CHRISTOPHER MHONE-PSEAH
Advisor
Summary
Results-oriented international development professional with 28 years of leadership experience across various UN agencies and INGOs. Specialized expertise in advising on PSEAH at global, regional, and country levels, driving strategic policy, systems strengthening, capacity building, and institutional accountability. Led the development and global rollout of PSEAH frameworks, strategies, policies, and tools, advising senior leadership on institutional integration of PSEAH. Supported the establishment of end-to-end PSEAH systems, including risk assessments, mitigation plans, survivor-centered response mechanisms, and ethical referral pathways. Demonstrated agility and effectiveness across diverse contexts in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East in both stable and emergency settings.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Regional PSEAH/Safeguarding Specialist (P4)
UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA)
02.2023 - Current
- Lead strategic oversight and technical direction for the institutionalization of PSEAH across eight UNICEF Country Offices in South Asia, ensuring full alignment with global UNICEF and IASC standards.
- Provide expert guidance to senior leadership on prevention, safe reporting, victim assistance, and investigation of SEAH allegations.
- Led regional roll-out of key global frameworks including the UN Victim Assistance Protocol, Common PSEA Assessment for Implementing Partners, and Government Cooperation Framework.
- Strengthened systems for managing SEAH allegations across South Asia, ensuring safe referrals, survivor-centered assistance, and escalation in line with global SOPs and OIAI standards.
- Established and supported PSEAH Taskforces in all Country Offices (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan), enhancing accountability and oversight.
- Mainstreamed PSEAH in major donor-funded programmes such as Polio Eradication and Emergency Health Response, embedding safeguards across sectoral interventions.
- Developed region-wide PSEAH training capacity, conducting Training of Trainers and regional workshops/webinars for over 400 Focal Points and program staff.
- Advanced partner and government capacity in PSEAH through investigation support, SEAH risk assessments, community awareness tools, and action plan development.
- Advised on Code of Conduct roll-out and designed monitoring tools to assess and improve PSEAH implementation; engaged senior management on performance and compliance.
- Represented UNICEF South Asia in global and regional inter-agency PSEAH and AAP fora, contributing lessons learned, tools, and strategic guidance to influence broader system-wide efforts.
- Drafted high-level policy briefs, talking points, and advocacy materials for engagement with governments, UN agencies, and partners.
Interim PSEAH Manager (P4)
UNICEF Afghanistan Country Office
03.2023 - 07.2023
- Appointed to provide high-level technical leadership during a critical transition period, I supported UNICEF Afghanistan in establishing robust and context-specific systems for the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (PSEAH).
- I advised senior management on strategic implementation of UNICEF’s global PSEAH Strategy and Action Plan, and directly supported the handling and coordination of SEAH allegations with the Office of Internal Audit and Investigations.
- Key achievements included:
- System Strengthening: Led the development and operationalization of the Country Office’s first PSEAH Operational and Accountability Frameworks, Standard Operating Procedures for SEAH incident reporting and victim assistance.
- Capacity Building: Designed and delivered comprehensive training for 45 newly designated PSEAH Focal Points across all offices, enhancing internal capacity to implement the strategy effectively.
- Risk Communication: Developed gender-, age-, and culturally sensitive communication materials to raise awareness among staff, partners, and communities.
- Inter-agency Collaboration: Played a key role in the inter-agency PSEAH Network and supported the rollout of the UN Implementing Partner Common PSEAH Assessment.
- Leadership Support: Drafted advocacy materials, briefing notes, and talking points to support high-level engagement with UNCT and external stakeholders.
- Accountability: Supported the rollout of a strengthened Code of Conduct clearly prohibiting SEAH and mandating reporting, reinforcing a culture of accountability.
PSEA Programme Specialist (P3)
UNICEF Pakistan Country Office
12.2020 - 02.2023
- Provided technical leadership to PCO to develop and implement PSEAH Scale Up Plan for the L2 Floods Emergency response to mitigate risk of SEA during the emergency response.
