UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child, protection :
Within the framework of AU-UNICEF engagement strategy, ending child marriage is as a priority for both the AU and UNICEF. Both the AUC and UNCIEF have reflected the commitment to end marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) in the strategic policy documents namely the Agenda 2063 for the AU particularly in particular, Aspiration 6: “An Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children” and the UNICEF strategic plan 2018-2021 particular the Gender Action Plan.
The African Union Commission (AUC) views harmful practices such as child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as crosscutting issues, which include development, cultural, health, political and religious factors, among others. In recognising that Africa cannot fully achieve its sustainable agenda, the AUC officially launched the AU Campaign to End Child Marriage in 2014 and the AU Saleema Initiative on FGM in 2018. Both Campaigns are designed to respond to the practices of child marriage and FGM working with Member States. Taking into account the multidimensional components of harmful practices, the AU engages with opinion molders within the various institutions that help shape the cultural, religious and traditional beliefs of the people in addressing the effects of harmful practices to the girl child, the community, the nation and the world at large.
As early as 2008, UNICEF’s Child Protection Strategy identified child marriage as an important child protection issue to be tackled. UNICEF’s expanded vision for ending child marriage, as reflected in the framework of the Global Programme to End Child Marriage, recognizes that all sectors need to be mobilized in this work, from education to communication for development (C4D), to health, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and social protection. UNICEF’s focus on equity draws further attention to the links between child marriage and poverty, discrimination and exclusion.
Since 2014, UNICEF has been supporting AU Department of Social Affairs to implement the continental campaign to End Child Marriage. The first 4-year phase of the campaign was evaluated in 2018 with a recommendation of an extension for another years. The recommendation was endorsed by the Ministers at the 3rd STC on Labour, Employment and Social Development. A new 5-year strategic plan (2019- 2023) was then developed to guide the second phase of the campaign. The Department of Social Affairs also embarked in the design of another continental campaign named “Saleema Initiative” to end female genital mutilation (FGM). Both End Child Marriage Campaign and Saleema Initiative aim to strengthen AU commitment to end harmful practices on the girl child on the continent with clear programmatic and policy pathways, accountability mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
The recently signed partnership between the AU, the EU and UN for the implementation of the Africa Regional Program of the Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls is another opportunity for UNICEF to strengthen its work with the Department of Social Affairs.
How can you make a difference?
Purpose for the Job :
Join our team as “Child Protection Officer, Knowledge Management consultant” to support the Department of Social Affairs of the AUC on the implementation of the Knowledge Management Strategy for the Spotlight Programme and other initiatives to end child marriage and FGM. The Child Protection Officer supports the implementation, monitoring and reporting of progress against the knowledge management strategy within the Department across ECM and FGM. This work also responds to SDG 5.3 which aims to eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilations.
Summary of results-based key functions/accountabilities :
- Support the work of the Social Welfare and Vulnerable Groups division to plan and implement the activities on end child marriage (ECM) and FGM under the Spotlight Initiative ;
- Support develop a comprehensive knowledge management strategy for Gender based violence particularly on Harmful Practices- FGM and ECM ;
- Collaborate with partners to establish a knowledge management hub which will be housed in the AUC Implementation of Knowledge Management Strategies for the DSA Programmes on HTPs- Child Marriage and FGM ;
- Utilize the same Hub that will be housed in the AUC and translate the knowledge products into 4 AU languages and disseminate them across Africa ;
- Provides capacity building support throughout the programming processes on knowledge designed for Member states and other stakeholders including other AU departments and organs ;
- Manage knowledge-sharing events on ECM and FGM ;
- Support with identifying and curating technical website content for ECM and FGM including managing website community engagement ;
- Document and share learning with engaging partners and champions on ECM and FGM ;
- Update and maintain knowledge bases in collaboration with the AU Knowledge Management Unit, taking part in the knowledge sharing policy elaboration and contribute to building a shared mindset and understanding of knowledge management.
Expected Deliverables and Timeline :
| Expected deliverables |
Timeline |
- Annual work plan for the duration of the assignment
|
August 2020 |
- Development of a comprehensive knowledge management strategy for GBV and HP including the establishment of a knowledge management hub
|
September – Nov 2020 |
- Capacity building support on knowledge designed for Member states and other stakeholders including facilitating knowledge-sharing events
|
Dec 2020-March 2021 |
- Production and dissemination of knowledge/learning on ECAM and FGM through AU websites content and Social media
|
April-June 2021 |
|
|
July 2021 |
- Participate and contribute to knowledge management meetings
- Produce monthly reports
|
Ongoing |
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
- An university degree in public health, social sciences, Economy, development studies, sociology, social work, or other social science field is required. Specialized training in statistics an asset ;
- A minimum of 5 [five years] of relevant experience at national and international levels related to violence prevention and response programming, some of which were served in a developing country is required ;
- Demonstrated strong communication, presentation and writing skills, including report writing, oral presentations and development of technical documents is essential ;
- Demonstrated experience and knowledge of the latest developments and issues related to violence against children and gender are essential ;
- Experience in excel and standard software programmes is essential and statistical software packages an asset ;
- Relevant experience in child protection and/or related areas, programme/project development and management in a UN agency or international development organization is an asset ;
- Demonstrated experience in design, implementation, budget management and monitoring of programme results an asset ;
- Publication record related to violence prevention and response, gender and child protection issues more broadly an asset ;
- Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset ;
- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
View our competency framework at : UNICEF_Competencies.pdf
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks :
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.