OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate cross-cultural understanding. The Organization comprises 194 Member States and 12 Associate Members and employs over 2,300 staff members from 170+ nationalities at its Headquarters and 54 field offices worldwide.

This position is located in UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS), which strives to accomplish a fundamental humanist mission by enhancing efforts against violence, racism and discrimination, combatting gender stereotypes, deploying the power of sports for social inclusion, promoting intercultural dialogue and supporting youth, women and people with disabilities. SHS collaborates with Member States to protect scientists and trust in science through UNESCO’s 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers and enhance the science-policy nexus particularly on major trends including climate, digital and inequalities.

SHS also focuses on fostering inclusive societies and ensuring the ethical development of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), in line with UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. This global standard aims to harness the benefits of AI while mitigating its inherent risks. Establishing effective AI governance is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, prompting countries worldwide to implement the Recommendation. UNESCO is actively supporting these efforts through targeted capacity-building initiatives, empowering nations to navigate the complexities of AI with confidence and responsibility.

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences (ADG/SHS) and the Director for Social Policies, and direct supervision of the UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Programme Manager, the consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

• Convene, coordinate, and participate in meetings with the Youth Violence Expert Group.
• Conduct a systematic review on youth violence.
• Support in design, facilitation coordination, and implementation of MOST Schools / Futures Labs in selected countries.
• Draft a global report on youth violence with policy recommendations:
• Organize sounding board conference.
• Support the organization of the global report launch event.
• Organization of an event to present findings and key policy recommendations during the 43rd UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in November 2025.
• Develop a comprehensive methodology for diagnosing and addressing youth violence.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in the field of Economics or related Social Sciences, Public Policy, Youth Studies, or related fields.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• At least 5 years of experience in research on youth violence, community development, or social policies related to inclusion and support to marginalized groups.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing international projects.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate participatory and intergenerational workshops.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Knowledge of foresight approaches and strategic planning.
• Ability to articulate findings in clear and actionable reports.

LANGUAGES

• Excellent knowledge of English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Advanced university degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in the relevant field of Economics or related Social Sciences, Public Policy, Youth Studies, or related fields.

LANGUAGES

• Knowledge of another official language of UNESCO will be an asset (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).