National Consultant (Child On-line Protection Inititative activities Phase 1

UNICEF seeks the services of a very experienced professional who is highly committed to make a difference for the children. The individual will be engaged as a national consultant to provide technical guidance to the Ministry of Communications to manage the Child On-line Protection Initiative portfolio which includes: (a) Building internal capacity of the designated staff of the COP unit of the National Cyber Security Secretariat. (b)Facilitate and coordinate the review of the National Framework on Child Online Protection Initiative leading to the development of a comprehensive National COP Policy, a costed implementation plan, and an M&E Framework. (c) Coordination and networking with all relevant stakeholders in the implementation of COP related activities. The contract will be for 11.5 months starting August 2018. Only Ghanaian nationals are eligible to apply. Please read the attached Terms of Reference for details.

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, a champion

More children and young people around the world are using the internet and mobile technologies in their daily lives and children in Ghana are no exception. While many opportunities for learning, recreation, play and socialization are provided by these new technologies, access to these technologies also increase the risks for abuse and exploitation of vulnerable groups, especially children and young people. The dangers confronting children and young people online include online abuse in all its forms, cyber bullying, child pornography, online sexual exploitation, cyber stalking, access to illegal material and inappropriate content, online gambling for children and a network for child sex tourism and trafficking and overuse of the internet.

Findings of a UNICEF-supported research using the Global Kids online toolkit revealed that 4 in 10 children have seen sexual images at least once during the past year. Nearly a quarter of all surveyed children received such messages on their phones with the majority indicating that they felt uncomfortable, shy or embarrassed being exposed to these pornographic images. The same study showed that 2 in 10 children had actually met someone face-to-face whom they first got to know on the internet; 25% of them were upset by this meeting. About half of all the surveyed children expressed difficulty talking with their caregivers about such exposures to sexual images

The need to make the online space safer for children and young people has assumed national prominence, triggering stakeholder meetings and consultations around the topic. The efforts to improve Child Online Protection (COP) have culminated into the development of National Framework for Child Online Protection which was led by the Ministry of Communications in August 2016. The framework was developed by a multi-sectorial committee with representatives of all relevant ministries, departments, civil society organizations, and International Organizations as well as Industry players in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

The National COP framework conforms to the global standards stipulated by International Telecommunications Union CITU), it also takes cognizance of the unique national context and sociocultural milieu of the country. The framework highlights the scope, objectives and strategies for addressing online safety issues around the five Strategic Pillars which includes: Legal measures, Technical and Procedural Measures, Organizational Structures, Capacity Building, and International Cooperation. The document has since then, provided guidance for laying the foundations and structures for rolling out initiatives to promote the safety of children within the online space.  While the framework already includes an initial implementation plan, there is a need to review through the We- Protect [1]model and in consultation with a wider network of stakeholders.

To step up the national efforts aimed at promoting a safe and hygienic internet space for children, the Ministry of Communication in partnership with UNICEF Ghana seeks to engage the services of a highly skilled and experienced consultant to provide technical support to the Child Online Protection Unit of the Cyber Security Secretariat within the Ministry of Communication.

How can you make a difference?

1. To provide technical guidance and build the capacity of designated staff of the COP unit under the Cyber Security Secretariat to ensure effective functioning of the COP unit.
2. Facilitate a review of the National framework for COP initiative, building on it to develop a comprehensive COP policy which is in line with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU/) UNICEF COP guideline and the global cybersecurity agenda.
3. Following the completion of task 2 above, provide support for the development of a 5-year costed plan and an M&E framework to guide the implementation and enforcement of COP policy. The implementation of the plan will be coordinated by the COP unit of the Ministry of Communications.
4. Provide technical inputs as well as quality assurance to the ongoing review of the legal and regulatory framework on children to ensure adequate provisions on child online safety.
5. Building on the Child Online Practices Research (2017) facilitate and set up mechanism to ascertain proportion of children who are online and have access to child abuse materials, through an appropriate methodology e.g. polls, surveys for trend analysis.
6. Work closely with the National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-GH), the Cyber Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service and other identified stakeholders to build internal capacity to respond to COP related issues. This includes support for the organization of a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders towards setting up a portal for reporting indecent material on the internet.
7. Facilitate strategic engagement of with Communications Service Providers (Mobile Operators, Internet Service Providers etc.) and other relevant actors to promote a safer and more secure use of Internet-based services and other technologies for children. Particularly paying special attention to protecting the privacy of young users’ personal data, preserving their right to freedom of expression, and putting systems in place to address violations of children’s rights when they occur.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Advanced degree in Law and or Social Sciences or any relevant area of study.

• Knowledge and experience in ICT related issues particularly social networking is a strong asset
• At least 10 years of professional experience in working and writing on complex social policy and/or child protection policy related areas, coupled with extensive experience in advising Government officials.
• Facilitation of high-level strategic planning processes involving a wide range of stakeholders (previous experience in working with the Ministry of Communication in Ghana is a strong asset)
• Previous knowledge of key documents, reports, studies on child protection particularly in the area Child Online Protection in Ghana is required and is a strong asset
• Strong analytical skills, networking and coordination
• Excellent command of written and spoken English, and outstanding facilitation and consultation skills and experience
• Capacity to deliver quality results under pressing circumstances
• Highly able to work well with people and effective networking
• Conceptual and strategic thinking

 Please read attached Terms of Reference for details.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The technical competencies required for this post are….

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.

APPLICATION

Interested candidates should apply on-line to the link provided indicate their monthly professional fees in Ghana Cedis.

In addition to the CV/Resume, candidates should attach a two-page note on how he/she intends to effectively accomplish this assignment within time frame.

Two examples of previous work done should be attached (if applicable, e.g. strategic documents, photos, videos, written work etc.)

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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