Internship: Communications for Development (C4D) Interns - MENA Regional Office, Amman - Jordan

REQUEST FOR INTERNSHIP – MENA REGIONAL OFFICE

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive, and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

UNICEF INTERNSHIPS

The UNICEF Internship Programme offers qualified and eligible students at Headquarters (HQ), Regional Offices (RO) and Country Offices (CO) the unique opportunity to acquire direct practical experience in UNICEF's work and the United Nations system under the direct supervision of experienced UNICEF staff.

BACKGROUND

UNICEF MENA Regional Office based at Amman in Jordan works across 17 countries. The region is one of the largest and most complex in UNICEF, with a range of country typologies and several on-going large-scale emergencies. The region has low levels of per capita income relative to its wealth, high levels of illiteracy, poor health and educational outcomes in comparison with countries of comparable income levels; gender inequalities; the presence of harmful social norms and practices such as child marriage and FGM/C as well as violence against children and GBV; high youth unemployment; authoritarianism; and acute conflicts with mass internal and external displacement.

The region is also characterized by increasing vulnerability to climate change, pressure on water resources, infectious disease outbreaks, and constraints on civil society participation. UNICEF MENARO works across the region to support country offices to more effectively deliver better results for children, through enhancing programme excellence in health, nutrition, water sanitation, and hygiene promotion, gender, child protection, and education; generating and disseminating public goods; and strengthening organizational management effectiveness and efficiency. Emergency response and humanitarian actions undergird all areas.

Currently, UNICEF MENARO is actively engaged in the COVID-19 response. Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) is one of the key pillars of the response. UNICEF Communication for Development is co-leading COVID-19 RCCE efforts at the Interagency level (jointly with WHO and IFRC) as well as leading UNICEF RCCE work (together with key sectors, divisions, and programs). UNICEF MENA C4D is also co-leading COVID-19 vaccine demand planning regional sub-working group and supporting countries in the same.

Given the expanding role of RCCE in the fight against the pandemic, MENARO is proposing to strengthen internal capacity to enhanced support across the MENA region through the deployment of additional human resources to support RCCE response.

To support these efforts and complete select deliverables, MENARO is seeking two currently enrolled or recently graduated interns in 2020.

ELIGIBILITY

To be considered for the internship with UNICEF MENARO, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements:

• A first-level university degree in communication studies, social sciences, politics, education, development, social/public policy, international affairs, public health, or related field. A Master’s degree in Communication for Development/ SBCC related fields, public health, social or political science, anthropology, or other related and relevant field.
• Strong analytical, communication, and writing skills.
• Ability to quickly understand instructions, asks for clarification when needed, adapt, and to produce results on time.
• Ability to work independently and solve problems in a multi-cultural environment.
• Excellent level of written and spoken English. Fluency in Arabic or French will be an asset
• Have strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records or, if not available, a reference letter from an academic supervisor
• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, or aunt) working in any UNICEF office.
• Work experience in communication and development or humanitarian related fields will be an asset.

PURPOSE OF THE INTERNSHIP

The Intern will report to the C4D Specialist for day to day supervision and guidance. The Intern will provide support technical and operational support for the strengthening of C4D/RCCE approaches, with a focus on COVID -19 preparedness, response, and recovery, and specifically COVID-19 demand planning.

Provide technical support to country-level RCCE/C4D interventions across the region

1. Collect and synthesize qualitative and quantitative evidence and data across MENA countries on COVID -19 to inform guidance for planning and implementation around response and recovery
2. Collect, synthesize, draft and/or organize materials and related documentation on evidence-based C4D/ RCCE country-office strategies and plans
3. Assess, select and/or recommend appropriate information and materials for RCCE/C4D initiatives verifying accuracy and quality for dissemination

Provide operational support for advocacy, partnerships, and IKM at the regional level

4. Assess and recommend potential contacts, networks, resources, and tools across the region to support maximum impact and outreach of C4D initiatives.
5. Contribute to UNICEF Outbreak Task Force and Inter-Agency Regional Cholera Platform through collation and sharing of global, regional, and country-level RCCE, WASH, Health, etc. related guidance, materials, resources, tools, and references
6. Support the implementation of the work plan of the COVID-19 vaccine demand working group
7. Any other related tasks assigned by the Supervisor.

CONDITIONS

UNICEF will offer a basic stipend of USD 864 USD per month as well as a one-time payment of USD 1000.00 in accordance with UNICEF Internship Guidelines, 2017. Additionally, the Intern will be entitled to 2.5 leave days per month. The intern will cover and uphold any expense of transport, housing, basic needs, and utilities. UNICEF will also provide financial support in the context of any official mission (national or international) where UNICEF requests for the participation of the intern i.e. any cost of transportation, accommodation, and meals related to the official mission will be covered by the UNICEF office. The intern will also be asked to present valid health insurance, before initiating the internship. The Intern needs to be able to fund themselves for their travel to Amman and is personally responsible for obtaining the necessary visa covering the entire period of their internship.

ICT CONSIDERATIONS (PLEASE CHECK IF APPLICABLE):

 Access to Electronic Information Resources

 UNICEF email ID

 ICT Hardware (please specify): Laptop, docking station, monitor, mouse, earphones and keyboard