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Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

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For every child, Hope

UNICEF MENA RO is actively looking for a consultant to support on the coordination of the Regional Action Forum to End Child Marriage, thus serving as the driving engine that would ensure the forum’s sustainability and effectiveness. This includes leading on key deliverables related to the functioning of the forum, in collaboration with UNICEF & UNFPA RAF focal points.

The Regional Action Forum to End Child Marriage (formerly the Regional Accountability Framework for Action on Ending Child Marriage) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)/Arab States region (RAF) was set up in 2018. The RAF was developed at a crucial time using the recommendations and findings from the multi-country Regional Study on Child Marriage in the Middle East and North Africa launched by UNICEF in 2017, as well as consultations with UNFPA and UNICEF country offices and external partners, including the UN, civil society, donors, and universities undertaken online and face-to-face in Amman and Cairo.

The RAF includes a commitment by development and humanitarian partners to work together to end child marriage in the MENA region in line with the ongoing UN reform. Furthermore, child marriage is now firmly part of the global development agenda, which will require member states to report progress to address the growing prevalence of child marriage in the region. This Framework sets out a plan of action to support countries to meet their accountabilities with respect to the elimination of child marriage.

The objectives of the RAF are:

• To coordinate among different organizations in the region on programmatic interventions to address different layers of child marriage.
• To share knowledge and strengthen evidence to action on child marriage and related issues.
• To jointly advocate on addressing drivers of child marriage and related marginalization.
• RAF priority areas include girl’s empowerment; promotion of positive practices among families, communities and thought leaders; service delivery and systems strengthening; legal, policy environment and fiscal space; data and evidence generation.

How can you make a difference?

The consultant will be responsible of leading coordination efforts related to the Regional Action Forum to End Child Marriage, this will include:

1. Fostering collaboration across RAF members on the development and finalization of a new Workplan for the year 2025.

(This involves liaising with the different actors involved in the process, organizing logistics where needed and lead on and coordination efforts required to finalized and complete the workplan.

2. Organizing regular collaborative meetings among involved actors, mainly the yearly meeting to kickstart preparations for the year 2025.
3. Support and lead on the organization of webinars, educational activities, and events on Child Marriage with the aim of strengthening actors’ capacity on implementing CM programmes.
4. Support and lead on where needed, the development of communication and educational content on child marriage with the aim of increasing actors’ exposure to different initiatives happening at regional level and promoting robust approaches to address Child Marriage.
5. Lead on the development and finalization of the RAF’s website, in addition to its launch and roll out across actors for their utilization.
6. Support the dissemination plans of reports developed and produced by UNICEF/ UNFPA and be involved on engagement plans intended to involve actors and CO(s);
7. Consolidate and develop where needed briefing notes, concept notes, reports or any relevant documents required to ensure adequate functioning of the Forum and the commitment to its endorsed action plan.
8. Develop and roll out a newsletter periodically.
9. Support and Lead on the development of advocacy campaigns to mark international days and support the strengthening of the CM prevention and response agenda in the region.

The consultant is expected to ensure all deliverables are properly coordinated with UNICEF & UNFPA harmful practices focal points. The work mentioned above requires the consultant’s active involvement and support based on a strict timeline set by UNICEF and relevant actors.

The full list of deliverables can be accessed in this PDF document:  Vacancy Announcement – Consultancy – RAF Coordinator (MENARO).pdf

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

Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in international relations, Conflict studies, Gender studies, Social Studies, or related fields.

Work Experience: A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in child protection/child rights and/or child marriage programming, including in humanitarian contexts.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Desirables:

• Strong knowledge of International Organizations Work.
• Liaison and Coordination skills.
• Strong background & experience in working on Child marriage and coordinating efforts related to Child Marriage Programmes.
• Strong networking and communication skills.
• Strong knowledge of the MENA Region spectrum.
• Experience at the Regional level.
• Experience on leading regional forums, coordinating with large group of actors on humanitarian issues.
• Background in working on websites, development of advocacy and educational tools related to Child Marriage (including events, webinars, videos, etc)
• Previous experience in working with UN agencies on similar consultancies is a plus.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.

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 committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements