Job description

Purpose of consultancy:

Background: 

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2026–2029) focuses on four interconnected outcomes: 

(a) Accelerating progress on meeting the unmet need for family planning; 

(b) Accelerating progress on ending preventable maternal deaths; 

(c) Accelerating progress on ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and 

(d) Adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies. UNFPA has several global initiatives aimed at providing universal access to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) for adolescents and young people. 

These initiatives seek to improve access to in-school and out-of-school gender-transformative, trauma-informed CSE while strengthening linkages to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and multisectoral gender-based violence (GBV) response services, including health, social and case management services, and justice and protection services. To achieve these goals, UNFPA’s Global CSE programmes work to: 

  • Improve the availability of quality, evidence-based, and gender-transformative CSE content (digital, out/in of school, self care) for adolescents and youth, particularly girls and especially marginalized, vulnerable groups. 
  • Increase the access and uptake of gender-transformative CSE programs to contribute to GBV prevention, mitigation, response, and enhance the agency and decision-making power of young people. 
  • Strengthen the capacity of key partners to invest in and create an enabling environment for the quality and inclusive delivery of CSE programming. 

Worldwide, the landscape of humanitarian needs is expanding in scale and complexity. The Arab Region in particular remains at the heart of protracted conflicts, large-scale displacements, and increasing vulnerability to climate shocks. Within these fragile ecosystems, adolescents and youth—who constitute the majority of the affected population—face heightened risks of GBV, child marriage, and unintended pregnancies. Despite the life-saving nature of SRHR, the provision of CSE in these settings remains fragmented and undervalued. Traditional models often fail to bridge the gap between "stable" development contexts and the rapid-response requirements of an emergency. Currently, there is a critical lack of: 

  • Contextual Baselines and Sustainability: Analysis of how pre-existing levels of CSE acceptance in "stable" periods fluctuate during a crisis, particularly as communities may revert to restrictive traditional norms and belief systems under stress. 
  • Response to Systematic Pushback: Strategies to navigate the increasing resistance toward youth autonomy—especially for girls—which often accelerates during emergencies. 
  • Strategic Partnership and Advocacy: Guidance on conducting proactive advocacy to secure buy-in, and establishing clear criteria for selecting implementing and government partners based on their capacity to uphold CSE principles in volatile environments. 
  • Guidance for Acute Displacement: Practical strategies for providing essential information during sudden displacement or within intermittent contact windows—those brief, unpredictable opportunities where regular or planned follow-up with the same group of young people is not guaranteed. 
  • Targeted Materials: Content specifically curated to address the psychological and physical realities of youth living in conflict zones. 
  • Service Integration: Clear pathways to link educational content directly to emergency SRHR and GBV services. 

Consequently, there is an urgent need for a Technical Guidance Document that moves beyond theory to provide field-ready, evidence-based tools. This initiative will empower UNFPA  country offices and partners to deliver age-appropriate information in diverse humanitarian settings—ranging from refugee camps to host communities—ensuring that even in times of crisis, a young person’s right to health, agency, and bodily autonomy is preserved. 

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA expands choices and possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2026-2029), focuses on four interconnected outcomes: (a) accelerating progress on meeting the unmet need for family planning; (b) accelerating progress on ending preventable maternal deaths; (c) accelerating progress on ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and (d) adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results. We need staff who are exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results. 

Scope of work and deliverables:

Under the supervision of the UNFPA Arab States Regional Office (ASRO) Adolescent and Youth Technical Advisor, and in close coordination with the Global CSE Programme Coordinator, the CSE Specialist , and the Global CSE Team (GHRIB, PD), the consultant will lead a collaborative development process. This effort involves the UNFPA Programme Division, Regional Offices, selected Country Offices, the Humanitarian Response Division (HRD), and strategic partners. A Technical Working Group (TWG), comprising representatives from these units and youth leaders, has been established to support this process. 

The consultant will be responsible for the following: 

  • Inception Report (3 working days including an inception meeting): Develop an inception report outlining the proposed methodology and approach for the assignment. The methodology should adopt a participatory approach with the TWG and co-creation approach. Once approved, this report will serve as the roadmap for the consultant and the TWG.  
  • Scoping Review (5 working days including a meeting with TWG): Conduct a rapid scoping review of grey and peer-reviewed literature, as well as teaching and learning materials, regarding the provision of gender-transformative, trauma-informed CSE and SRHR information in humanitarian settings. The review should synthesize available data, current trends, lessons learned, and promising practices. It must also identify gaps in CSE provision for vulnerable and "left-behind" groups, including related youth-focused demand-generation initiatives for SRHR, GBV, and overall well-being. 
  • Co-creation of programmatic guidance outline (3 days including a meeting with TWG): Collaborate with the TWG to develop the guide’s content based on an approved  outline. This involves translating the project’s vision into a practical, evidence-based, and field-ready resource, featuring implementation models tailored for contexts with limited or intermittent contact with diverse young people. 
  • Programmatic Guidance Development (22 days including meetings):Building on the scoping review findings and an approved outline, this phase involves developing practical programmatic guidance for CSE in humanitarian settings. This guide must include: 
  1. Operational Guidance: Strategies for developing and managing CSE programs, including pathways for linking CSE to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) services. 
  2. The primary goal is to develop decision trees that help Country Offices (COs) and field teams define the expected scope of "CSE" within their specific contexts. These decisions will be based on several key factors, including: 
  • Contextual Baselines: The current state of CSE in the specific country, context, or community. 
  • Education System Functionality: Enrollment and participation rates for girls and boys within the education system during the emergency. 
  • Conflict Dynamics: Relationships between education/health providers and the community, including potential trust-related issues or group dynamics. 
  • Service Accessibility: Factors affecting the availability and access to essential services during emergencies. By evaluating these factors, teams can determine the most appropriate and effective interventions for their specific humanitarian environment. 
  • Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL): A robust framework for tracking progress and impact. 
  • Detailed Lesson Plans: Review and update existing scripted lesson plans for inclusion as "essential content" in the guide. Drawing from existing UNFPA CSE facilitator manuals, the consultant and the TWG will reach a consensus on essential themes and key messages to ensure lesson plans are customized to international standards for humanitarian implementation. 
  • Co-facilitate a validation workshop (7 working days including preparation) with three regional offices in Arab States, East and Southern Africa, and West and Central Africa.  

Qualifications and Experience:

 

Education:  Masters or equivalent in sexuality education, humanitarian studies, sexual and reproductive health, youth or gender studies, international development or other field directly related to the substantive area of work.

Knowledge and Experience: 

  • Minimum of 7 years of experience working with young people in humanitarian contexts and sexuality education 
  • Knowledge of partnerships with the UN System, governments, donors and civil society organizations internationally and in the field; networking and advocacy as well as substantive areas of UNFPA’s work. 
  • Experience in curriculum development and writing operational, technical and programmatic guidance documents for UN development programmes 
  • Excellent analytical and writing skills 

Languages:  Fluency in English required, working knowledge of French, Arabic and/or Spanish is an asset  

Required Competencies: 

Values:

  • Exemplifying integrity, 
  • Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
  • Embracing cultural diversity, 
  • Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

  • Achieving results,
  • Being accountable,
  • Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
  • Thinking analytically and strategically,
  • Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.

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