Nutrition Data Officer

Details

Mission and objectives

UNICEF is responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. UNICEF Health program is designed to support national health priorities with focus on programs that will positively impact on the lives of the most disadvantaged children, such as the prevention and treatment of diseases through establishing community-level efforts and services to promote the health and well-being of children. In line with this strategy, UNICEF supports immunization and health prevention programs for childhood diseases and funding for sustainable health services. UNICEF programs have been guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which affirms the right of all children to “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.” UNICEF is committed to realizing the rights of all children to help them build a strong foundation and have the best chance of fulfilling their potential. We believe that ensuring a happy and healthy child begins before birth: from ensuring his/her mother has access to good neonatal care and delivering in a clean, safe environment to reaching adulthood as a responsible, healthy and informed parent to the next generation. This journey relies on a child having access to shelter, good nutrition, clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education.

Context

UNICEF promotes 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 favoritism. 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. UNICEF strives towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations. In Nigeria, children and remain are the most deprived of a range of rights, including the right to good nutrition, resulting in all forms of malnutrition. The latter is an consequence of complex interactions between individuals, households, and broader social and economic conditions. The First 1,000 Days of Life, from conception to two years of age, have been identified as a critical window for nutrition and child development and deprivations during this critical period result in irreversible consequences. Some of the factors responsible for the high rates of malnutrition in Nigeria include poor coverage and quality of nutrition services as well as persistent negative social norms and practices that lead to poor dietary practices for women and children. Consequently, Nigeria has the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and the second highest in the world. Ensuring that women and children have access to the optimal diets, services and practices is the focus of UNICEF Nigeria’s Country Programme Strategy (2023-2027). The strategy is focused on ensuring that Nigeria, currently off-track to attain the Sustainable Development Goal Nutrition Targets by 2020, is supported to change the current trajectory. To enable the above to occur, the use of data, analytics and evidence is a core part of the strategy. The near real time monitoring of the nutrition situation of children and women, analyses and reporting of program performance to internal and external stakeholders is critical in influencing decisions on policy, programme effectiveness and resource allocations. Nigeria is data-rich both in terms of routine data (e.g. DHIS-2, supply chain, etc.) and survey data such as the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018, Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2021, the National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey 2021, SMART surveys etc. These data need to be analyzed, reported and used to inform programming. The national UN Volunteer support strengthening of nutrition information system components: people, data, technology, processes and procedures. This UNV assignment is part of UNICEF’s current program cycle, 2023-2027, that seeks to strengthen the nutrition information system across all levels and across the data value chain for use within the organization, as well as at the national and subnational levels for decision-making. The UNV will provide technical support in selected states and at national level.

Task description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of a designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Nutrition Data Visualization Officer will: • Provide technical support in nutrition planning, data collection, analysis and reporting. The data will include routine programme data (programme reports and DHIS2), population level survey data and specific research activities as applicable. • Data visualization using GIS softwares such as ArcgGis, PowerBi and produce maps and dashboards etc. • Support management of nutrition databases using applicable tools such as excel and other internal softwares. • Develop programme appropriate information products based on audience needs, data availability and refine the ideas in consultation with UNICEF team before embarking on the actual design of the products. • Conduct field visits to programme locations to monitor the quality of data collection and reporting and provide supportive supervision as and when needed. • Support nutrition situation analysis, internal and external reporting needs. • Participate in nutrition data capacity building activities • Perform other tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.