Consultant to edit and update the Arabic version of the inter-ministerial child marriage action plan, Beirut, Lebanon, 10 Days

Based on a request from MoSA made early in 2023, UNICEF will work on editing the Arabic version of the plan, adding updated information collected in 2021/2022 on the drivers of the harmful practice , the impact of the multi-layered crisis on girls and current challenges they face to access services, while editing the Arabic version to make it easier for reader and more concise.

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, care

UNICEF started to work in Lebanon in 1948 and established its office in 1950. For more than 70 years we’ve been working closely with the Government of Lebanon, other UN agencies, international and local NGOs, universities, and more than 100 partners to meet the needs of disadvantaged children in Lebanon. Responding to lifesaving needs and ensuring equal access to quality public services, the impact of our work is felt in every aspect and every sphere of society. To learn more about our work, please refer to: https://www.unicef.org/lebanon/what-we-do

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF been supporting the development of the National Child Marriage Action Plan with the Higher Council for Childhood (HCC), Ministry of Social Affairs, other line ministries and civil society. This was done further to the concluding observations from the Child Rights Committee (CRC) in Geneva in response to Lebanon’s state party report on the status of CRC implementation.

Following extensive consultation process, the plan was finalized in 2020; however, it wasn’t launched officially at the time , due to the overall situation in the country .As a result of the multi-layered crisis, the number of girls being married off is increasing and the momentum to launch Plan has been reinstated.

The plan aims at creating greater cross sectoral collaboration to effectively address the intersections between safety/protection, material/economic, and social/religious drivers for child marriage and reinforce positive social norms that promote marriage within the context of full consent from two adults.

Based on a request from MoSA made early in 2023, UNICEF will work on editing the Arabic version of the plan, adding updated information collected in 2021/2022 on the drivers of the harmful practice, the impact of the multi-layered crisis on girls and current challenges they face to access services, while editing the Arabic version to make it easier for reader and more concise.

Specifically, the incumbent will undertake:

1. Desk review to add all the recent data, reports, new trends, related to child marriage and new emerging risks on adolescent girls identified during the last three years (i.e.: IPSOS study, CEFM report, recent data from GBV IMS ,GBV sector reports , study on the impact of Bakkir series …).
2. Consultation workshop and bilateral meetings with MoSA, HCC board members and UNICEF to get final feedback on the plan and how to make it more concise in general.
3. Edit and amend the Arabic version of the plan based on the findings of the desk review, and recommendations shared by HCC board members and MoSA.

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

• Education: BA in social work, law, or gender. Human rights laws, Gender, and gender-based violence related issues.
• Experience: 5 years of extensive work experience in writing policy papers, studies and guidance on women’s rights and gender related issues.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Excellent capacity to write in Arabic.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.