Details
Mission and objectives
L'UNICEF est une agence humanitaire internationale pour les enfants créée par la chart des Nations Unies en 1946. L'organiisation est présente dans plus de 192 pays et travail dans le domaine de la santé, de l'éducation, de l'eau et de l'assainissement, de la protection de l'enfance, du VIH et du Sida, de la nutrition, de la politique et de la protection sociale. L'UNICEF opère a la fois dans les contextes humanitaire et de development en répondant aux besoins des enfants et des femmes en particulier des filles et des plus vulnérables.
La présence de l'UNICEF au Cameroun remonte à 1975. L'organisation intervient dans dans les domaines de l'éducation, de l'eau et de l'assainissement, de la protection de l'enfance, du VIH et du Sida. Tandi que ses efforts en amont se concentrent sur le plaidoyer et le lobbying pour des conditions budgétaires favorables aux enfants et aux femmes et a la formulation de politiques pour la promotion de leur croissance et de leur developement . Sur le plan opérationnel UNICEF Cameroun se concentre sur le renforcement des capacité des partie prenantes la prestation de service et la création de partenariats pour l'amélioration des aux enfants et aux femmes.
Le Programme Protection de l'Enfant vise globalement a garantir que les enfants en particulier les filles adolescentes dan sles zones vulnérables sont mieux protégés contre la violence, l'exploitation et les pratiques néfastes y compris dans le contexte d'urgence humanitaire. Le programme contribue ainsi au renforcement des systèmes gouvernementaux et communautaires de protection de l'enfance, afin d'identifier et de combattre plus efficacement les violations des droits de l'enfant. Une attention particulière est portée a l'enregistrement. des naissances la préventions et la réponses aux violences physiques et sexuelles ainsi qu'a l'élimination du mariage des enfants en s'apppuyant sur les évidneces.
La présence de l'UNICEF au Cameroun remonte à 1975. L'organisation intervient dans dans les domaines de l'éducation, de l'eau et de l'assainissement, de la protection de l'enfance, du VIH et du Sida. Tandi que ses efforts en amont se concentrent sur le plaidoyer et le lobbying pour des conditions budgétaires favorables aux enfants et aux femmes et a la formulation de politiques pour la promotion de leur croissance et de leur developement . Sur le plan opérationnel UNICEF Cameroun se concentre sur le renforcement des capacité des partie prenantes la prestation de service et la création de partenariats pour l'amélioration des aux enfants et aux femmes.
Le Programme Protection de l'Enfant vise globalement a garantir que les enfants en particulier les filles adolescentes dan sles zones vulnérables sont mieux protégés contre la violence, l'exploitation et les pratiques néfastes y compris dans le contexte d'urgence humanitaire. Le programme contribue ainsi au renforcement des systèmes gouvernementaux et communautaires de protection de l'enfance, afin d'identifier et de combattre plus efficacement les violations des droits de l'enfant. Une attention particulière est portée a l'enregistrement. des naissances la préventions et la réponses aux violences physiques et sexuelles ainsi qu'a l'élimination du mariage des enfants en s'apppuyant sur les évidneces.
Context
UNICEF – the United Nations Children’s Fund – created in 1946, is one of the worlds most trusted and respected organizations and the leading organization for children.
Since 1975, UNICEF has worked for the children of Cameroon to accelerate the realization of child rights for all children including the most deprived and vulnerable.
Working closely with the Government of Cameroon, civil society, the private sector and communities, UNICEF Cameroon Country Office aims to sustain results achieved for children to date, and strive to further improve policies, national institutions and programmes, for the well-being of every child in Cameroon, in line with Cameroon's National Development Strategy 2030 towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Our programmes focus on improving the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the country, irrespective of their nationality, gender, religion or background. Our main pillars include: Child Protection; Education; Water, Sanitation & Hygiene; HIV and Health; Nutrition; Social Policy; Social am Behaviour Change; Adolescent development and Gender; and Operations.
Background on Health
UNICEF Cameroon in its efforts to strengthen Primary Health care and the Health System has supported the implementation of the community health strategy to bring healthcare services closer to the population and improve access to essential services. The 2021–2025 National Community Health Strategic Plan led to significant progress, including increased number of trained community health workers, community Health data introduced into DHIS2 with reports being produced, but it also faced key challenges such as the effective management of community health data at all levels of the health pyramid, the management of community health commodities, the limited funding, the institutionalization of community health that need to be strengthened. In response to persistent health needs and emerging challenges, the country is preparing a new community strategic plan for 2026–2030 to strengthen community-level health actions.
Furthermore, the Maternal, Newborn, Child Health (MNCH) remain a central priority of the UNICEF - Government of Cameroon Country Programme. Despite progress, Cameroon continues to face challenges related to high maternal and neonatal mortality, coverages of key high impact MNCH interventions still below 80% due to the persistence of preventable childhood illnesses, limited access to quality MNCH care, continuity of care between health facilities and communities-particularly during the first 1,000 days, low skills and competences of health human resource.
Strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC) and community health platforms is essential to deliver integrated, high-impact interventions along the continuum of care, all supported by the Social and Behaviour Change interventions.
UNICEF Cameroon therefore seeks to recruit a National UN Volunteer Community Health Specialist to support the design, implementation and monitoring of integrated Community Health and MNCH interventions with a strong focus on the first 1,000 days, embedded within PHC.
Since 1975, UNICEF has worked for the children of Cameroon to accelerate the realization of child rights for all children including the most deprived and vulnerable.
Working closely with the Government of Cameroon, civil society, the private sector and communities, UNICEF Cameroon Country Office aims to sustain results achieved for children to date, and strive to further improve policies, national institutions and programmes, for the well-being of every child in Cameroon, in line with Cameroon's National Development Strategy 2030 towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Our programmes focus on improving the lives of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in the country, irrespective of their nationality, gender, religion or background. Our main pillars include: Child Protection; Education; Water, Sanitation & Hygiene; HIV and Health; Nutrition; Social Policy; Social am Behaviour Change; Adolescent development and Gender; and Operations.
Background on Health
UNICEF Cameroon in its efforts to strengthen Primary Health care and the Health System has supported the implementation of the community health strategy to bring healthcare services closer to the population and improve access to essential services. The 2021–2025 National Community Health Strategic Plan led to significant progress, including increased number of trained community health workers, community Health data introduced into DHIS2 with reports being produced, but it also faced key challenges such as the effective management of community health data at all levels of the health pyramid, the management of community health commodities, the limited funding, the institutionalization of community health that need to be strengthened. In response to persistent health needs and emerging challenges, the country is preparing a new community strategic plan for 2026–2030 to strengthen community-level health actions.
Furthermore, the Maternal, Newborn, Child Health (MNCH) remain a central priority of the UNICEF - Government of Cameroon Country Programme. Despite progress, Cameroon continues to face challenges related to high maternal and neonatal mortality, coverages of key high impact MNCH interventions still below 80% due to the persistence of preventable childhood illnesses, limited access to quality MNCH care, continuity of care between health facilities and communities-particularly during the first 1,000 days, low skills and competences of health human resource.
Strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC) and community health platforms is essential to deliver integrated, high-impact interventions along the continuum of care, all supported by the Social and Behaviour Change interventions.
UNICEF Cameroon therefore seeks to recruit a National UN Volunteer Community Health Specialist to support the design, implementation and monitoring of integrated Community Health and MNCH interventions with a strong focus on the first 1,000 days, embedded within PHC.
Task description
Under the supervision of the MNCH-HSS Specialist, the National UN Volunteer Community Health Specialist will undertake the following responsibilities:
a) Technical and Programmatic Support.
Community Health - Primary Health care
- The main focus will be to strengthen the digitalisation of the community health information system in which UNICEF is engaged since 2025 in the Child Friendly Municipalities and beyond.
- Contribute to the development of the new 2026–2030 National Community Health Strategic Plan
- Support capacity building, supervision and coaching of community health workers with focus on digital reporting, analysis and use of DHIS2 data
- Support the planning, implementation of community-based interventions in collaboration with Government Partners including Municipalities
- Work closely with SBC to contribute to community engagement strategies address-ing socio-cultural barriers that affect care-seeking and early childhood practices
- Work closely with other sections in the Child Friendly Municipalities initiatives with a focus in the first 1,000 days priorities.
MNCH
The main focus will be monitoring the implementation of the integrated package of high impact MNCH interventions:
- Support first-line health facilities to effectively deliver high-impact MNCH interventions during the first 1,000 days as part of the essential PHC service package focused on KMC at Facility and community levels and iCCM.
- Contribute to quality-of-care initiatives focusing on maternal, newborn and child health services.
- Contribute to the setting up of an effective and functional referral system focused MNCH
b) Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Management
- Participate in joint field monitoring missions
- Support collection, analysis and use of community health and MNCH data
- Contribute to progress reports, donor reports and program reviews with clear visi-bility on first 1,000 days results.
- Document best practices, innovations and lessons learned related to community-based and PHC integrated interventions.
c) Support the coordination and collaboration with other sections/units, govern-ment and other partners to strengthen multi-sectoral programming.
- Support coordination with other government, UN agencies, NGOs, and community partners through communication and stakeholder mapping.
- Assist in organizing and documenting multi sectoral coordination meetings and follow up actions.
- Contribute to information sharing, joint planning, and monitoring of collaborative community health initiatives, mostly for Child Friendly Communities
d) Any other related tasks may be required or assigned by the supervisor.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by read-ing relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for in-stance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publica-tions/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Results/expected outputs:
As an active UNICEF team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNICEF and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:
Community Health & Primary Health Care
• Improved digitalization and use of the community health information system, including increased reporting and data use through DHIS2.
