Social Policy Specialist on Children with Disabilities

Details

Mission and objectives

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated.

Context

In Viet Nam, there are 6.2 million individuals with disabilities, or 7 per cent of the total population1. Of them, 58 per cent are women2, and 11% are children between the ages of 2 and 17.3 The government classifies children with disabilities as one of 14 groups of children living in extremely difficult circumstances that need State support.4 In 2015, Viet Nam ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which reflected a strong commitment to the basic human rights of citizens with different forms of disabilities. In 2020, Viet Nam approved the National Action Programme for Children for the 2021-2030 period with a view to creating a safer, healthier, and more friendly environment for children. Despite significant efforts made by the Government of Vietnam, organisations of and for persons with disabilities, and other relevant parties, children with disabilities in Vietnam still encounter many difficulties in accessing community-based services, particularly inclusive health care and rehabilitation, social and child protection, and education services. In 2022, UNICEF adopted the Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy (DIPAS) through intensive internal and external consultations with UN Agencies, governments, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, and youth with disabilities, and it is guided by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS). The vision of the DIPAS is a more inclusive world by 2030 where all children, including those with disabilities, live in barrier-free and inclusive communities. Children with disabilities are considered as a cross-cutting theme in the Country Programme Document (CPD), including in all the programmes and across sections. Main focus areas include community-based services, inclusive education, and digital accessibility. The Viet Nam country office (CO) currently contributes to three cross sectoral strategic priorities (CSSPs) of the UNICEF Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy (DIPAS), namely: CSSP 2: Improvement of disability-inclusive infrastructure, services, programmes; CSSP 3: Access to comprehensive community care and support services; and CSSP 4: Access to assistive technology and relevant services. The UN Volunteer will work in the Social Protection and Governance Programme team of UNICEF Viet Nam managed by the Chief of Section to support the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of interventions related to children with disabilities.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Social Policy and Governance Chief, the UN Volunteer Social Policy Specialist will provide support to implement and coordinate interventions on children with disabilities by SPG and other programme sections. More specifically the incumbent will support the following tasks: • Ensure data and evidence related to children with disabilities are well updated, and issues and priorities related to children with disabilities are designed and reflected in UNICEF’s programming and policy advocacy. • Support the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of SPG’s work related to children with disabilities. • Support the coordination of UNICEF Viet Nam’s Working Group on Children with disabilities including: i) Preparation and organization of regular meetings for the Working Group and ii) Working with other section focal points for children with disabilities to maintain and update an office-wide plan on interventions on children with disabilities. • Work with other UN agencies to ensure synergies in UN’s advocacy and joint programming for persons and children with disabilities. • Document lessons, best practices and success stories related to UNICEF’s interventions on children with disabilities. • Prepare donor proposals and reports on children with disabilities. • Providing administrative and logistical support to programme activities and personnel when required including arranging and attending meetings, donor visits, and field trips when required. • Provide programme support and other tasks as deemed necessary to achieve the programme/project objectives according to the request of the SPG Chief. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities. • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.