International Consultancy- Child Protection in Emergencies Specialist, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

UNICEF is looking for a seasoned professional for the consultancy assignment of Providing child protection in emergencies technical support to UNICEF staff in the Somali and Oromia regions, regional BoWCAs and NGO partners in the implementation of UNICEF CPiE package of services in response to the displaced population, ensuring the following interventions are implemented, monitored and managed as per the response plan. If you have the required profile, you are highly encouraged to apply. Taking up this assignment is motivating and rewarding.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, 

UNICEF Ethiopia has been working in Ethiopia for the last 65 years supporting the national and regional efforts towards the progressive realization of the rights of children and women.

We do this by supporting the achievements of the Growth and Transformation Plan II as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through our programmes in Health, Nutrition, WASH, Child Protection, Education and Social Policy and Evidence on Social Inclusion.

In addition, UNICEF Ethiopia has been leading the support in humanitarian programmes relentlessly working towards responding to emergency needs

Background

Long-standing tensions between Oromos and Somalis over territory and access to resources reignited in September 2017, following fighting in the Mieso district of Oromia region, leading to widespread violence along the border that separates the two regions. The renewed violence along the border areas and retaliations targeting minorities in the two regions led to new, large-scale displacements. Reported figures on IDPs vary. The National Disaster Risk Management Commission estimated in December 2017 that a total of 857,000 people had been displaced by the Somali-Oromia conflict (this includes displacements recorded prior to August). Data obtained during the last International Organisation for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix (Round 8, conducted in November 2017) gives a slightly higher estimate of around 1,000,000[1] people displaced by the Somali-Oromia conflict. According to the DTM 9 report, conflict was reported as the primary driver of displacement (1,216,793 IDPs), followed by climate-induced factors (494,356 IDPs). Among these IDPs, 60 per cent of the population consists of children below 17 years. The IOM report also lists 736 unaccompanied, 1,763 separated and 2,514 orphaned children among the displaced.

UNICEF Child Protection section has initiated a response to the emergency in 24 sites (20 in Oromia and 4 in Somali regions), with a possibility of expansion to 5 more sites if additional funding is raised. The programme is mainly implemented in partnership with Bureau of Women and Children’s Affairs (BoWCA) and a few NGOs, in the two regions.

The programme consists of a package of the following services:

• Unaccompanied and separated children are reunified with their family or placed in appropriate alternative care;
• Girls, boys and women are provided with risk mitigation, prevention or response interventions to address gender-based violence (GBV); and
• Girls and boys are provided with psychosocial support, including access to child-friendly spaces with multi-sectoral programming interventions.

In addition to the above, UNICEF as a co-lead of the CP GBV Sub Cluster at national, regional and woreda (district) levels will help ensure that protective and essential services are provided by mobilizing resources, building capacity of service providers and facilitating multi-sectoral contributions to enhance the delivery of quality social and protective services to children and women. 

UNICEF Ethiopia has developed an IDP response strategy for the two regions. Reports from monitoring missions to-date by a range of organisations show urgent needs for humanitarian response, including in child protection. In addition, the Protection Cluster under the Government’s Humanitarian and Disaster Resilience Programme has identified the protracted situation of the displaced population as a priority for emergency response.

How can you make a difference?

Provide direct technical coordination and support to the Child Protection response in the Somali and Oromia regions

In close coordination with the  CPiE Specialist and the Social Welfare Specialist at the UNICEF Ethiopia Country Office, and under the overall guidance of the Chief of Child Protection Section, the consultant will provide overall technical support to UNICEF CP officers in the two regions, regional BoWCAs and NGO partners in the implementation of UNICEF CPiE package of services in response to the displaced population, ensuring the following interventions are implemented, monitored and managed as per the response plan:

1. Support roll-out of trainings for humanitarian actors and front-line workers on violence referral pathways, case management, community-based child protection systems, child-friendly/safe spaces (CFS) and psychosocial support;
2. Ensure that safe spaces/CFS established under this response provide services as per agreed-upon standards in order to provide psychosocial support in coordination with Education/Nutrition sectors, or independently as per the programme demands;
3. Support the development of a standard operating procedure (SoP) for referral pathways and Information management Protocols for family tracing and reunification of Unaccompanied and Separated children (UASC) and response to other vulnerable children (including reported GBV cases) in coordination with CP GBV Sub Cluster/Coordination mechanisms at federal and regional levels. This should take into account existing referral pathways agreed with Government and any official documents that have been endorsed in order to avoid  duplication of those efforts.
4. Provide technical inputs to support the design/strengthening of community-based activities among the affected population that can help prevent violence, abuse and exploitation of children and facilitate reporting of cases;
5. Provide technical inputs to support capacity strengthening of community-based structures to respond to CPiE issues, or work with existing structures for the same purpose;
6. Support the roll-out of assessment and monitoring tools as agreed and standardised at CP GBV Sub Cluster level to inform CPiE programme priorities for UNICEF which can inform the programme priorities and  humanitarian response planning for protection led by Protection Cluster.

g)           Ensure key reporting requirements are met and ensure the systematic coordination of appropriate child protection interventions with other relevant sectors, especially health, nutrition and education.

h)           Strengthen CP federal and field office staff capacity on CPiE technical areas, especially by mentoring.

 Expected Deliverables

 The consultant will send monthly reports to his/her supervisor based on agreed deliverables and submit a final written report.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

Expected background, Experience and Competencies

• Minimum of five years progressively responsible professional work experience at the national or international levels in child protection in emergencies including programme planning, monitoring and evaluation in a related field;
• Background and familiarity with international human rights and humanitarian law and emergency response is an asset;
• Substantial experience working on protection, human rights monitoring, armed conflict and natural disasters related issues is highly desirable;
• Advanced university degree in international relations, law, social work, child psychology, or other relevant field;
• Fluency in English (verbal and written). Good written and spoken skills in the language of the humanitarian operation and knowledge of another UN language an asset;
• Well acquainted with the key issues as well as interventions for addressing child protection in emergencies;
• Proven track record in building the capacity of partners as well as in providing technical assistance;
• Familiarity and experience working with Government counter parts;
• Good analytical, negotiating, communication and advocacy skills, report writing skills;

Core values:

Our core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results, as well as functional competencies such as Leading and supervising, Formulating strategies and concepts, Analyzing, Relating and networking, Deciding and Initiating action and Applying technical expertise.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

Technical knowledge and Competencies for Child Protection Programming in Emergencies

UNICEF Core Commitment for Children in Emergencies and UNHCR Child Protection Strategy

Inter-Agency Minimum Standards on Child Protection in Humanitarian Settings

UN Guidelines on sexual exploitation and abuse by UN staff and partners

Gender equality and Diversity awareness

Coordination of child protection responses in emergencies

Prevention and response to separation of children from their families

Prevention and response to exploitation and gender-based violence

Prevention and response to psychosocial distress and mental disorder

Prevention and response to the recruitment and use of children by armed forces or groups

Prevention and response to physical harm

Monitoring and reporting grave violations and serious child protection concerns

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.