Details
Mission and objectives
UNICEF helps build a world where the rights of every child are fully realized. It is our conviction that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created in 1946 to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. It has global authority to influence decision-makers, and a wide variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality.
For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and Governments.
For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and Governments.
Context
Children and adolescents in Zambia continue to experience multiple protection risks, including violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation, child marriage, teenage pregnancy and psychosocial distress exacerbated by poverty, harmful norms, gender-based violence, disability exclusion, and limited access to mental health services. Weak community-based child protection systems, limited availability of adolescent-friendly mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services, and insufficient service provider coordination contribute to unmet needs.
The prevalence of mental distress among the general population in Zambia stands at 16.9%, with adolescent proportions within the prevalence as follows: 29.7% experience depressive symptoms, 45.1% engage in problematic alcohol use, 31.3% report having suicidal thoughts, and 39.6% display suicidal behaviors. A retrospective analysis of Health Management Information System (HMIS) data from 2021 to 2023 shows a clear upward trend in adolescent substance use, with incidence rising from 0.35 to 0.68 per 1,000 adolescents. Over the same period, the incidence of diagnosed mental health disorders more than doubled with the most notable increases recorded in Lusaka and Northwestern Provinces. Furthermore, between January and October 2025, 54% of callers to Childline Zambia were adolescents, with 16% seeking MHPSS services and 18% reporting gender-based violence (GBV). Further, the case management system faces shortcomings at multiple levels, which restrict effective referral pathways, hinder coordination among stakeholders, weaken feedback mechanisms, and impede consistent tracking of cases.
UNICEF Zambia is supporting the Government of the Republic of Zambia in implementing a Programme dubbed, Equal Chances for Human Development (EC4HD) supported by the European Union, being implemented in 10 districts across Luapula and Northwestern Provinces. The specific objectives of the programme are;
1. Promote the well-being and development of young mothers and children by expanding and improving early childhood development and education (ECDE) infrastructure using smart and green technologies and enhancing health and nutrition services.
2. Decrease inequalities for female adolescents through improved access to education, health, protection and nutrition services.
3. Strengthen capacity of inter-ministerial & stakeholder coordination at national and sub-national level for improved service delivery in ECDE services for female adolescents, and enhanced synergies between education, health, social protection, and nutrition.
To enhance the protective environment for adolescents, UNICEF supports the Government of Zambia to strengthen case management, protection systems, and MHPSS at community, schools, health facilities levels and referral for specialized services. To support systematic integration of child protection into the EC4HD programme, UNICEF requires a Child Protection Officer with mental health professional programming experience to provide technical assistance, coordination support, and field-level monitoring to strengthen community child protection systems, referral pathways, and preventive and response services in MHPSS especially of adolescents.
The prevalence of mental distress among the general population in Zambia stands at 16.9%, with adolescent proportions within the prevalence as follows: 29.7% experience depressive symptoms, 45.1% engage in problematic alcohol use, 31.3% report having suicidal thoughts, and 39.6% display suicidal behaviors. A retrospective analysis of Health Management Information System (HMIS) data from 2021 to 2023 shows a clear upward trend in adolescent substance use, with incidence rising from 0.35 to 0.68 per 1,000 adolescents. Over the same period, the incidence of diagnosed mental health disorders more than doubled with the most notable increases recorded in Lusaka and Northwestern Provinces. Furthermore, between January and October 2025, 54% of callers to Childline Zambia were adolescents, with 16% seeking MHPSS services and 18% reporting gender-based violence (GBV). Further, the case management system faces shortcomings at multiple levels, which restrict effective referral pathways, hinder coordination among stakeholders, weaken feedback mechanisms, and impede consistent tracking of cases.
UNICEF Zambia is supporting the Government of the Republic of Zambia in implementing a Programme dubbed, Equal Chances for Human Development (EC4HD) supported by the European Union, being implemented in 10 districts across Luapula and Northwestern Provinces. The specific objectives of the programme are;
1. Promote the well-being and development of young mothers and children by expanding and improving early childhood development and education (ECDE) infrastructure using smart and green technologies and enhancing health and nutrition services.
2. Decrease inequalities for female adolescents through improved access to education, health, protection and nutrition services.
3. Strengthen capacity of inter-ministerial & stakeholder coordination at national and sub-national level for improved service delivery in ECDE services for female adolescents, and enhanced synergies between education, health, social protection, and nutrition.