- Provided technical leadership to the Inter-agency PSEA Network, the sector working groups to integrate PSEA in the L2 Floods Emergency Response in accordance with UNICEF Emergency Management Procedures.
- Provided technical support to senior leadership of UNICEF PCO to develop and monitor implementation of the UNICEF PCO PSEA Action Plan to strengthen prevention and response to SEA, Sexual Harassment and Child Safeguarding Violations in the national and field offices.
- Designed and delivered PSEA & Sexual Harassment capacity building trainings for over 330 UNICEF staff in the national office and in 4 Field Offices.
- Design and deliver capacity building training on PSEA for Implementing Partners, Contractors, Volunteers and Suppliers.
- Designed and delivered PSEA Training of Trainers workshops for over 300 PSEA Focal Persons drawn from over 70 CSO IPs, 15 UN agencies, Vendors and Suppliers.
- Supported the HR to ensure that all staff complete online mandatory training on PSEA.
- Assisted the HR to ensure that PSEA responsibilities are integrated in the JDs, Performance Management Plans and Performance Reviews for all PSEA Focal Points.
- Supported UNICEF PCO in managing and coordinating SEA concerns and allegations.
- Provided technical support to 70 IPs to in provision of assistance to survivors and witnesses.
- Provided technical advice to senior management in receiving and handling of SEA allegations.
- Supported implementing partners to establish and implement Community Based Complaints Mechanisms to ensure safe and accessible reporting of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse for women, girls, men and boys in all project’s implementation sites.
- Coordinated implementation of victim assistance in liaison with GBV Specialists, Child Protection Specialists.
- Developed and facilitate implementation of an innovative Social Mobilization and Communication Strategy to enhance community awareness on SEA.
- Strengthened mainstreaming of PSEA in programme design, partnership cycle, programme planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
- Led implementation of the UNICEF PSEA Assessment procedure for Implementing Partners.
- Supported over 70 CSO IPs to complete PSEA Assessments.
- Supported them to improve their PSEA policies, systems for reporting, response and investigations.
- Supported NGO partners to roll out the PSEA Focal Point system.
- Built capacity of PSEA Focal Persons.
- Built investigative capacities of Implementing Partners to ensure safe and prompt investigation of SEA allegations.
- Provided technical leadership to the inter-agency UN PSEA Task Force.
- Support the Task Force to develop and roll out implementation of the joint Community Based-Complaints Mechanisms to promote safe and accessible reporting of sexual exploitation and abuse cases.
- Developed internal systems for reporting of SEA and sexual harassment.
- Documented and disseminated lessons and best practices on PSEA.
- Prepared PSEA reports for senior management.
- Represented UNICEF in Inter-agency networks on PSEA.
Gender in Humanitarian Action Consultant
UN Women Malawi
10.2020 - 11.2020
- Worked as Gender in Humanitarian Action Consultant seconded to the Office of the State Vice President under the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA).
- Provided technical support to the government of Malawi in integration of gender and protection across all clusters during all stages of the disaster management cycle from contingency planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting.
Interagency PSEA Coordinator for the Cross Border Response to Syria
IOM for Migration
02.2019 - 09.2019
- Led in developing and implementing the inter-agency PSEA strategy and action plan which included interventions to strengthen prevention, reporting, response, coordination, victim assistance and collective community engagement.
- Provided technical leadership to humanitarian actors including UN agencies, international NGOs, national NGOs on mainstreaming PSEA during all stages of humanitarian operation including in policy development, planning, monitoring, and implementation.
- Advocated for heads of organizations to designate and maintain PSEA focal persons.
- Within two months after commencing engagement meetings, over 30 organizations appointed PSEA focal persons and initiated process to join the interagency PSEA network.
- Designed and facilitated interagency PSEA trainings for over 1000 humanitarian workers from 15 UN agencies, 50 INGOs, 40 Syrian NGOs, 10 Turkish NGOs and CBOs.
