UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

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

And we never give up.

For every child, answers

UNICEF Innocenti (Innocenti) is UNICEF’s global office of research and foresight, and works closely
with researchers, governments, practitioners and other partners in 190 countries and territories.
Innocenti’s overall aim is to contribute to more effective and sustainable outcomes for children,
including their rights and protection. The Office generates research, knowledge and analysis on
children’s rights and well-being globally, for UNICEF, partners, and the wider international
development and donor community. Its activities help to identify key challenges for child rights, as
well as effective solutions and responses, working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders
to inform policy, guide practice and strengthen results from investments.The position reports to the                                                    Snr Advisor for Ethics in Evidence Generation, who sits under the Deputy Director of Innocenti.

UNICEF Innocenti undertakes and commissions research on current issues of relevance for children                                                             to inform the strategic directions, policies and programmes of UNICEF and its partners.                                                                            The office also explores emerging issues, identifies research gaps, and brings together existing                                                      researchers to support or undertake new research, data collection and analysis to address critical questions.                                            Both UNICEF Innocenti, and the broader organisation (through the current UNICEF Strategic Plan)                                                          recognise the importance of research and other evidence generation activities in ensuring impact                                                               for children on the issues most important to them.

High quality and reliable evidence is essential in for impactful policy, advocacy and programme
work that improves the lives of children. However, it is essential that the process of obtaining that
evidence does not put children at risk of harm or undermine their rights. This means taking a
contextual and nuanced approach that supports children’s and communities rights to have their
opinions and thoughts reflected in research and evaluation activities, while reflecting on key ethical
principles across the project lifecycle – including decisions about what we collect evidence on and
from whom, the project design, the tools and methods, our safeguarding activities and plans, as
well as how we communicate and share our findings. UNICEF is committed to reflecting the highest
ethics standards in our own work, as well as supporting global dialogue on ethically involving
children in evidence activities.
The consultancy is intended to support UNICEF Innocenti’s work in exploring and identifying best
practice around emerging and challenging ethical issues. The consultant will provide research, data
collection and drafting support to 2 key discussion papers – one on ethical issues related to the
use of AI in evidence activities, and the other to update previous work on ethics of research on
children in humanitarian settings. Both papers will be developed internally through a collaboration
of the Snr Advisor in Ethics Generation and an internal expert/ reference group, supported by the
selected consultant. Further background research will also be required to support a public webinar
event and subsequent outcome document to be held/ developed early in 2025 on either
meaningful consent or mandatory reporting practices and ethical implications in research.
Research is anticipated to involve both formal and grey literature review, key informant interviews
and focus group discussions with internal or partner stakeholders, case study documentation,
evidence synthesis and drafting.

How can you make a difference?

The consultant will be required to undertake the following tasks to support each of the following
projects under the guidance of the Snr Advisor of Ethics in Evidence Generation, and in
collaboration with the internal advisory group.

Project 1: Background research and evidence synthesis for a discussion paper on Ethical
Considerations of Using AI in Evidence Generation; and

Project 2: Background research and evidence synthesis for a discussion paper on Ethical
Considerations of conducting evidence activities involving children

Tasks:
– Conduct a broad literature (of both formal and grey literature) review to identify and
synthesize existing knowledge; and tabulate results.
– Develop an interview guide, conduct and document a small (agreed) number of key
informant interviews (estimated between 5 and 8), drawing on findings from the literature
review.
– Capture 3-8 short 1-2 page case studies drawing key ethical considerations from existing
trials drawing on internal examples from across UNICEF – suitable for both internal
sharepoint use (based on a standard template) and as inputs into a discussion paper.
– Document and share referenced findings (in a clear concise manner – either as draft text/
dot points/ table on the basis of an agreed annotated outline for the report or similar
agreed format).
– Periodically Present findings to the internal working group for review and discussion.

Project 3: Background research and document support for Ethics Webinar.
– Conduct a high-level literature review to identify recent trends on key themes for the
webinar, and provide a brief summary table by theme.
– Assist in reviewing and capturing key outcomes and discussion points from the webinar to
inform development of a public outcomes document.

Methodologies and Tools
No special licenses required. Editorial access to SharePoint required.

For further information, please see the full Terms of Reference:  Terms of Reference Ethics consultancy EXT.pdf

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Applied Science, Social Sciences, Population Science, or related field (must include research, ethics and communication experience)
• A minimum of 4+ years of relevant work experience supporting research and evidence synthesis and documentation – including experience in social or applied science, child rights or ethics.
• Familiarity with core ethical principles.
• Demonstrated research and analytical skills – including complex literature reviews, qualitative
  interviews or analyses, and ability to extract and simplify complex issues for communication.
• Excellent communication skills including development of clear and concise summaries for a
  general audience, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated experience in engaging with stakeholders or partners across a broad range of disciplines.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and experience in project management, and delivering in a fast-moving environment.
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Desirable qualifications:
Experience in the preparation of ethics review submissions, ethics policy or risk analyses.
Experience working in low resource or humanitarian settings.
Experience in topics such as digital rights, AI, predictive algorithms or child rights.
Ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment; experience working in the UN or
other international development organization.

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 here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

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.