New Consultancy on child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation programming, evidence generation and knowledge management, WCARO, Dakar,Senegal

To fill a consultancy position

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, hope

Background

UNICEF WCARO supports the reduction of child marriage and the elimination of FGM throughout the programmes implemented by Country Offices in the region.

UNICEF WCARO is coordinating the implementation of the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to accelerate action to end child marriage in four countries: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger and Sierra Leone. Seven country offices (Burkina Faso, Chad, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone) in the region have also prioritized child marriage as a key result for children for the period 2018-2021, which will result in increased investments in multi-sectoral interventions (with the Education, Health and Social protection sectors for example) and the need for greater documentation for replication across the region.

Since 2008, UNICEF WCARO is also supporting the elimination of FGM by coordinating the implementation of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme to Eliminate Female Genital Mutilation in eight countries (Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Senegal). Within UNICEF, the West and Central Africa Regional Office is coordinating UNICEF’s engagement with the African Union across regions and with UNICEF Headquarters, notably on FGM.

The recent launch of the European Union Spotlight Initiative that also aims to address child marriage and FGM in four countries in the region (Liberia, Mali, Niger and Nigeria) and another four soon to be added (Chad, DRC, Cameroun, Cote d’Ivoire), and that aims to reinforce regional initiatives represents an important opportunity to develop national scale interventions to address child marriage and FGM.

It is in this context that UNICEF is looking for an international consultant to support remotely the regional child protection section to:

i) Assist in implementing the knowledge management strategy on child marriage in WCAR through the roll-out of the KM platform ; ii) Assist in the overall organization of a regional consultation on FGM; iii) Conduct research on emerging topics related to child marriage; iv) Support the implementation of the communication strategy on child marriage and FGM.

How can you make a difference?

Objectives

The overall objective is to assist the Regional Senior Child Protection Specialist in coordinating the implementation of UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to accelerate action to end child marriage and UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Accelerating Change which also includes knowledge management, documentation, and programme activities on child marriage and FGM.

The Specific Responsibilities are:

•  Contribute to the articulation between the Child Marriage Knowledge Management work in WCAR and the Child Marriage Global Knowledge Management Strategy under the leadership of the Senior Child protection Specialist

•  Support the implementation of the communication strategy on child marriage in WCAR (creation of infographics and media assets)

•  Contribute to special assignments and research on Child Marriage in West and Central Africa (e.g. Child Marriage in Humanitarian contexts), conduct literature reviews.

•   Assist in the preparation of multi-country, regional meetings and conferences related to child marriage and/or FGM in WCAR (background research, participant’s selection, setting calendar of events, invitations management, drafting of background notes, reports from meetings, monitoring of action points).

Scope of work    

The consultant will provide direct technical support to the Child Protection Section to implement strategic activities focusing on event planning and coordination, reporting, evidence dissemination, documentation, knowledge management and sharing.  

The consultant will liaise with UNICEF Country Offices and Regional Office staff for day to day guidance.

Deliverables and Schedules

Deadlines for deliverables that are linked to inputs from external parties could be reviewed in agreement with the supervisor.

The payment of the consultancy fees will be based on expected deliverables in accordance with UNICEF rules and regulations. Contracts will be signed with UNICEF WCA regional office. Rates will be based on the level of the assignment.

Reporting Requirements

Deliverables including reports (as mentioned above) will be submitted electronically in English (unless otherwise specified).

The payment of the consultancy fees will be based on expected deliverables in accordance with UNICEF rules and regulations. Contracts will be signed with UNICEF WCA regional office. Rates will be based on the level of the assignment.

Deliverables including reports (as mentioned above) will be submitted electronically in English  (unless otherwise specified)

Administrative Issues

The consultant will report to the Senior Child Protection Specialist and his/her OIC who will certify the deliverables.

The Consultant will be home-based. The consultant should do the assignment with his/her own laptop.

The payment will be done by UNICEF as follows: i) consultancy fees according to UN rates and the level; iii) travel fare during the field work for all consultants travelling outside of location; iv) daily subsistence allowances (DSA) during in-country travel (field work).

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

The consultant must:

• Advanced Degree (Master or equivalent) in any of the following: social sciences, international relations, development studies, public health, demography, or related sciences.
• Have 1 - preferably 2 years of combined experience related to child protection, human rights, gender or related areas.  Previous experience with the UN is an asset.

• Have strong writing and organizational skills.
• Advanced research and analytical skills and the ability to synthesize data into concise reports.
• Effectively present data and information to diverse audiences and listens well to instructions and feedback.
• have good planning and organizing skills.

She/ he must be

• Able to quickly understand instructions, ask for clarification when needed, adapt and work independently to produce results on time.
• Able to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships.
• Attentive to details.
• Proficient with MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point) and with internet navigation.
• Fluent in both French and English.

Please indicate your availability and ‘daily or monthly’ rate (either USD or country) to undertake the Terms of Reference above.  The ‘daily or monthly’ rate should include your costs for health insurance, travel from home to duty station, visa expenses, daily subsistence allowance if applicable, etc.)  Applications without the ‘daily or monthly’ rate will not be accepted. 

For every Child, you demonstrate commitment

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

The 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.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

 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.