To enhance the protective environment for adolescents, UNICEF supports the Government of Zambia to strengthen case management, protection systems, and MHPSS at community, schools, health facilities levels and referral for specialized services. To support systematic integration of child protection into the EC4HD programme, UNICEF requires a Child Protection Officer with mental health professional programming experience to provide technical assistance, coordination support, and field-level monitoring to strengthen community child protection systems, referral pathways, and preventive and response services in MHPSS especially of adolescents.
Task description
Under the guidance and supervision of the Child Protection Specialist, the Child Protection officer-MHPSS will play a lead role in the implementation of child protection programmes with a specific focus on strengthening duty bearer capacities in addressing MHPSS through the district and community-based systems.
S/he will support the development, coordination, and implementation of mental health and psychosocial support interventions within the child protection portfolio. The Child Protection Officer will work closely with relevant Government ministries, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), schools, health facilities, and community structures to strengthen integrated MHPSS services for vulnerable children and adolescents and their caregivers.
Additionally, S/he will undertake the following tasks under the Child Protection component of the EC4HD programme under two key pillars;
1. MHPSS Programming in 10 districts of Extended Urban and Human Development (EUHD):
• Support the capacity building of service providers; health, education and social welfare sector, including teachers and community volunteers such as the Community Welfare Assistance Committees (CWACs), Community Health Volunteers (CHV) etc., on handling of mental health of adolescents and support strengthen referral system through the harmonized case management system using the developed manual on MHPSS in all 10 districts of the EUHD.
• Support government and CSO partners and UNICEF teams in all 10 districts in raising awareness among communities to promote demand for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support services.
• Provide technical support to strengthen MHPSS services for children in conflict with the law, child victims and witnesses, including diversion, rehabilitation, reintegration, and recovery support
2. Child Protection Programming in 5 districts of Northwestern Province:
• Facilitate multi-sectoral coordination across child protection, justice, health, education, and social welfare sectors to ensure integrated support services for affected children.
• Contribute to the Strengthening of the cross-sectoral coordination with the Ministries of Community Development and Social Services, Health, Education, and local authorities to deliver integrated, community–based services targeting the most vulnerable adolescent girls in priority districts.
• Support implementation of the ‘Mwana ni Munthu’ campaign through the distribution of all the materials accompanying the campaign.
• Support the rollout of harmonized case management systems by strengthening the capacity of key stakeholders across sectors, including education, health, and social welfare.
• Participate in the establishment of a results tracking and reporting mechanism to monitor progress, coverage, and outcomes across coordination, service delivery, campaign rollout, and case management.
S/he will support the development, coordination, and implementation of mental health and psychosocial support interventions within the child protection portfolio. The Child Protection Officer will work closely with relevant Government ministries, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), schools, health facilities, and community structures to strengthen integrated MHPSS services for vulnerable children and adolescents and their caregivers.
Additionally, S/he will undertake the following tasks under the Child Protection component of the EC4HD programme under two key pillars;
1. MHPSS Programming in 10 districts of Extended Urban and Human Development (EUHD):
• Support the capacity building of service providers; health, education and social welfare sector, including teachers and community volunteers such as the Community Welfare Assistance Committees (CWACs), Community Health Volunteers (CHV) etc., on handling of mental health of adolescents and support strengthen referral system through the harmonized case management system using the developed manual on MHPSS in all 10 districts of the EUHD.
• Support government and CSO partners and UNICEF teams in all 10 districts in raising awareness among communities to promote demand for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support services.
• Provide technical support to strengthen MHPSS services for children in conflict with the law, child victims and witnesses, including diversion, rehabilitation, reintegration, and recovery support
2. Child Protection Programming in 5 districts of Northwestern Province:
• Facilitate multi-sectoral coordination across child protection, justice, health, education, and social welfare sectors to ensure integrated support services for affected children.
• Contribute to the Strengthening of the cross-sectoral coordination with the Ministries of Community Development and Social Services, Health, Education, and local authorities to deliver integrated, community–based services targeting the most vulnerable adolescent girls in priority districts.
• Support implementation of the ‘Mwana ni Munthu’ campaign through the distribution of all the materials accompanying the campaign.
• Support the rollout of harmonized case management systems by strengthening the capacity of key stakeholders across sectors, including education, health, and social welfare.
• Participate in the establishment of a results tracking and reporting mechanism to monitor progress, coverage, and outcomes across coordination, service delivery, campaign rollout, and case management.
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