Child Protection Expert Consultant, Brasilia (remote), Brazil, 12 months.

UNICEF Brazil is seeking a senior expert consultant with robust child protection experience to support programme delivery, including through Selo and Agenda Cidade UNICEF strategies. The consultant is expected to provide technical support to the national and subnational child protection teams, collaborating with relevant Ministries and national entities, providing analysis and recommendations to UNICEF Brazil.

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does – in programmes, advocacy, and operations. The equity approach, 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 can survive, develop, and reach their full potential without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. There is growing evidence that investing in children’s health, education, and protection from violence can not only allow all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. UNICEF is committed to accelerating progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

UNICEF Brazil started a new country programme in March 2024, which is, for child protection, dedicated to eliminating violence against children (EVAC), in particular physical, sexual, and lethal violence. The strategic interventions designed by UNICEF for EVAC are focused on system strengthening at municipal, state and federal levels, targeted advocacy and social and behavior change (SBC) interventions, and multisectoral approaches for comprehensive and sustainable results.

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UNICEF Brazil is seeking a senior expert consultant with robust child protection experience to support programme delivery, including through Selo and Agenda Cidade UNICEF strategies. The consultant is expected to provide technical support to the national and subnational child protection teams, collaborating with relevant Ministries and national entities, providing analysis and recommendations to UNICEF Brazil, as per the deliverables specified below.

DELIVERABLES

1. Work Assignment overview 1: Provide technical assistance to ensure effective cooperation between UNICEF and key governmental entities, including the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship and its National Secretariat for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (SNDCA/MDHC), the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), and the Ministry of Social Development and Combating Hunger (MDS).

1.1. Deliverables/Outputs: Provide assistance to UNICEF’s interventions on Social Service Workforce (SSWF) strengthening, in particular: (i) support the elaboration of the minimum parameters for training Guardianship Councillors for the Rights of Children (matriz curricular); (ii) support the elaboration of the manual on ethical procedures for Guardianship Councillors; (iii) support the revision of the formula to calculate effective use of Child Protectin Information Management System (CPIMS) SIPIA; (iv) supervise the elaboration of other materials and tools aimed at strengthening SSWF.

Deadline: 45 days / 2^nd month

Estimated Budget: 15%  

1.2. Deliverables/Outputs: Technical assistance for the elaboration of the National Policy and revision of the National Plan for the Elimination of Sexual Violence against Children (connected with the plans to combat other forms of violence and with the Ten-Year Children’s Human Rights Plan) provided to  the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship (MDHC) and ccollaborate with the organization of the 3^rd Brazilian Congress for the Elimination of Sexual Violence against Children, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s child protection priorities.

Deadline: 150 days / 5^th month

Estimated Budget: 15%  

1.3. Deliverables/Outputs: Deliver improvements at the methodology of Specialized Social Assistance Reference Centers (CREAS) services for children and adolescents victims or witnesses of violence, via collaboration with the UNICEF Social Policy section and the Ministry of Social Development (MDS) to ensure a more effective response for these vulnerable groups.

Deadline: 240 days / 8^th month

Estimated Budget: 15%  

1.4. Deliverables/Outputs: Provide technical assistance to the National Pact for the Implementation of the Law on Protective Hearing, offering inputs to its workplan, revising the referral pathway and promoting the elaboration of a unified protocol for the care of children and adolescents victims of violence.

Deadline: 365 days / 12^th month

Estimated Budget: 2%  

2. Work Assignment overview 3: Offer guidance on the implementation of Systemic Result 3 within the UNICEF Seal strategy, proposing and/or revising documents and materials, conducting at least 3 lives dedicated to helping municipalities advance with their activities and providing an analysis of the municipalities performance in the 1^st year of the cycle.

2.1. Deliverables/Outputs: Revise of MOOCs for child protection professionals from UNICEF Seal and other municipalities.

Deadline: 60 days / 3^th month

Estimated Budget: 15%  

3. Work Assignment overview 5: Provide technical assistance to ensure effective cooperation between UNICEF and key actors of the Justice System at national level, including the National Council of Justice (CNJ), the National Council of Public Prosecutors (CNMP), and the National Council of Public Defenders (CONDEGE)

3.1. Deliverables/Outputs: Offer technical assistance to (i) review training courses related to special testimony and Brazilian forensic interview protocol and (ii) revise the methodology used by justice actors for hearing children victims or witnesses of violence, with a view to improving their access to justice.

Deadline: 120 days /4^th month

Estimated Budget: 15%  

3.2. Deliverables/Outputs: Propose interventions to improve data on children’s access to justice in Brazil, with a view to improve data quality, accessibility, accuracy and disaggregation.

Deadline: 180 days / 6^sh month

Estimated Budget: 10%  

4. Work Assignment overview 2: Provide technical assistance for the classification of legislative proposals into positive or negative to assist UNICEF in defining its position (publicly or at closed doors) and preparing corresponding documents, including for UNICEF’s oral interventions in public hearings and other events, as needed.

4.1. Deliverables/Outputs:  Develop a technical analysis of bills that propose changes to the Law on Protective Hearing (Law 13431/2017) and related issues.

Deadline: 210 days / 7^th month

Estimated Budget: 15%  

5. Work Assignment overview 4: Provide technical assistance in consolidating the implementation of Agenda Cidade and undertake an analysis of the 1^st year performance of municipalities under the child protection results.

5.1. Provide technical assistance to the FO in Rio de Janeiro for the elaboration of a unified protocol for the care of children and adolescents victims or witnesses of violence.

Deadline: 300 days / 10^th month

Estimated Budget: 2,5%   

5.2. Deliverables/Outputs: Provide technical assistance for the implementation of Law 13.431/2017 and its decree 9.603/2018, including offering guidance to the Field Offices on the establishment of State Pacts on the Implementation of the law; the institutionalization of the Collegiate Committees on the Law; the elaboration of referral pathways; and the implementation of integrated child protection centers.

Deadline: 330 days / 11^th month

Estimated Budget: 2%  

DURATION OF CONTRACT:

12 months 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT

• Master’s degree in law, anthropology, social policy, or related areas. A PhD is a strong advantage
• At least 10 years of work experience in the field of child protection
• Key network and ability to liaise with government counterparts and partners at the Federal level

Competencies required:

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Works Collaboratively with others
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Drive to achieve impactful results
• Manages ambiguity and complexity

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

Fluency in Portuguese and English

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

A financial proposal including the fee for the assignment based on the deliverables and number of days must be submitted. Consultants are asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum, administrative cost, travel cost and subsistence costs, as applicable.

UNICEF’s Core Values

Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.  

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.

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

Remarks:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.