Youth Research Engagement Intern

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 are given opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination or, bias. 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. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. Therefore, the focus on equity and inclusion is so vital. It accelerates progress 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. The Zimbabwe Vision 2030 is “working towards building a new Zimbabwe, a country with a thriving and open economy, capable of creating opportunities for investors and employment” .

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, 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. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress 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.

UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfilment of children’s rights. Supporting the Government’s vision of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society, the country programme is aimed at contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society.

The UN Volunteer (UNV) will be assigned to the Social Policy and Research Section of the UNICEF Zimbabwe Country Office. The main objective of the assignment is to support the research function within the section, with a focus on generating evidence to combat poverty, reduce inequalities, and address the consequences of climate change particularly on children.

Under the supervision of the Research and Evaluation Officer the intern will support the coordination and implementation of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 7 (MICS7). This includes assisting with data collection, cleaning, and preliminary analysis, as well as providing logistical and documentation support to the National Steering Committee, Technical Committee, and Task Force. The intern will also help compile reports and maintain records to ensure smooth coordination and timely progress of survey activities,

Furthermore, the UNV will provide support in various research-related tasks thus contributing to other regular research work streams within the section including data and statistics processes, evaluation, capacity strengthening, quality control, and tools development. The UNV will also assist in updating the country's data repository, conducting child-focused data collection, and providing technical support for statistical systems strengthening.

Overall, the UNV's role will be crucial in supporting the research function of the Social Policy and Research Section, contributing to evidence-based decision-making and the improvement of policies and programs aimed at addressing the well-being of children and vulnerable populations in Zimbabwe


Task description:
Under the direct supervision of the Research and Evaluation Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

1. Assist with basic preparations, logistics, and simple data checks during national surveys.
2. Support the MICS survey process by helping with coordination, joining field visits, and ensuring teams follow agreed procedures.
3. Organize, file, and archive all survey-related documents and reports.
4. Take notes and help document lessons learned, challenges, and good practices during the survey process.
5. Participate in Technical and Steering Committee meetings and provide note-taking or meeting summaries when needed.
6. Assist in updating and tracking the UNICEF Zimbabwe Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (IMERP).
7. Help compile comments and provide basic review support for research documents such as proposals, tools, and reports.
8. Assist with simple qualitative and quantitative analysis tasks under supervision.
9. Support preparation of presentations, summaries, and other materials for knowledge sharing.
10. Help update and organize data and research folders in the UNICEF SharePoint repository.