- Established an interagency call centre for receiving and referring complaints and feedback from the affected children and adults in Northwest Syria.
- The call centre created a safe, confidential and neutral platform for receiving and referring SEAH and non-SEAH allegations.
- With the creation of the platform, within 5 months, reports of SEAH allegations increased by 80%.
- Supported NGO partners to establish community-based complaints mechanisms for safe and accessible reporting of SEAH.
- Led the Interagency PSEAH Network to design culturally appropriate, gender and age sensitive communication materials for humanitarian workers and communities to sensitize them about what constitutes SEAH, the prohibited behaviours for humanitarian workers, where and how to report SEAH.
- Within 6 months of implementation, over 2.5 million people were reached with PSEAH messages.
- Coordinated PSEA investigations trainings for investigators and facilitated ongoing support to humanitarian organizations to build their internal investigations capacity.
- 40 Syrian and International NGOs were trained on SEA investigations.
- Provided technical support to humanitarian leadership to roll out UN Protocol on SEA allegations involving implementing partners.
- Provided technical support for the development of unified PSEA code of conduct to be rolled out by humanitarian organizations for the Cross Border Response to Northwest Syria.
- Enhanced coordination with GBV sub-cluster, child protection sub-cluster, protection cluster, inter-cluster coordination group, WASH cluster and food security cluster.
- Provided technical support to clusters to mainstream PSEA.
- Organized trainings on Community Based Complaints and Feedback Mechanisms for humanitarian organizations working in the Cross Border Response to North West Syria.
- Trained call centre staff on data management, data protection, receiving and handling of calls, case management and GBV, handling child callers.
- Developed a secure data base for storing complaints.
- Generated periodic complaints and feedback reports depicting trends to inform improvements in the response.
- Engaged clusters and disseminated anonymized complaints and feedback reports to clusters and humanitarian organizations.
- Recruited and managed programme staff.
- Managed programme budget funded by multiple donors including OFDA, ECHO, SDC and Canada just to mention but a few.
- Represented PSEA network in various forums.
- Served as a member of the senior management team for the hub.
- Developed monitoring mechanisms and tracked implementation of PSEAH across 100 member organizations of the Interagency PSEAH Network and advocated for improvements in implementation of PSEAH.
- Documented the best practices emanating from the inter-agency PSEA network.
- Compiled progress reports both for internal and external audiences.
- Compiled donor reports.
Country Office Gender and Protection Lead
WFP Malawi
07.2015 - 02.2019
- Supported the CO and over 68 Implementing Partners in designing, planning and implementing strategies for integration PSEAH, GBV and humanitarian protection in the L3 El nino Emergency Response which targeted over 5.8 million people, and in long term social protection programmes on nutrition, School Meals, Climate Adaptation and Resilience Building programmes.
- Served as a member of the global reference group for developing WFP policies and strategies on PSEAH.
- Supported in development of global PSEAH tools and frameworks for WFP HQ.
- Supported the WFP Country Office, the protection cluster, and 68 Implementing Partners in developing systems for SEAH prevention, reporting, victim assistance, and response.
- Led in developing a neutral Complaints and Feedback Platform which received and processed complaints from community members across the country including sensitive complaints relating to SEAH.
- Designed and implemented comprehensive trainings for WFP staff and partners on PSEAH, Complaints and Feedback Mechanisms, humanitarian protection, GBV and gender.
- Organized awareness raising sessions for WFP staff, Directors of Implementing Partners, contractors, suppliers to ensure compliance to PSEAH standards.
- Over 90% of WFP Cooperating Partners were fully trained.
- Consequently, PSEA agenda was popularized and prioritized internally within WFP and with the Implementing Partners.
- Developed tools and systems for mainstreaming protection, PSEA, gender, GBV and humanitarian protection.
- Co-chaired the interagency taskforce on AAP.
- The taskforce enhanced national level coordination and uptake of good practices on CFMs and PSEAH.
- Organized awareness raising sessions on PSEAH for heads of partner organizations and district councils.
