Mateo Nicolás Cordero Fernández
Bachelor In International Relations And Specialist In Gender, Violence And Human Rights
Guatemala City
Summary
Graduate in International Relations with 8 years of experience specializing in human rights, gender, violence, international refugee rights, law, diplomacy, anti-discrimination case management, conflict resolution, and prevention. Extensive expertise in mitigating and responding to sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and sexual abuse. National and international experience in the United Nations system, serving as an elected Peer/Counsel Advisor for the UNHCR Guatemala Operation. Proficient in program coordination, project design and implementation with UN refugee agency partners and allies. Successful coordinator for protection in the Safe Mobility program, effectively managing staff. Competent in identifying, preparing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and innovating case management for international protection needs and vulnerable situations including GBV, LGBTIQ+, Afro-descendants, indigenous communities, people with disabilities, women, children, and adolescents. Demonstrated leadership and assistance in high-commitment and emergency conditions under stress. Passionate about promoting a life without violence, racism, inequalities, and discrimination while respecting human rights.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages
Work History
Associate Protection Officer
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
08.2022 - Current
- Peer advisor elected by UNHCR Guatemala Operation: responsible for the advisory colleagues about different issues, leading training process of Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics and associated rules; provide advice and guidance on the Code and different existing UN areas, with specific focus on conflicts of interest, Sexual Harassment and abuse, UN Inter-agency Policies, Standards and Partnerships, trauma and critical incident management; Age, gender and diversity strategies, among others.
- Specialist in case management of survivors of gender-based violence, sexual harassment and sexual abuse, non-discrimination and inequality.
- Specialist in: trauma and critical incident management, Understanding conflict, Ethical values and ethical decision-making, Support in cases of sexual harassment, and Mediation techniques with staff members and people we serve (refugees, human mobility).
- Provide confidential guidance and advice to staff members who have experienced and/or witnessed discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual abuse, critical trauma to the available UN options for addressing it.
- Prepare, advise and give opinions on cases of asylum seekers in the country, which include various nationalities and reasons (persecution, threats, violence, gender violence, sexual harassment, racism, discrimination), for effective evaluation.
- Supporting, advising and accompanying to Refugee Authority Monitoring Unit to follow up on cases pre and post resolution. Stablish an action plan with the people for a integral case management, avoiding violation of rights, access to services, documentation and local integration without discrimination.
- Deliver training and outreach to UNHCR staff, partners staff, communities, government and refugees on human rights, humanitarian principles, anti-discrimination, anti-racism, local integration, prevention of sexual harassment and sexual abuse, and related issues.
- Generate, collect, analyze and present statistical data for several reports related to case management, progress on goals, work plans and visibility of good practices.
- Management of UNHCR registration system for case load, interviews, follow-up and confidential case management.
- Carry out interviews under different situations, nationalities and themes: interviews with people who have suffered trauma, forced displacement, rape, arbitrary imprisonment, persecution, discrimination, racism, crimes against humanity, from: Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela, El Salvador, Middle Eastern countries, among others.
- Review technical and legal reports and data to evaluate claims of asylum seekers in the territory of Guatemala and prepare opinion on appropriate next steps.
- Liaison between UNHCR and the government of Guatemala in strengthening refugee status determination in the country.
- Technical coordinator of the area of community-based protection and legal protection for the prevention, mitigation and response to gender-based violence, child protection, local integration, non-discrimination, prevention of exploitation, harassment and sexual abuse on the border between Mexico and Guatemala.
- I was part of the UNHCR team that led the reception in Guatemala of the 135 political prisoners released in Nicaragua in 2024 by the U.S. government.
- Responsible for coordinating and leading the protection/screeners team under the Safe Mobility initiative/program of the governments of Guatemala and the United States of America for the resettlement of people.
- Construction of projects and terms of reference for consultancies in the UN system.
- Public Health focal point: follow-up with partners from the public and private sector to achieve diversified health and gender services for people in a situation of human mobility and vulnerability.
- Creator of several guides of standard operating procedures for the integral management of cases for vulnerable and refugee people in Guatemala.
- UN´s Publications: good practices in health care for people in situations of mixed flows under mobile medical clinics and in centers at the country level.
- Integrated work with the public and private sectors and NGOs for the protection of refugees and people in human mobility situation, promoting the signing of letters of understanding with strategic actors, design and implementation of work plans, monitoring of partners, budget execution under direct implementation.
- Direct work with people in complex and security situations.
- I started my international career in the Field Office Petén, on the border between Mexico and Guatemala. Currently, I cover the whole country based in the country's capital.
Protection Assistant for Pichincha and Santo Domingo
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
07.2019 - 07.2022
- Performed case management of people in human mobility and refugee situation from various nationalities and contexts: massive displacement of Venezuelan, Colombian, Middle, African countries, among others.
