Consultancy - Child Protection Specialist to support the child protection response in the context of ‘Children Affected by Migration’ in Europe and Central Asia

The UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO) is seeking a Child Protection Specialist for Migration Consultant who will provide technical support to ECARO, UNICEF offices, national committees and partner organisations in child protection policy advocacy and programming in the context of migration and displacement.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

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.

Background

Migration is a fact of life for many families living across the region, interwoven into the fabric of their lives. Central Asia is heavily affected by migration, primarily for economic reasons. More than six million citizens of Central Asian countries are estimated to be on the move, at any given moment, looking for better work and life opportunities. The majority of Central Asian citizens move to the Russian Federation, with Kazakhstan as the second choice destination. Labour migration remains a significant economic and social factor in Central Asia. An estimated 700,000 to 1 million Tajik citizens (up to 20% of the labour force) and 650,000 to 750,000 citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic have migrated and work outside the country. Remittances make up over 40 per cent of GDP in Tajikistan and 30 per cent of GDP in Kyrgyzstan in 2014, making them two the most remittance-dependent countries in the world. Kazakhstan is a destination country for migration and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour. Migration has operated on a different level in Europe. Between 2015 and 2017, some 1,500,000 people arrived in Europe through the Mediterranean. Of them, 382,300 (a quarter) were children. During the first half of 2017, close to 93,000 refugees and migrants arrived on European shores mainly through the Central Mediterranean Route. The number of unaccompanied or separated children (UASC) coming to Italy is on the rise with 11,406 newly registered UASC between January and June 2017.

The situation in Europe is characterized by a spike in perilous, often fatal, sea crossings through the Central Mediterranean, continuous irregular movements in the Balkans and across Europe, as well as tightened border control and heated political debate on migration across the continent. Confronted with uncertain future, isolation, insufficient access to services and slow family reunification, relocation and asylum procedures, refugee and migrant children remain at high risk and require urgent action by national and European stakeholders to step up action for their protection.  

With poverty driving labour migration in Central Asia, the number of children left behind is increasing. While there are no precise figures, in Kyrgyzstan, in 2014 over 11 per cent of children aged 0-17 had at least one biological parent living and working abroad.  As parents migrate, children are often left with relatives including grandparents, who may struggle meeting the needs of children and adolescents. As a result, many children and adolescents are at risk, including being placed in residential institutions. 

In line with its Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action, UNICEF is responding to the current situation in Europe through a combination of advocacy and resource mobilization support (inputting into draft position statements related to protection and migration, supporting the formulation of UNICEF’s advocacy messaging to key institutions, such as the EU and the Council of Europe on child protection related issues, liaising with HQ and other Regional Offices to stay abreast of cross regional dimensions and areas where we would benefit from coordinated positions on child protection related issues), draft concept notes / proposals); technical assistance to Governments; capacity-building of national and civil society actors and service delivery responses in Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Germany and Austria. In addition, through its network of National Committees, UNICEF plays an important advocacy and monitoring role in France and the UK, as well as other European countries.  UNICEF interventions are tailored to national contexts and needs expressed by Governments, and focus mainly on Child Protection and Education, as well as Health and Nutrition, Child Rights Monitoring and Social Inclusion programmes as part of a broader protection response. The situation is evolving and fluid. During the first half of 2017, UNICEF helped identify and support a total of 9,190 children at risk through outreach activities in Turkey, Greece, Italy, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; supported structured non-formal education for 4,256 children in Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; and strengthened the capacity of 2,674 frontline workers on child protection across Europe. In Central Asia, UNICEF is working with national governments and development partners to better understand and respond to the needs of children affected by migration.

Through all of UNICEF’s work in the area of children affected by migration, UNICEF is committed to strengthening existing child protection systems to be more responsive to children on the move or children affected by migration, rather than stand-alone interventions for ‘migrant children’.

Purpose of the assignment

Under the supervision of the Regional Advisor Child Protection, and in close collaboration with the Migration Senior Advisor and her/his team, the Child Protection Specialist for Migration consultant will provide technical support to ECARO, UNICEF offices, national committees and partner organisations in child protection policy advocacy and programming in the context of migration and displacement.

Main tasks

The main tasks of the assignment are as follows:

1. Pro-actively identify child protection support and guidance needs in the context of migration in Europe and Central Asia and provide related technical support to UNICEF offices with a focus on the protection of unaccompanied and separated children, children left behind and affected by migration, children in detention and children in institutional care.

Programmatic support will focus on enabling national child protection systems to adequately protect refugee and migrant children and children affected by migration by, inter alia, strengthening the role of social work (including outreach and case management); establishing care arrangements in line with the best interests of the child; developing and monitoring child protection standards and guardianship schemes; and improving children’s access to justice. Support will include policy and programmatic guidance; tools development as necessary; design of indicators and benchmarks to track programmatic results; and facilitation of the exchange of good practices and lessons learned. It will also include building the capacity of UNICEF staff and partners in evidence-based policy making and programming in the context of migration.

2. Lead child protection advocacy efforts in the context of migration in Europe and Central Asia, in close coordination with UNICEF country offices, PPD Brussels, PFP and relevant NYHQ Divisions. This includes keeping abreast of policy developments in the region, by States, the EU and the UN; suggesting and drafting advocacy positions when relevant; coordinating inputs internally; seeking potential partnerships; and submitting to management (through supervisor) for approval. 
3. Provide technical inputs into relevant internal and external initiatives pertaining to or relevant to child protection in the context of migration in Europe and Central Asia, such as the Uprooted Campaign, quarterly situation analyses and data collection work.  Similarly, ensure that the work done in the region is considered in global UNICEF initiatives pertaining to migration. Coordinate closely and actively seek cross-fertilization with other sections in the ECARO and with National Committees, through PFP.
4. Support the Programme Manager (based in Bangkok) in managing the Europe and Central Asia part of the EU Grant “Protecting children affected by migration in Southeast and Central Asia”. This will include managing funds allocated to the region; providing guidance to participating country offices in the implementation of the programme at country level; consolidating regional inputs into narrative and financial reports to the EU; mobilizing technical expertise for the programme and managing related contracts; ensuring horizontal exchange among all key partners of the programme through organization of two regional meetings; ensuring compliance with EU visibility requirements; working with the Communication section on the production of relevant media and communication material; coordinating an assessment of the national systems in responding to the needs of children effected by migration (multi-country study).
5. Provide other support as required and requested by the supervisor, in line with the regional office’s response to children affected by Migration. Any activities that may fall outside of the scope of the above main tasks.

Qualifications and Skills Required

• Advanced university degree in law or social work, or another relevant field
• Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible professional work experience in child protection and migration at the national or international levels
• Expert knowledge of international human rights law, refugee law and humanitarian law
• Knowledge of the ECA region an asset
• Excellent analytical and written skills
• Experience managing EU contracts considered an asset
• Fluency in English (oral and written). Knowledge of another UN language an asset.

 Outputs/Deliverables

• Monthly work plan against the six areas of work outlined above
• Monthly activity report against the six areas of work outlined above

Estimated Duration of the Contract

 15 January 2018 – 31 July 2018.

Consultant’s Work Place and Official Travel

The Child Protection specialist Consultant will be based in the ECA Regional Office in Geneva, Switzerland. He/she may be asked to travel on mission in countries of the region.

Payment Schedule

Payment will be made at the end of each month, based on the above-mentioned deliverables.

Please indicate your ability, availability and monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above including estimated travel costs (to/from Geneva) if applicable.  Applications submitted without a monthly rate will not be considered.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.