Details
Mission and objectives
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, 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.
Context
Viet Nam’s rapid development and transition toward upper-middle-income status have improved children’s lives, but climate change, disasters and environmental degradation are now increasing risks to child rights, particularly for ethnic minority children, children with disabilities, children in remote and disaster-prone areas, and children from poor households.
Beyond disasters, children also face growing environmental health risks. An estimated 25.7 million children are highly exposed to PM2.5 air pollution, 3.2 million children are affected by lead exposure, 5.74 million children are highly exposed to heatwaves, only 58 per cent of the population has access to safely managed drinking water, and 7.7 million students lack adequate WASH services in schools. These risks disrupt education, health, nutrition, WASH, child protection and social protection services, and can deepen existing inequalities.
UNICEF Viet Nam is supporting the Government to advance child-centred climate, disaster and environmental action under the 2027–2031 Country Programme, particularly Result Area 3.
This includes strengthening child-sensitive climate and DRR policies, improving disaster preparedness and anticipatory action, integrating climate resilience into essential social services, reducing environmental health risks, and creating safe and meaningful opportunities for children and young people to participate in climate and environmental decision-making.
Working under the supervision of the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist, the UN Volunteer will contribute to evidence generation, knowledge management, programme support, monitoring, coordination and partnership engagement. The assignment offers a learning-oriented opportunity to support UNICEF’s collaboration with government counterparts, UN agencies, civil society, development partners and the private sector to protect children’s rights in the context of climate resilience and environmental protection.
Beyond disasters, children also face growing environmental health risks. An estimated 25.7 million children are highly exposed to PM2.5 air pollution, 3.2 million children are affected by lead exposure, 5.74 million children are highly exposed to heatwaves, only 58 per cent of the population has access to safely managed drinking water, and 7.7 million students lack adequate WASH services in schools. These risks disrupt education, health, nutrition, WASH, child protection and social protection services, and can deepen existing inequalities.
UNICEF Viet Nam is supporting the Government to advance child-centred climate, disaster and environmental action under the 2027–2031 Country Programme, particularly Result Area 3.
This includes strengthening child-sensitive climate and DRR policies, improving disaster preparedness and anticipatory action, integrating climate resilience into essential social services, reducing environmental health risks, and creating safe and meaningful opportunities for children and young people to participate in climate and environmental decision-making.
Working under the supervision of the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist, the UN Volunteer will contribute to evidence generation, knowledge management, programme support, monitoring, coordination and partnership engagement. The assignment offers a learning-oriented opportunity to support UNICEF’s collaboration with government counterparts, UN agencies, civil society, development partners and the private sector to protect children’s rights in the context of climate resilience and environmental protection.
Task description
Under the direct supervision of the Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
1. Support in Knowledge Management for Programme
• Support knowledge generation efforts, the collection, organisation and filing of key documents, reports, data and learning materials related to child rights, climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, environmental protection and climate-resilient social services.
• Assist in preparing knowledge products, including policy briefs, meeting notes, evidence summaries, presentations, short briefs and documentation of lessons learned initiatives.
2. Support in Programme Development
• Support in drafting or preparing programme concept note, proposal, work plans as required.
• Support the development and implementation of UNICEF Viet Nam's climate resilience and climate-smart social services portfolio through data collection, situation analyses, vulnerability assessments, particularly on the aspects relating to child rights.
• Support supervisor to integrate child-rights and equity considerations into climate-related programme initiatives.
3. National and Local implementation
• Support the planning and delivery of capacity-building initiatives for government counterparts, service providers, communities, and young people on climate resilience, child rights, and climate-smart social services.
• Provide support in planning and organising training programmes aimed at capacity building and ensuring programme sustainability. Research and identify international training opportunities and recommend relevant global training programmes to enhance local expertise and practices.
4. Partnership, Emergency Coordination and Collaboration.
• Support partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the One UN and national partners, to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on pro-gramme/project status and implementation.
• Liaise with relevant development partners, NGOs, private sector and the Viet Nam Disaster and Dike Management Authority (VDDMA) to strengthen strategic cooperation, facilitate information exchange, and support ongoing and potential areas of collaboration to advance climate-smart social services and child-focused climate action.
• Support emergency preparedness and response coordination by helping to compile situation updates, partner inputs, meeting records and follow-up actions during climate- and disaster-related emergencies, ensuring that child rights, protection, WASH, health, education and social protection considerations are reflected in coordination materials.
5. Support child and youth participation and advocacy
• Support the planning, implementation and documentation of safe, inclusive and meaningful engagement with children and young people on climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, environmental protection and climate-resilient social services, including consultations, workshops and child-friendly communication materials.
• Assist in capturing and summarising children’s views, priorities and recommendations, and support their integration into programme documents, advocacy materials, partner discussions and relevant policy processes such as climate, DRR and environmental action.
During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon work plan. The work plan should outline key objectives and activities and include regular check ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance feedback.
1. Support in Knowledge Management for Programme
• Support knowledge generation efforts, the collection, organisation and filing of key documents, reports, data and learning materials related to child rights, climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, environmental protection and climate-resilient social services.
• Assist in preparing knowledge products, including policy briefs, meeting notes, evidence summaries, presentations, short briefs and documentation of lessons learned initiatives.
2. Support in Programme Development
• Support in drafting or preparing programme concept note, proposal, work plans as required.
• Support the development and implementation of UNICEF Viet Nam's climate resilience and climate-smart social services portfolio through data collection, situation analyses, vulnerability assessments, particularly on the aspects relating to child rights.
• Support supervisor to integrate child-rights and equity considerations into climate-related programme initiatives.
3. National and Local implementation
• Support the planning and delivery of capacity-building initiatives for government counterparts, service providers, communities, and young people on climate resilience, child rights, and climate-smart social services.
• Provide support in planning and organising training programmes aimed at capacity building and ensuring programme sustainability. Research and identify international training opportunities and recommend relevant global training programmes to enhance local expertise and practices.
4. Partnership, Emergency Coordination and Collaboration.
• Support partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the One UN and national partners, to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on pro-gramme/project status and implementation.
• Liaise with relevant development partners, NGOs, private sector and the Viet Nam Disaster and Dike Management Authority (VDDMA) to strengthen strategic cooperation, facilitate information exchange, and support ongoing and potential areas of collaboration to advance climate-smart social services and child-focused climate action.
• Support emergency preparedness and response coordination by helping to compile situation updates, partner inputs, meeting records and follow-up actions during climate- and disaster-related emergencies, ensuring that child rights, protection, WASH, health, education and social protection considerations are reflected in coordination materials.
5. Support child and youth participation and advocacy
• Support the planning, implementation and documentation of safe, inclusive and meaningful engagement with children and young people on climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, environmental protection and climate-resilient social services, including consultations, workshops and child-friendly communication materials.
• Assist in capturing and summarising children’s views, priorities and recommendations, and support their integration into programme documents, advocacy materials, partner discussions and relevant policy processes such as climate, DRR and environmental action.
During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon work plan. The work plan should outline key objectives and activities and include regular check ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance feedback.
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