Education Specialist

UNICEF, also known as the United Nations Children's Fund, is a United Nations agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. The agency is among the most widespread and recognizable social welfare organizations in the world, with a presence in 192 countries and territories. UNICEF's activities include providing immunizations and disease prevention, administering treatment for children and mothers with HIV, enhancing childhood and maternal nutrition, improving sanitation, promoting education, and providing emergency relief in response to disasters.

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 favouritism. 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. 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.

In this context, this United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment will work as a part of UNICEF’s Global Education Practice Team based in Nairobi Center of Excellence, The UNV Education Specialist will support the global team and the country offices in addressing challenges related to out-of-school children, promoting equity and inclusion in education, and advancing cross-sectoral work that integrates education with health, nutrition, WASH, child protection, social protection, CEED and other relevant sectors. The role will focus on evidence-based planning, strategic partnerships, and advocacy to ensure every child has access to quality and inclusive education, especially the most marginalized and vulnerable.

Under the supervision of the Senior Advisor for Education in Gender, Equity, and Inclusion based in Nairobi, the UN Volunteer Education Specialist will support:

• Provision of technical support to Country Offices in addressing challenges related to out-of-school children and promoting equity and inclusion in education.
• Effective functioning of the Equity, Disability, Gender, and Inclusion (EDGI) pillar, including the planned research on the impact of inequity in foundational learning/learning outcomes and the evolution of inequalities in education, as well as the webinar series on education equity and inclusion.
• Advancing cross-sectoral work that integrates education with health, nutrition, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), child protection, social protection, climate change, and other relevant sectors, including participation in the UNICEF Internal Coordination Group on School Health and Wellbeing, specifically in the work on the UNICEF Programme Guidance and the Investment Case on School Health and Wellbeing (in collaboration with the Foundational Learning Network (FLN ) specialist).
• Any other tasks that contribute to UNICEF's work on promoting equity and inclusion in education globally.