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, Quality Education!

Eritrea has a long-standing collaboration with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). In 2021, GPE renewed its support to Eritrea in achieving education priorities by ensuring access to the System Capacity Grant (SCG), the Girls’ Education Accelerator (GEA), and the System Transformation Grant (STG). The SCG will provide support for system-wide capacity strengthening, while the STG aims to support countries in achieving system transformation through focused and evidence-based investments to address system challenges. The GEA will complement the STG to ensure girls’ education and gender equity are strengthened throughout the transformation process.

In February 2023, the Ministry of Education (MOE) embarked on the first step of the GPE Compact development process and finalized the Enabling Factors Analysis (EFA) for systemic transformation. This analysis identified key areas requiring improvement to accelerate the system transformation agenda, including data and evidence, gender-responsive sector planning and monitoring, sector coordination, and domestic financing. As part of this process, the overarching priority policy area was identified as Quality Learning for all Girls and Boys in Eritrea. This policy priority area also highlights the importance of addressing barriers to girls’ education at a system level through evidence-based interventions. These interventions include implementing affirmative actions to enhance girls’ participation, retention, and transition to secondary education, mobilizing communities and engaging stakeholders to support girls’ education, improving school infrastructure to be fit for girls, promoting females into leadership positions within the sector, and empowering female teachers and girls to serve as role models.

It is against this background that UNICEF seeks to hire an expert who will provide technical assistance and guidance for the development of the Girls’ Education Accelerator (GEA) country program document.2.

How can you make a difference?

Lead the Development of a Comprehensive Theory of Change: Identify and analyze barriers and solutions to girls’ education in Eritrea. Formulate evidence-based, scalable interventions to guide the creation of a detailed program outline.

Develop a Comprehensive Program Outline and Country-Specific Document: Create a detailed program outline and country-specific document based on evidence-based and scalable interventions.

The specific objectives of this assignment are to:

• Conduct a Desk Review of Pertinent Documents: Evaluate existing literature and reports to identify key barriers and opportunities for improving girls’ education and women empowerment in Eritrea.
• Develop a Theory of Change: Create a detailed theory of change that outlines the pathways to achieving improved educational outcomes for girls and empowering women, based on identified barriers and solutions.
• Formulate Evidence-Based Interventions: Design scalable and evidence-based interventions that address the identified barriers to girls’ education and women empowerment.
• Create a Detailed Program Outline: Develop a comprehensive program outline that incorporates the theory of change and proposed interventions.
• Draft a Country-Specific Program Document: Prepare a detailed country-specific document that outlines the program’s objectives, strategies, and implementation plan.
• Promote Women Empowerment: Develop initiatives that support women’s leadership, economic opportunities, and participation in decision-making processes within the education sector and beyond.
• To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
• Advanced university degree in Education or related social sciences from a recognized institution
• Minimum of eight years of relevant work experience, preferably at national and international levels, including in programmes that promote Gender equity, women empowerment and  quality learning.
• Demonstrated experience in strategy development for government and/or international development organizations in the social sector.
• Professional experience working in the education sector is required.
• Fluency in English is a must.

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. AtIn 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.

Interested and suitable candidates are invited to apply for the consultancy assignment on or before 24 October 2024. Candidates should duly complete the online application, upload and technical and financial proposals

NB: Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.