- Engaged them to designate PSEAH focal persons.
- 80% of WFP partners designated and maintained PSEAH focal persons.
- 18 District Councils also appointed PSEA focal persons.
- Coordinated development and dissemination of messages on PSEAH, CFMs, AAP and protection targeting the affected populations, humanitarian workers and other stakeholders.
- Managed planning and implementation of the CFM improvement pilot.
- Provided technical support to third party organizations which implemented hotlines on behalf of WFP and its partners.
- Led in developing Standard Operating Procedures for receiving and referral of SEAH allegations.
- Generated monthly and quarterly reports of complaints and feedback mechanisms.
- Analyzed the complaints data to depict trends which informed programme modifications and improvements.
- Organized lessons learning events on PSEA, complaints and feedback mechanisms, AAP and protection involving government partners, international and national NGOs and UN agencies.
- Designed and led community consultations on PSEAH, CFMs and protection.
- Findings from the community consultations helped the Interagency PSEAH Network to develop joint PSEAH Action Plan.
- Conducted gender and protection analysis for the Emergency Response, Nutrition programme, School Meals Programme, Climate Adaptation/Resilience Programme, and construction projects.
- The gender and social inclusion analyses helped to strengthen gender integration and protection in WFP’s activities to achieve the mission of zero hunger.
- Conducted gender and protection analysis to inform design of the new CSP for WFP Malawi (2019-2023).
- Provided technical support in integration of gender and age in the new country strategy.
- The GAM for the new CSP was 3.
- Coordinated PSEAH self-assessment exercise for WFP Malawi which helped the CO to identify challenges, gaps, opportunities and actions to strengthen mainstreaming of PSEAH.
- In recognition of personal contribution to PSEA, was appointed by WFP HQ and served as a member of the global PSEA Advisory Group with responsibility to advise WFP HQ on PSEA policy and implementation.
- Was deployed to WFP Eswatini for a month where I supported the Country Office to conduct gender and protection analysis which informed integration of gender and protection, including PSEAH, in the new Country Strategic Plan.
- Led the Country Office teams in developing the Gender and Protection Action Plan.
- Provided technical leadership in implementation of the Action Plan.
- Served as a member of Global PSEA advisory group for WFP.
Project Manager for Gender and Economic Empowerment of Women
Danish Church Aid
11.2014 - 07.2015
- Managed programme design, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting for an NGO consortium project on Economic Empowerment of Women which involved participation of 10 NGOs covering 10 districts of Malawi.
- Strengthened coordination and partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Finance and other relevant government at national and local level to support implementation of the programme.
- Managed grants and disbursement of funding.
- Monitored performance of the implementing partners.
- Supervised the partners and provided management support.
- Organized regular consortium members’ coordination meetings, performance appraisal and shared learning meetings on Economic Empowerment of Women.
- Regularly monitored progress of implementation in 10 districts targeted by the project, compiled reports, and took necessary corrective actions in consultation with DCA Active Citizenship programme staff and relevant partners.
- Coordinated research studies to generate evidence for policy influencing and documented lessons and best practices, implemented policy advocacy initiatives.
- Reviewed periodic, annual, & final narrative/financial reports from partners and prepared consolidated reports to donors.
- Led in project monitoring & evaluations and incorporated recommendations into project implementation.
- Provided managerial and technical backstopping support to 10 implementing partners and their staffs in their coordination and field offices.
- Managed the Village Savings and Loans program which integrated gender in microfinance and micro-credit.
Programme Manager for District Programmes of Salima, Ntchisi, Mchinji, Chitipa and Lilongwe
Actionaid Internal Malawi
03.2006 - 10.2014
- Managed programme development, programme appraisal, planning, strategy development, impact assessment for the integrated development programmes with multiple donor funded projects in several districts including Salima, Lilongwe, Mchinji, Dowa, Ntchisi, and Chitipa.
