Organization: UN Children's Fund
Country: Niger
Closing date:
06 Feb 2019UNICEF 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. And we never give up.
For Every Child, hope
Niger is a sparsely populated landlocked country at the heart of the turbulent Sahel region with a population of 20.65 million in 2017[1] and a land area of 1.27 million km2. Despite the efforts invested in recent decades in Niger, almost all children aged 0-23 months (99.3%) are deprived of at least one of the five essential dimensions of child well-being (housing, sanitation, health, nutrition, water). Despite some progress in school enrollment, girls continue to perform poorly in terms of completing primary education (26% vs. 41.4% for boys) and secondary education (6%). 2% against 15%). The average age of marriage for women and girls in Niger is 15 years, and 40 per cent of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 have already given birth or are pregnant. Niger is also facing a deteriorating geopolitical and economic context in the Sahelo-Saharan region due to activities on non-state armed groups at its borders with Burkina faso, Mali and Nigeria.Niger is also a transit country for migrants travelling within Africa, and in smaller numbers, towards Europe. Approximately 60% of all migrants arriving in Europe are from West Africa, the majority of them undertaking this perilous journey to Europe transit through Niger before reaching Libya and then Europe via the Mediterranean Sea.
According to IOM, as of June 2018, about 679,897 migrants have been identified in Libya including 54,392 children. 33% of these children are unaccompanied. During the journey, children often spend long periods in transit which limits enormously their access to education, health and other basic social services and exposes them to more exploitation, violence and abuse.
UNICEF Niger seeks to reinforce the response to children on the move in line with the six policy asks on migration and displacement and the recent Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
How can you make a difference?
The Child Protection Specialist will provide support to the child protection section in the planning, the implementation and the monitoring of the intervention regarding children on the move issues in respect of the Child protection standards. The Child Protection Specialist is responsible for providing technical support to field offices for the response to children on the move in close collaboration with the other sectors, mainly Education.
Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks
Under the direct supervision of the Chief, Child protection and in close cooperation with the Child Protection Specialist (Systems strengthening), he/she will perform the following:
1. Support to program/project development and planning
Prepare a road map of the interventions on children on the move in close collaboration with the field based Child protection colleagues and other sectors.Work with the Child protection section team to ensure good integration of the interventions regarding children on the move in the strategic direction of the programme contributing to strengthen child protection system.Work in close collaboration with field based Child Protection colleagues and other sectors and partners. to discuss strategies and methodologies to ensure the achievement of planned results.Participate in strategic assessments, situation analysis, program discussion on the child protection programs/projects particularly on children on the move.Coordinate work progress monitoring and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and report to the Chief Child Protection on critical issues.2. Program management, monitoring and delivery of results
Establish monitoring benchmarks, indicators to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of sustainable results for children on the move within the child protection programs.Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required actions to achieve results.Monitor the activities related to children on the move through field visits, exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify and addressed bottlenecks and /or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.Prepare timely annual and donors reports on children on the move and others documentation required by the management3. Technical and operational support to program implementation
Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts and UNICEF field colleagues to implement the interventions and delivery of results in accordance with the work plans and agreements with the donors.Support and monitor the disbursement of the funds to the implementing partners and the timely liquidation of the Fund as per UNICEF financial and administrative procedures.Undertake field missions and programmatic visits to follow up on quality execution of the interventions with regard to child protection programme with the focus on children on the move.Maintain regularly communication with relevant colleagues at the Country Office and regional levels and keep the Chief of Child protection informed.Participate to dialogue frameworks on migration, maintain regular communication/exchange with the partners involved and ensure timely follow-up on agreed action points.Contribute to the policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials on children on the move for management use, information.4. Networking and partnership building
Sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders, other partners and donors through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to strengthen collaboration to achieve sustainable results in child protection/children on the move.Contribute to UNICEF advocacy strategy on child protection/ children on the move through the preparation of communication and information materials for Country Office to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for child protection programsSupport UNICEF role in strengthening and improving strategic partnerships in child protection to respond to the migration crisis.Represent UNICEF in inter-agency discussions and other forums on migration to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the process in development planning and agenda setting.5. Capacity building, knowledge management and Innovation
Contribute to introduce innovative approaches and good practice to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable results on children on the move.Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure efficiency and efficacy of sustainable interventions for children on the move.Assist in the development of the training and communication tools in close collaboration with relevant partners and other UNICEF sectors.Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of the stakeholders and UNICEF field based colleagues to promote sustainable results in child protection/children on the move.Support coordination between targeted regions in the country including information sharing and case management on children on the move.To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…
Advanced University degree in social sciences, law, international relations, or related field.Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in child protection, experience in migration and child protection in emergency is desirable.Fluency in French required; Working knowledge in English.Skilled in team work and quickly adapt to new environment.For every Child, you demonstrate…
Core Values
CommitmentDiversity and InclusionIntegrityCore Competencies
CommunicationWorking with PeopleDrive for ResultsFunctional Competencies
AnalyzingRelating and NetworkingDeciding and Initiating ActionApplying Technical ExpertiseView UNICEF competency framework at
http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
[1] Based of projection of National Bureau of Statistics
How to apply:UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=519414