• National Community Health Strategic Plan (2026–2030) developed,
• Enhanced capacity of community health workers to plan, implement, and report on community based interventions.
• Strengthened community engagement approaches addressing socio cultural barriers to care seeking and early childhood practices.
• The number of functional Child Friendly Municipality is increased and performance measured periodically, focus laid on the first 1,000 days.
MNCH
• Improved monitoring of the integrated package of high impact MNCH interventions, with clear focus on the first 1,000 days.
• Strengthened delivery and quality of iCCM services at first line health facilities and communities as part of essential PHC.
• Improved continuity of care and functional referral systems for maternal, newborn, and child health services.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Knowledge Management
• Timely and high quality community health and MNCH data collected, analyzed, and used for decision making.
• Clear visibility of first 1,000 days results in progress reports, donor reports, and program reviews.
• Best practices, innovations, and lessons learned from integrated community based and PHC interventions documented and shared.
• Final report on Monitoring and evaluation activities; regular dissemination of findings, exchange and shared experiences, lessons learned, best practices, innovation and contribution to the preparation of reports to donors.
• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated, and documented in all activities throughout the assignment.
Coordination & Multi sectoral Programming
• Stronger coordination and collaboration with government, UN agencies, NGOs, and community partners.
• Well documented and actionable multi sectoral coordination meetings with effective follow up.
• Improved alignment, joint planning, and monitoring of multi sectoral community health initiatives.
a) Technical and Programmatic Support.
Community Health - Primary Health care
- The main focus will be to strengthen the digitalisation of the community health information system in which UNICEF is engaged since 2025 in the Child Friendly Municipalities and beyond.
- Contribute to the development of the new 2026–2030 National Community Health Strategic Plan
- Support capacity building, supervision and coaching of community health workers with focus on digital reporting, analysis and use of DHIS2 data
- Support the planning, implementation of community-based interventions in collaboration with Government Partners including Municipalities
- Work closely with SBC to contribute to community engagement strategies address-ing socio-cultural barriers that affect care-seeking and early childhood practices
- Work closely with other sections in the Child Friendly Municipalities initiatives with a focus in the first 1,000 days priorities.
MNCH
The main focus will be monitoring the implementation of the integrated package of high impact MNCH interventions:
- Support first-line health facilities to effectively deliver high-impact MNCH interventions during the first 1,000 days as part of the essential PHC service package focused on KMC at Facility and community levels and iCCM.
- Contribute to quality-of-care initiatives focusing on maternal, newborn and child health services.
- Contribute to the setting up of an effective and functional referral system focused MNCH
b) Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Management
- Participate in joint field monitoring missions
- Support collection, analysis and use of community health and MNCH data
- Contribute to progress reports, donor reports and program reviews with clear visi-bility on first 1,000 days results.
- Document best practices, innovations and lessons learned related to community-based and PHC integrated interventions.
c) Support the coordination and collaboration with other sections/units, govern-ment and other partners to strengthen multi-sectoral programming.
- Support coordination with other government, UN agencies, NGOs, and community partners through communication and stakeholder mapping.
- Assist in organizing and documenting multi sectoral coordination meetings and follow up actions.
- Contribute to information sharing, joint planning, and monitoring of collaborative community health initiatives, mostly for Child Friendly Communities
d) Any other related tasks may be required or assigned by the supervisor.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by read-ing relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for in-stance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publica-tions/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Results/expected outputs:
As an active UNICEF team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNICEF and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:
Community Health & Primary Health Care
• Improved digitalization and use of the community health information system, including increased reporting and data use through DHIS2.
• National Community Health Strategic Plan (2026–2030) developed,
• Enhanced capacity of community health workers to plan, implement, and report on community based interventions.
• Strengthened community engagement approaches addressing socio cultural barriers to care seeking and early childhood practices.
• The number of functional Child Friendly Municipality is increased and performance measured periodically, focus laid on the first 1,000 days.
MNCH
• Improved monitoring of the integrated package of high impact MNCH interventions, with clear focus on the first 1,000 days.
• Strengthened delivery and quality of iCCM services at first line health facilities and communities as part of essential PHC.
• Improved continuity of care and functional referral systems for maternal, newborn, and child health services.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Knowledge Management
• Timely and high quality community health and MNCH data collected, analyzed, and used for decision making.
• Clear visibility of first 1,000 days results in progress reports, donor reports, and program reviews.
• Best practices, innovations, and lessons learned from integrated community based and PHC interventions documented and shared.
• Final report on Monitoring and evaluation activities; regular dissemination of findings, exchange and shared experiences, lessons learned, best practices, innovation and contribution to the preparation of reports to donors.
• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated, and documented in all activities throughout the assignment.
Coordination & Multi sectoral Programming
• Stronger coordination and collaboration with government, UN agencies, NGOs, and community partners.
• Well documented and actionable multi sectoral coordination meetings with effective follow up.
• Improved alignment, joint planning, and monitoring of multi sectoral community health initiatives.
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