External Outreach to Child Protection and Gender Based Violence Specialists for UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Region (RRM Roster) at UNICEF

Purpose of Position

The purpose of this external announcement is to attract suitable Child Protection and Gender Based Violence Specialists in emergencies from outside the organization for inclusion in UNICEF's Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) roster for the Eastern and Southern Africa region. The purpose of the RRM roster is to ensure that the region’s emergency staffing response is in line with the organization's strategic goals, to support emergency preparedness and response through a predictable and coordinated approach to emergencies. This is not a regular vacancy announcement but rather a call for surge personnel with emergency child protection and gender based violence experience interested in short term assignments with UNICEF.  Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee any future contractual relations with UNICEF.

This announcement is targeting candidates outside of UNICEF with interest in working in any of the countries within UNICEF's Eastern and Southern Africa region for the next 18 months. 

The roster serves as an intermediate between consultants interested in working on UNICEF consultancy/TA assignments, and Regional Office/Country Offices seeking support. It is a list of vetted individuals that are viewable by the Regional Office and Country Offices that are looking for consultants/TAs who can help them in specific assignments, missions or projects.

We are currently looking for Child Protection and Gender Based Violence Specialists in the following areas; 

• Child Protection Communication, Advocacy and Fundraising
• Child Protection Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
• Child Protection Rapid Assessment
• Preparedness and child protection systems in emergencies
• Child Protection/GBV/MRM Information Management Systems
• Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism of grave violations
• Child Recruitment, Release and Reintegration
• Children on the move
• Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention, response, risk mitigation
• Justice/Rule of Law
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), including community-based child protection
• Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC)  
• Mine actions and weapons
• Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Key Expected Results

• In consultation with other CP partners, and government if appropriate, provide leadership for the establishment of child protection coordination structures for the response to the emergency.
• Support conduct of a rapid child protection and/or gender-based violence assessment, together with partners in the child protection sub-cluster and/or GBV and protection cluster using agreed inter-agency assessment tools. Where the cluster system is not activated, UNICEF should lead this assessment.
• Support strategies and mechanisms to scale up the child protection and gender-based violence response to the emergency, including addressing as relevant: family separation, gender-based violence response and risk mitigation, child recruitment and use by armed forces or armed groups, trafficking, the mental health and well-being of children and their families, mine action, arbitrary/illegal arrest and detention of children, other protection concerns for children, etc.
• Provide technical support and assistance to UNICEF child protection and gender-based violence staff and partners, including government and NGOs, to scale up the child protection and GBV components of emergency response programmes, including development or amendment of projects and partnerships.
• Contribute to the identification of opportunities to work with other sectors to strengthen overall protection for children and women by integrating protection activities within their emergency response programmes.
• Monitor the trends and emerging evidence of child protection concerns and the response by Government, and analyze this information to advise on the child protection response.
• Represent UNICEF Child Protection in humanitarian-related meetings, as required.
• Contribute to raising awareness on child protection concerns and UNICEF’s response thereto through relevant humanitarian, media and communication outlets, as appropriate.
• Contribute to providing inputs on child protection concerns and UNICEF’s response thereto in all UNICEF, inter-agency and government planning and reporting processes.  

Qualifications of Successful Candidates

• An advanced university degree in international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law and other social science field is required.  
• A minimum of 5 years of progressive professional work experience in social development planning and management in child protection, gender-based violence and/other related areas at the international level some of which preferably were served in a developing country is required.
• At least two (2) years of substantive relevant experience dealing with child protection and gender based violence in emergencies is required.
• Relevant experience in child protection, gender-based violence and related areas, program/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese is an asset.

The UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Region Country Offices are located in the following countries: Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.