Details
Mission and objectives
UNFPA is formally named the United Nations Population Fund. The organization was created in 1969, the same year the United Nations General Assembly declared “parents have the exclusive right to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children.”
UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services – including voluntary family planning, maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
Since UNFPA started its work, the world has seen progress: The number and rate of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Families are healthier. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before. But too many are still left behind. More than 760 million people are mired in extreme poverty. Sexual and reproductive health problems are a leading cause of death and disability for women in the developing world. Young people bear the highest risks of HIV infection and unintended pregnancy. Many millions of girls face the prospect of child marriage and other harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation (FGM).
Much more needs to be done to ensure a world in which all individuals can exercise their basic human rights, including those that relate to the most intimate and fundamental aspects of life.
UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services – including voluntary family planning, maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
Since UNFPA started its work, the world has seen progress: The number and rate of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Families are healthier. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before. But too many are still left behind. More than 760 million people are mired in extreme poverty. Sexual and reproductive health problems are a leading cause of death and disability for women in the developing world. Young people bear the highest risks of HIV infection and unintended pregnancy. Many millions of girls face the prospect of child marriage and other harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation (FGM).
Much more needs to be done to ensure a world in which all individuals can exercise their basic human rights, including those that relate to the most intimate and fundamental aspects of life.
Context
The UNFPA Zambia Country Office works to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, promote safe childbirth, end gender-based violence and empower young people, in line with the Cairo Programme of Action and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNFPA Zambia’s Country Programme is centered around three transformative results: ending preventable maternal deaths, ending unmet needs for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and harmful practices.
This assignment supports the intersection of gender equality and youth development as outlined in the UNFPA Zambia 2023-2027 Country Programme Document (CPD). The volunteer will work transversally with the Gender and Youth teams, supporting technical, programmatic, and advocacy initiatives. The role will contribute to UNFPA’s efforts to eliminate gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful practices, promote bodily autonomy, and expand equitable access to comprehensive sexual reproductive health (SRH) services.
UNFPA Zambia is a key technical leader in several high-impact initiatives aimed at advancing the rights and health of women, girls, and young people. As the lead technical agency for the Spotlight Initiative, UNFPA spearheads efforts to end violence against women and girls. The organization also implements Phase III of the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage, a multi-donor initiative driving action in 12 countries, with added momentum from His Excellency the President of Zambia, who serves as the African Union's Champion for Ending Child Marriage. Furthermore, UNFPA Zambia, in collaboration with UNESCO, has initiated the EmpowerED project to improve access to gender-transformative comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) for an estimated 7.5 million young people across 10 countries. This work is complemented by the Safeguard Young People (SYP) programme and the Joint 2gether 4SRH - Reducing Adolescent Pregnancy and New HIV Infections in Zambia (RAPHIZ) programme, which empowers adolescents and youth aged 10-24 to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and harmful practices while promoting gender-equitable norms.
This assignment supports the intersection of gender equality and youth development as outlined in the UNFPA Zambia 2023-2027 Country Programme Document (CPD). The volunteer will work transversally with the Gender and Youth teams, supporting technical, programmatic, and advocacy initiatives. The role will contribute to UNFPA’s efforts to eliminate gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful practices, promote bodily autonomy, and expand equitable access to comprehensive sexual reproductive health (SRH) services.
UNFPA Zambia is a key technical leader in several high-impact initiatives aimed at advancing the rights and health of women, girls, and young people. As the lead technical agency for the Spotlight Initiative, UNFPA spearheads efforts to end violence against women and girls. The organization also implements Phase III of the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage, a multi-donor initiative driving action in 12 countries, with added momentum from His Excellency the President of Zambia, who serves as the African Union's Champion for Ending Child Marriage. Furthermore, UNFPA Zambia, in collaboration with UNESCO, has initiated the EmpowerED project to improve access to gender-transformative comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) for an estimated 7.5 million young people across 10 countries. This work is complemented by the Safeguard Young People (SYP) programme and the Joint 2gether 4SRH - Reducing Adolescent Pregnancy and New HIV Infections in Zambia (RAPHIZ) programme, which empowers adolescents and youth aged 10-24 to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and harmful practices while promoting gender-equitable norms.
Task description
The Programme Assistant - Youth and Gender will provide programme and administrative support in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of initiatives of the Gender and Youth Team in line with the organisation’s mandate and strategic priorities. He or she will provide administrative and operational assistance to ensure the smooth execution of programme interventions by fulfilling the following tasks:
Output 1: Strengthened use of data in Gender and Youth Team portfolio in Zambia
● Support the collection, entry, and analysis of overall programme data, including maintaining programme records and reporting on selected milestones achieved.
● Support the integration and use of data pertaining to sector specific gender-based violence prevention and response data in Zambia to strengthen the implementation of the Spotlight Initiative programme, including violence against women in elections in 2026.
● Support the integration and use of data and the identification and development of data digital tools pertaining to Life Skills and Health Education in Zambia to strengthen the implementation of the EmpowerED programme in Zambia.
● Support documentation of activities through harvesting impact stories, social media content creation and photography.
● Support report writing, photography, development of presentations and other external communication in collaboration with the communications expert.
Output 2: Lead on the coordination of meetings and travel arrangements for Gender and Youth Team and external partners
● Organize events, meetings, workshops for the team and external key partners. These include: i) commemorations of key national events ii) regular field monitoring visits.
● Manage all aspects of travel logistics, from initial planning and request approval to post-travel reconciliation and expense reimbursement.
Output 3: Contribute to support of general administration of Gender and Youth Team and Country Office
● Prepare correspondence related to programme implementation in line with organisational rules and regulations and policies, and procedures.
● Assist with processing procurement transactions in line with organisational procedures.
● Support the formulation and tracking of the implementation of work plans and budget expenditures.
● Liaise with partners, service providers, and other UNFPA Units to coordinate activities and ensure timely follow-up on programme commitments.
Output 1: Strengthened use of data in Gender and Youth Team portfolio in Zambia
● Support the collection, entry, and analysis of overall programme data, including maintaining programme records and reporting on selected milestones achieved.
● Support the integration and use of data pertaining to sector specific gender-based violence prevention and response data in Zambia to strengthen the implementation of the Spotlight Initiative programme, including violence against women in elections in 2026.
● Support the integration and use of data and the identification and development of data digital tools pertaining to Life Skills and Health Education in Zambia to strengthen the implementation of the EmpowerED programme in Zambia.
● Support documentation of activities through harvesting impact stories, social media content creation and photography.
● Support report writing, photography, development of presentations and other external communication in collaboration with the communications expert.
Output 2: Lead on the coordination of meetings and travel arrangements for Gender and Youth Team and external partners
● Organize events, meetings, workshops for the team and external key partners. These include: i) commemorations of key national events ii) regular field monitoring visits.
● Manage all aspects of travel logistics, from initial planning and request approval to post-travel reconciliation and expense reimbursement.
Output 3: Contribute to support of general administration of Gender and Youth Team and Country Office
● Prepare correspondence related to programme implementation in line with organisational rules and regulations and policies, and procedures.
● Assist with processing procurement transactions in line with organisational procedures.
● Support the formulation and tracking of the implementation of work plans and budget expenditures.
● Liaise with partners, service providers, and other UNFPA Units to coordinate activities and ensure timely follow-up on programme commitments.
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