- Managed a portfolio of medium to long term projects on climate change adaptation, food security and livelihoods, gender and women’s rights, HIV and AIDS impact mitigation, economic empowerment of women, early childhood development and care, basic education, accountable governance.
- Designed a comprehensive Early Childhood Development and Care (ECD) programme.
- Developed multimillion dollar winning proposals.
- Helped the organization to secure 10 Million USD funding for an ECD programme.
- Established and strengthened partnerships with local organizations, national organizations, district councils and civil society organizations.
- Managed a portfolio of donor funded projects, managed programme and projects budgets to ensure compliance with donor requirements.
- Managed recruitment of NGO partners built their capacity to ensure effective implementation of programmes.
- Recruited and managed performance of staff.
Head of Programme
Actionaid International Lesotho
09.2011 - 07.2012
- Provided overall strategic leadership in design, development, planning, implementation of Actionaid International Lesotho Country Strategy.
- Conducted evaluation of the previous Country Strategic Plan and supported the Country Office in development of a new Country Strategy.
- Managed multiple donor funded projects on gender and women’s rights, food and livelihoods security, women’s economic empowerment, disaster risk reduction, HIV/AIDS impact mitigation, girl’s education and accountable governance.
- Coordinated efforts and improved the Country Programme’s efficiency and effectiveness in relation to programme planning and reporting and achieved the expected compliance with Actionaid International standards and donors on management of donor funded projects on resilience and climate adaptation, gender and social inclusion, food security and livelihoods, just and accountable governance, and HIV/AIDS impact mitigation.
- Strengthened partnerships with local civil society networks and other NGOs.
- Provided leadership in fundraising through building relationships with donors and through development of proposals.
- Increased confidence with donors which translated into increased funding for the Country Programme.
- Built a strong programme team which was passionate to deliver an ambitious programme.
- Built capacities of programme staff and partners which in the long run helped to increase programme performance.
- Developed partnerships and working relationships with the national government and district councils.
- Developed contractual partnerships with civil society organizations working on just and accountable governance, gender and women’s rights, food security and education.
Institutional Development Coordinator for a USAID funded NGO Consortium Programme-Improving Livelihoods through Increasing Food Security (I-LIFE)
CARE Internal Malawi
02.2004 - 02.2006
- Worked as Institutional Development Coordinator for an NGO consortium-resilience building programme- was a technical lead for the consortium comprising CARE International, Save the Children, Catholic Relief Services, the Salvation Army, Emmanuel International, AFRICARE.
- Convened and chaired monthly technical working group meetings for the I-LIFE consortium focusing on mainstreaming accountability to affected people, civil society strengthening in the food security sector, coordination for the civil society actors in the food security sector.
- Provided technical support to programmes teams implementing nutrition, agriculture, marketing, natural resource management, and HIV and AIDS components of the programme.
- Provided technical leadership to the Consortium members on institutional strengthening to achieve food security from design, planning, implementation and monitoring of programme activities.
- Developed tools, guidelines and standard operating procedures on institutional strengthening, civil society strengthening, decentralization. Partnerships. and social accountability in order to strengthen and sustain food security.
- Designed and delivered trainings for the NGO consortium members.
- The trainings include Community Scorecard Processes; Gender Mainstreaming; Civil Society Capacity Strengthening; Decentralization; Community Institutional Strengthening; Participatory Development Methodologies.
- Coached, mentored and supervised 13 CARE Malawi Officers.
- Managed project budget.
- Provided technical guidance to NGO consortium members to facilitate formation and strengthening of district CSO networks.
- Organized joint monitoring visits for consortium members to project sites, documented and shared best practices with consortium partners and government counterparts.
Emergency Project Coordinator for the Joint Emergency Food Aid Programme (JEFAP) and the Consortium for Southern Africa Food Security Emergency (C-SAFE)
CARE Internal Malawi
11.2002 - 09.2003
- Worked as a Project Coordinator for the Joint Emergency Food Aid Programme (JEFAP), an L3 food insecurity response for 2002/2003 agricultural season.
