Details
Mission and objectives
UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children. UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and development of children are universal development imperatives that are integral to human progress. UNICEF mobilizes political will and material resources to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a "first call for children" and to build their capacity to form appropriate policies and deliver services for children and their families. UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children – victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation, and those with disabilities. UNICEF responds in emergencies to protect the rights of children. In coordination with United Nations partners and humanitarian agencies, UNICEF makes its unique facilities for rapid response available to its partners to relieve the suffering of children and those who provide their care. UNICEF is non-partisan and its cooperation is free of discrimination. In everything it does, the most disadvantaged children and the countries in greatest need have priority. UNICEF aims, through its country programmes, to promote the equal rights of women and girls and to support their full participation in the political, social and economic development of their communities. UNICEF works with all its partners towards the attainment of the sustainable human development goals adopted by the world community and the realization of the vision of peace and social progress enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
Context
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. UNICEF works with other United Nations agencies to make sure that children are on the global agenda. UNICEF strikes a balance between thorough research and practical solutions for children. UNICEF has been supporting Ministry of Social Welfare and Department of Social Services in Bangladesh for Social Service Workforce development and establishing child sensitive social protection mechanism. The organization is going to put more resources with Bangladesh government for social service workforce development considering the huge child population which is close to 60 million and the number of children needing care and protection. In the country around 15 million children live in city slums and 500,000 to 2 million children live in the street. The country has only 3454 reported government social service workforce staffs and the ratio of worker per 100,000 child population is 6.07. UNICEF has Child Sensitive Social Protection project with Ministry of Social Welfare which is running it’s second phase since 2017 and will continue until 2024 with intensifying focus on strengthening the social service workforce and alternative care.
Task description
The UN Volunteer will work under the supervision of Child Protection Specialist. The key functions are as follows. 1. Assist in roll out Social Service Workforce development initiative. 2. Assist in review and updating the Social Service Workforce development curriculums in the country. 3. Assist in developing normative framework for Social Service workforce in Bangladesh and developing accreditation system 4. Assist National Social Service Training Academy of Department of Social Services to upgrade Basic and Professional Social Service Training (BSST and PSST) into certified course 5. Assist in initiating Masters/Executive Course or Certificate Course on child protection social work with public and private University in the country. 6. Work closely with consultants and provide them technical support. Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to: • 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 in-stance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities. • 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. Results/Expected Outputs: 1. 308 Social Workers and Probation Officers are trained. 2. Social Service Workforce development curriculums is reviewed and updated. 3. Normative framework and accreditation mechanism for Social Service workforce is developed. 4. National Social Service Training Academy of Department of Social Services upgraded Basic and Professional Social Service Training (BSST and PSST) into certified course 5. Masters/Executive Course or Certificate Course on child protection social work is initiated with at least one public. 6. Ensure children with disability project implemented and monitored regularly. 7. Data assurance and collective qualitative information on social work force from CSO, Gov and consultants.