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Child Protection Specialist

Cairo

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Cairo
  • Grade: Volunteer - National Specialist - Locally recruited Volunteer
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Children's rights (health and protection)
    • Protection Officer (Refugee)
    • Basic Social Service
    • CHILD PROTECTION SPECIALIST
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

UNICEF Egypt’ work on child protection, undertaken together with government and civil society organizations, is at a cross-road, where significant work done on legal and policy reforms must now be translated into systems on the ground that can deliver. In recent years, Egypt has made significant progress in establishing a legal framework for the protection of children, especially the criminalization of Female Genital Mutilation, raising the age of marriage to 18 and the establishment of child protection services. Amendments to the Child Law in 2008 provided important new legal provisions for the protection of children at risk and the establishment of a system of Child Protection Committees at governorate and district levels. In addition, children’s rights are fully recognised in the Egyptian constitution (Art. 80)

The Child Law has created a framework to prevent and respond to children at risk in the form of a national child protection mechanism that includes a Child Helpline and Child Protection Committees (CPCs). CPCs are defined by law as executive committees at the Governorate and sub-Governorate level, which are centrally coordinated by the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM). CPCs are mandated to act as a key local level protection mechanism to identify and respond to children at risk.

Despite these legislative gains, there are challenges in their translation into better outcomes for children. The consequences of inaction are enormous for Egyptian children: limited government investment in child protection as well as the lack of specialised services has resulted in millions of children being exposed to high levels of violence, neglect and exploitation. The lack of an operational child protection mechanism as defined by Child Law has left thousands of children at risk without the required protection from the State. Three main constraints in the implementation of the Child Law identified by NCCM/UNICEF should be addressed as a matter of priority: (i) the lack of executive orders to implement the law defining roles and responsibilities and the modalities of implementation of the CPCs (Direct implementation, subcontracting etc.)(ii) The absence of a child protection workforce including social workers, coordinator, data managers to make the CPCs operational. (iii) The allocation of financial resources for the implementation of the child protection mechanism.

UNICEF with the support of EU is currently working towards strenthening chlid protection sysems in Egypt through partnerships with NCCM and MOSS.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Child Protection Specialist, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

  1. Contribute to providing technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of technical, program, operational and administrative transactions, preparing related materials/documentations and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support program planning, results based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating results.
  2. Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss operational and implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decision. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
  3. Provide support to the project officer on work around Ending Violence against Children (EVAC), supporting in operations, monitoring and reporting.
  4. Ensure follow up of the work around the national Task Force on EVAC, including develoment of a costed action plan. 
  5. Work with colleagues in the Edcuation section for the implementation of activities related to violence against children in schools.
  6. Work with colleagues in the C4D section for the implementation of the formaive research on positive parenting.
  7. Liase with communication team colleagues in undertaking campaings on violence against children in the country.
  8. Work with Communication and Communication for Development UNICEF sections in the design and launch of an awareness and information campaign at three levels: media, schools, and parents.
  9. Support is provided to the completion of the formative research. 
  10. Support the Project Officer in the design and implementation of a positive parenting programme for addressing violence at home.
  11. Support in the design policy guidelines and implement specific measures for addressing violence at schools.
  12. Support in the development and execution of a capacity building programme to stakeholders and existing national community-based personnel.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

  • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
  • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
  • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
  • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/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;

  • Contributions made to the development of the National level EVAC Action plan.
  • Awareness and behavioural change campaigns launched are in line CP priorities and meetings technical requirements.
  • Support is provided to the completion of the formative research.  
  • Positive parenting programme for addressing violence at home is launched.
  • Policy guidelines and implement specific measures for addressing violence at schools are introduced.
  • The section is supported in the development and execution a capacity building programme to stakeholders and existing national community-based personnel.
  • The development of capacity through coaching, mentoring and formal on-the-job training, when working with (including supervising) national staff or (non-) governmental counterparts, including Implementing Partners (IPs).
  • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment
  • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed

Competencies

  • Integrity and professionalism: demonstrated expertise in area of specialty and ability to apply good judgment high degree of autonomy personal initiative and ability to take ownership willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures in a politically sensitive environment while exercising discretion impartiality and neutrality ability to manage information objectively accurately and confidentially responsive and client-oriented.
  • Accountability: mature and responsible ability to operate in compliance with organizational rules and regulations.
  • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
  • Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner ability to establish priorities and to plan coordinate and monitor (own) work ability to work under pressure with conflicting deadlines and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.
  • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender.
  • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills including ability to prepare clear and concise reports ability to conduct presentations articulate options and positions concisely ability to make and defend recommendations ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds ability to maintain composure and remain helpful towards the staff but objective without showing personal interest capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups.
  • Flexibility; adaptability, and ability and willingness to operate independently in austere remote and potentially hazardous environments for protracted periods involving physical hardship and little comfort and including possible extensive travel within the area of operations willingness to transfer to other duty stations within area of operations as may be necessary.
  • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance and commitment towards the UN core values.

Required Skills and Experience

  1. Qualification and/or specialized knowledge/experience required for the assignment:
  2. An advanced university (Masters) in social sciences, human rights, sociology, child psychology is required
  3. A minimum of 5 to 7 years of professional experience related to violence prevention and response programming
  4. Demonstrated strong communication, presentation and writing skills including report writing, oral presentations and development of technical documents
  5. Demonstrated experience in knowledge of the latest development issues related to VAC and gender is essential
  6. Demonstrated experience in design, implementation and, budget management and monitoring of programmes.
  7. Fluent in both written and spoken Arabic and English (both verbal and written).

Disclaimer

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.

United Nations Volunteers reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this opening for other openings with United Nations Volunteers with similar assignment description, experience and educational requirements.

This vacancy is now closed.
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