Programming Specialist

Details

Mission and objectives

UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines, we support child health and nutrition, safe water and sanitation, quality education and skill building, HIV prevention and treatment for mothers and babies, and the protection of children and adolescents from violence and exploitation. Before, during and after humanitarian emergencies, UNICEF is on the ground, bringing lifesaving help and hope to children and families. Non-political and impartial, we are never neutral when it comes to defending children’s rights and safeguarding their lives and futures.

Context

Climate change, disproportioned population growth and other natural and man-made hazards including epidemics, armed violence and conflicts, governance and gender inequality are major global issues that directly and indirectly impact the mere survival, development and overall wellbeing of children around the world. This severely affects Sahelian countries where children, adolescents and young women already facing a multi-dimensional crisis. As an international organization focused on protecting the rights of children, UNICEF has made commitments to mitigate the impact of such shocks and stresses, on children and social service delivery systems. Adopting a system and community resilience programming approach, UNICEF seeks to reduce risks and physical and psychological harm to children due to shocks and stresses, while sustaining access to social services they need at all times – before, during, after disaster and conflict situations. Applying a risk lens to programming and engaging Governments, communities, children, adolescents and young people/young women on the Sahel resilience agenda, UNICEF maintains its cross-sectoral engagements to help children survive, develop and thrive.

Task description

The purpose of this UNV assignment is to support efforts to improve UNICEF Regional Office and Country Office capacities and enable meaningful action to strengthen resilience of children, communities and social service delivery systems in UNICEF supported sectors. To this end, the UNV will support the WCARO Principal Advisor for the Sahel Resilience in his work in areas related to evidence-generation, awareness-raising and advocacy, knowledge management, technical support, partnership building and resource mobilization benefiting WCARO Sections and WCAR Country Offices. Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the UNICEF WCARO Principal Advisor for the Sahel or his designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer will engage in: Evidence generation The UNV is expected to support a better understanding of the risks and impact of the Sahel crisis on children, adolescents, young people and UNICEF supported Government programmes. Specifically, she/he will support the development or updating the vulnerability analysis and the multi-country data analysis for children in the Sahel , create and maintain platforms on lessons learnt and programme analysis and other conflict or risk assessments. A particular focus of the UNV’s work will be on supporting effective adolescents and youth involvement in the process. Awareness-raising and advocacy & Youth Engagement Based on continuous generation of evidence both from internal and outside sources including partner organizations, he/she will contribute to raise awareness on the correlation of Sahel crisis impact on sector results to create space for increased UNICEF engagement on resilience building, risk-informed programming incl. through internal and external advocacy, and outreach to connect and support youth engagement for resilience. Knowledge management Support efforts to identify, document and share new tools, guidance documents and good practices to facilitate Sahel resilience building, localization (institutional capacity building and funding opportunities for longer term sustainability of investment , co-creation with young people, c, disaster risk reduction, conflict sensitivity and action to support social cohesion and peace. Support that this knowledge is effectively integrated in UNICEF WCAR programmes at regional and country level. It is expected that UNV’s support to enhance references on knowledge management spaces (WCAR Resilience Teams workspace and SharePoint) shall also include the (co-)organization of webinars and trainings, or referrals to that of other partners, and promote their use and actions. Technical Assistance Contribute to WCARO PMR’s technical assistance to UNICEF Regional Office Sections and country offices in developing child focused Sahel adaptation and mitigation strategic frameworks and/or practical application in various planning documents and phases. This includes support to promote the use of relevant guidelines and tools, and to carry out Sahel and climate and disaster risk assessments as well as continuous support to help on the roll-out of action to adapt programs to make them more Sahel sensitive . A large focus of action will be set on supporting youth in their role as “agents of change including ” for climate and risk reduction action and localization action. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting A key contribution will be to co-lead annual review processes to analyze and document country office and regional progress in applying Sahel resilience -informed programming, and conflict sensitivity in UNICEF programmes. The UNV is expected to contribute to update related fact sheets. The UNV may be called upon to contribute to overall WCARO annual monitoring exercises (Country Office Annual Report review, etc.). Partnerships & Resource Mobilization The UNV will further support efforts to establish new and maintain existing partnerships with various stakeholders engaging them on the risk agenda (Regional inter-agency initiatives, UN collaboration at regional and as indicated country level in support to COs, outreach to foundations, private sector, bilateral development organizations, child-centered and other NGOs, youth groups, UNISS Resilience Group, etc.). Internally, the UNV will join and participate in the global UNICEF Sahel ,, and Disaster Risk Reduction network. She/he is expected to establish close relations with WCARO Sahel Core group, Communications, Adolescent and Emergency Sections and Advisors, as well as colleagues in the PMR Section, Sahel countries’ focal points. As applicable, the UNV is expected to contribute to WCARO Resilience led resource mobilization efforts, where the UNV will provide critical support to the Regional Principal Advisor for the Sahel focal point, including through gathering of strategic information, editorial support and beyond, e.g. to support Sahel related Funding proposals developed with partner agencies and/or country offices and regional offices sections. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers program mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities: • 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. • Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities. • 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.