- Also worked as Project Coordinator for Consortium for Southern Africa Food Security Emergency (C-SAFE) a developmental-relief programme to build resilience and transition from emergency to development.
- Contributed in designing the emergency operation, coordinated planning, implementation and monitoring for the response.
- Supported in screening of and recruitment of partners, supervised and monitored partner implementation of the response.
- Led in designing implementation strategies, reviewed progress of the emergency programme regularly with the government representatives, WFP officials, and NGO consortium members.
- Managed project budget to ensure compliance.
- Coached, mentored, supervised emergency response staff throughout the project cycle.
- Coordinated trainings for project staff in several thematic areas including project planning, Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, community managed targeting, HIV/AIDS mainstreaming, exit strategies, monitoring and evaluation.
- Networked with government staff particularly from the local authorities, on the emergency project.
- Compiled donor reports.
Training and Organizational Development Coordinator
CARE International Malawi
09.2001 - 10.2002
- Led staff and partner capacity assessments and facilitated development of capacity building plans and coordinated implementation of the same.
- Led CARE International Malawi program staff on execution of strategies and activities for strengthening of partnerships and capacity building of Community Based Organizations, decentralized structures and partner organizations.
Education
Ph.D. - Business And Management
The University of Zambia
Lusaka, Zambia 04.2001 -
Master of Arts - Public Policy And Management
The University of York
York, United Kingdom 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Arts - Education Humanities
University of Malawi-Chancellor College
Zamba, Malawi 04.2001 -
Skills
Quality assurance
Root-cause analysis
Expert problem solving
Documentation management
Emergency response
Continuous improvement
Quality assessment
Technical communication
Management collaboration
Compliance monitoring
Coaching and mentoring
Risk management
Stakeholder engagement
Vendor relations
Teamwork and collaboration
Adaptability and flexibility
Multitasking Abilities
Problem-solving abilities
Analytical skills
Data analysis
Attention to detail
Team building
Organizational skills
Project planning
Teamwork
Team leadership
Team collaboration
Analytical thinking
Professional Referees
Isaac Samowa
CARE Malawi
Email: xyz@gmail.com
Benjamin Botha
CARE Malawi
Email: byxz@gmail.com
Ndekha Ndekha
Action Malawi
Email: ndekha@gmail.com
Timeline
Interim PSEAH Manager (P4)
UNICEF Afghanistan Country Office
03.2023 - 07.2023
Regional PSEAH/Safeguarding Specialist (P4)
UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA)
02.2023 - Current
PSEA Programme Specialist (P3)
UNICEF Pakistan Country Office
12.2020 - 02.2023
Gender in Humanitarian Action Consultant
UN Women Malawi
10.2020 - 11.2020
Interagency PSEA Coordinator for the Cross Border Response to Syria
IOM for Migration
02.2019 - 09.2019
Country Office Gender and Protection Lead
WFP Malawi
07.2015 - 02.2019
Project Manager for Gender and Economic Empowerment of Women
Danish Church Aid
11.2014 - 07.2015
Head of Programme
Actionaid International Lesotho
09.2011 - 07.2012
Programme Manager for District Programmes of Salima, Ntchisi, Mchinji, Chitipa and Lilongwe
Actionaid Internal Malawi
03.2006 - 10.2014
Institutional Development Coordinator for a USAID funded NGO Consortium Programme-Improving Livelihoods through Increasing Food Security (I-LIFE)
CARE Internal Malawi
02.2004 - 02.2006
Emergency Project Coordinator for the Joint Emergency Food Aid Programme (JEFAP) and the Consortium for Southern Africa Food Security Emergency (C-SAFE)
CARE Internal Malawi
11.2002 - 09.2003
Training and Organizational Development Coordinator
CARE International Malawi
09.2001 - 10.2002
Ph.D. - Business And Management
The University of Zambia
04.2001 -
Master of Arts - Public Policy And Management
The University of York
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Arts - Education Humanities
University of Malawi-Chancellor College
04.2001 -