, indigenous peoples’ cultural
distinctiveness is considered to be one of their defining features. Giving expression to the right to cultural equality, the Declaration contains numerous provisions to protect against
discriminatory and adverse treatment on cultural grounds as well as positive measures to support indigenous peoples’ cultures. These include their right not to be subjected to
assimilation or destruction of their culture; the right to practise and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs, to teach their cultural mores, and to the repatriation of human
remains; and the right to “maintain, control, protect and develop” their cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.

Question 2: (2 pts) --- You need to prepare a draft financial report at the end of the project and notice overspending on several budget lines. What are the implications of overspending and how
would you handle the situation?
 - Overspending is primarily caused by poor planning and program management. Budgets are important tools for directing how resources are spent to meet a program's goals. This
demonstrates management's plans in financial terms by matching program activities with available resources. The majority of financial reports are designed for internal use, such as
monitoring the organization's expenses, or external use, such as sending financial statements to donors. Internally, overspending means a program's objectives, deliverables, and
spending for those objectives have been inadequately managed. A program coordinator who overspends has spent more than the program can afford. Additionally, donors will use these
reports to evaluate the organization's performance, which could ultimately lead to a decrease in future funding.

Overspending can be attributed to many things, but as a program coordinator I will provide a rational explanation and justification as to why the overspending occurred as long as the
total costs of the grant were not exceeded. Specifically, I would argue that the overspending is due to an increase in beneficiaries or programs activities. Furthermore, I will locate a line
item within the general operating budget that could cover the overspending. 

Question 3 (2 pts) --- Please give 3 examples on how you would engage with CSOs to help them in their efforts to influence ANSAs for improved protection of children in armed conflicts. Please
also highlight any security concerns or risks this may pose to direct humanitarian engagement with ANSAs.
- We could engage the CSO to help influence ANSAs for improved protection of children in armed conflicts through building diplomatic skills. CSO can help influence ANSAs on building
diplomatic skills and interact with ANSAs to relay and communicate the roles ANSAs can play in child protection. We can implement for a Track I diplomacy, wherein we capacitate local
government authorities to influence the decision-making apparatus of the other. While track 1 diplomacy has its strengths, this could also be weakened by power and corrupted
authority issues. ANSAs might be resistant with CSO’s involvement and engagement, and might inflict conflicts and reduce/limit communication.

- We could also engage the CSO to have dialogues with local actors on all levels using Track II and III diplomacy, involving citizen and grassroots communication and interventions with
ANSAs. Expand the ‘local agreements strategy’ that has been used successfully by Geneva Call and apply for a more contextualized intervention with ANSAs.

Question 4: (4 pts) --- Based on your knowledge of the conflict-affected contexts in the Teduray and Lambangian ancestral lands, what are the particular risks, threats or forms of violence facing
a) women, b) girls, c) men and d) boys in times of conflict? How are these risks different from those facing Maguindanaoan people in conflict-affected areas?

a) Women - sexual violence, rape, still birth and malnutrition threats especially on pregnancies and deliveries at the ECs, privacy as ECs are cramped
b) Girls – sexual violence, rape, missed out school days, separation from parents while fleeing
c) Men – assault, battery, torture, economic violence, looting, warrantless arrest, detention
d) Boys – missed out school days, torture, separation from parents while fleeing

ADDITIONAL QUESTION
Bonus 1: There are three crates – one contains only potatoes, one contains only tomatoes, and one contains both potatoes and tomatoes. The crates have been incorrectly labelled. No label
identifies the actual contents of the box it labels. Opening just one of the box with an incorrect label, and without looking in the box, you take out one vegetable. By looking at it, how can you
immediately label all of the crates correctly?

To start, I am going to open the box labeled "Potatoes and Tomatoes". As neither label is correct, I can only assume that the box only contains potatoes or only tomatoes. Let's say I
remove a potato from that box. Therefore, the box must be labeled as "Potatoes Only.". The "Tomatoes Only" box must be one of the two remaining boxes. One is said to be for potatoes
only, while the other is for tomatoes only. Therefore, the box labeled "Potatoes Only" is the box that contains only tomatoes, while the box labeled "Tomatoes Only" is the box that
contains both kinds of vegetables.