- Created and implemented of the first standard operating procedure for women survivors of gender-based violence in the Metropolitan District of Quito.
- Designed different consultancies for the case management in shelters for women survivors of violence, executed work plans and budget.
- Promoted innovation spaces for peaceful coexistence between refugees and the host community, work in the context of emergencies.
- Coordinated with strategic actors and promoted alliances: two signatures of letters of understanding with the Prefecture of Pichincha and the Municipality of Quito.
- Carried out training/workshops about Refugee Status Determination, GBV, LGBTIQ+, discrimination, local integration, asylum system, UNHCR mandate.
- Technically supported by GBV focal point: case management.
- Designed and executed work plans with Municipalities and Prefecture, resulting in swift responses during emergency situations.
- Technical supported to the creation of the first national network against gender violence (Red Violeta) by civil society, governmental institutions and international organizations in the Metropolitan District of Quito.
- Managed cases of African descent and refugees in vulnerable situations who have suffered racism and discrimination in Ecuador.
- Provided confidential guidance and advised to refugees in Ecuador who have experienced and/or witnessed discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual abuse, racism or lack an integral local integration.
- Generated, collected, analyzed and delivered statistical data for several reports related to case management, progress on goals, work plans and visibility of good practices.
- Managed cases in the UNHCR registration system for case load, interviews, follow-up and confidential case management.
UNHCR´s Consultant for the Government of Ecuador
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
03.2017 - 07.2019
- Based in several cities in the Ecuador: Azogues, Ibarra and Quito, performing various positions: Information Verification Assistant, Eligibility and Admissibility Assistant and National refugee commission Assistant.
- Technically supported in the strengthening the refugee status determination process in Ecuador, worked in the purging of databases, reviewed several files, carried out interviews, advised to government about the context of human mobility in the country and region, handled cases with extreme confidentiality.
- Reviewed different databases containing fundamental information for the analysis of the cases to be reviewed by the National Refugee Commission in the asylum system of Ecuador.
- Established contact and provide guidance to persons requiring information on the different alternatives for migratory regularization.
- Generated comments in the Progres V2 system on the results obtained based on the data review.
- Conducted several informative talk on the process of asylum system in Ecuador to different persons.
- Carried out admissibility, eligibility, and review interviews.
- Prepared technical admissibility, eligibility and review reports with a specific recommendation to the refugee status determination committee.
- Received, verified, controlled, archived, digitized, maintained, and safeguarded files.
- Detected and referred cases with specific protection needs, in particular to the Public Defender's Office for orientation and/or legal representation.
- Created aides memories and agendas of cases at the national level, which are sent to the refugee status determination committee for their eventual resolution.
- Coordinated the focal point team of the commission, both in Quito and Azogues city.
- Supervised 05 colleagues.
Volunteer at the Eradication of Child Labor Center
Ministry of Education of Ecuador
10.2016 - 01.2017
- Accompanied in the restitution of rights of two girls of African descent from Colombian who were resettled to the United States of America.
- Maintained clean, neat, and operational facilities to serve program needs.
- Assisted with special events and programs.
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Passionate about learning and committed to continual improvement.
Education
Master's Degree / Postgraduate Degree - Specialization in Gender, Violence And Human Rights
Facultad Latino Americana De Ciencias Sociales
Quito, Ecuador 01.2020 - 01.2021
Bachelor's Degree in International Studies - International Relations, Diplomacy, Law, Policy
Azuay University / Universidad Del Azuay
Cuenca, Ecuador 05.2012 - 01.2017
Skills
- Case Management
- Law
Communication and helping process
Protection / Gender mainstreaming
- Trauma and critical incident management
- Disabilities, Child Protection, LGBTIQ and GBV
- Diplomacy / Conflict resolution
- Investigations practices
Peer/Counsel Advisor
- Anti-discrimination case management
Prevention and response sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse
- Ethical values and ethical decision-making
Personal Information
Nationality: Ecuadorian
Social Network
X/Twitter, @NicolasCordero2
Timeline
Associate Protection Officer
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
08.2022 - Current
Master's Degree / Postgraduate Degree - Specialization in Gender, Violence And Human Rights
Facultad Latino Americana De Ciencias Sociales
01.2020 - 01.2021
Protection Assistant for Pichincha and Santo Domingo
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
07.2019 - 07.2022
UNHCR´s Consultant for the Government of Ecuador
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
03.2017 - 07.2019
Volunteer at the Eradication of Child Labor Center
Ministry of Education of Ecuador
10.2016 - 01.2017
Bachelor's Degree in International Studies - International Relations, Diplomacy, Law, Policy
Azuay University / Universidad Del Azuay
05.2012 - 01.2017
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