Mission and objectives

UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children’s rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has been present in Brazil since 1950, supporting the most important changes in childhood and adolescence in the country. UNICEF participated in major immunization and breastfeeding campaigns; the mobilization that resulted in the approval of Article 227 of the Federal Constitution and the drafting of the Child and Adolescent Statute; the movement for universal access to education; programmes to combat child labour; among other great advances in guaranteeing the rights of Brazilian girls and boys. In recent decades, Brazil has promoted a strong process of inclusion of children and adolescents in public policies. However, a significant portion of the population remains excluded. Therefore, in its cooperation programme with the Brazilian Government for the period 2024-2028, UNICEF focuses its efforts on the most vulnerable and excluded girls and boys, with a special focus on children and adolescents who are victims of extreme forms of violence. These children and adolescents in situations of greater vulnerability are spread throughout Brazil, but they are more concentrated in the Amazon, in the Northeast and in large urban centers. Through the UNICEF Seal, UNICEF promotes commitments to guarantee the rights of children and adolescents in the Northeast and in the Amazon regions in Brazil. In large cities, UNICEF works with a focus on reducing intra-municipal inequalities, through the #AgendaCidadeUNICEF.

Context

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has a significant presence in Brazil, with nine nationwide offices. In 2024, UNICEF launched a new Country Program focused on strengthening access to education and opportunities for young people. One of the main objectives of this program is to establish the “One Million Opportunities” (1MiO) initiative as a strategic program within the education sector, fostering access to the job market, professional training, and educational inclusion for Brazilian adolescents and young people in vulnerable situations. The initiative aims to collaborate with companies, governments, and civil society organizations to offer development and job market entry opportunities, helping to reduce school dropout rates and prepare youth for the future. Looking ahead, the United Nations (UN) has launched a cultural shift with its 2.0 Common Agenda. It is focused on equipping young people with twenty-first-century skills and powered by an innovative framework known as the Quintet of Change. To realize its 2.0 Agenda, UN agencies must cultivate a forward-thinking culture that applies advanced skills for a broader system impact through five pillars: behavioral science to encourage better decision-making, digital impact fluency, scalable innovation, effective data ecosystems, and strategic foresight to navigate uncertainty. In response to this cultural shift, UNICEF is adapting its strategies accordingly. This assignment will support program implementation in education and youth mobilization and contribute to activities under the One Million Opportunities (1 Milhão de Oportunidades—1MiO) initiative, UNICEF’s strategy to foster a positive transition from school to work and promote the socio-productive inclusion of adolescents and young people. The UN Volunteer will join the Program Section of the National Office, working closely with the national team of Goal Area 02. A mindset attuned to implementing the UN 2.0 Quintet of Change is essential among the required skills. The UN Volunteer will support and adapt the 1MiO’s communication culture to achieve digital impact through behavioral science, innovative solutions, and strategic foresight.

Task Description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Chief of Education or her designated mandated representative(s), and in close collaboration with the national Goal Area 02, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following functions: Activities: The UN Volunteer supports and drives communication and youth mobilization activities across the 1MiO implementation territory. This includes aligning activities with the goals of the 1 Million Opportunities initiative, developing region-specific strategies in collaboration with local teams to boost 1MiO’s communication impact and young people participation in community development. The UN Volunteer will provide technical support for the implementation of the 1MiO project across its various territories, assisting partners responsible for direct implementation and monitoring programmatic needs. This role may involve task management, team leadership, communication, task delegation, and stakeholder relationship management skills. The UN Volunteer will support relationship-building with the different implementation partners in municipalities, states, and communication agencies within UNICEF Offices. The UN Volunteer will facilitate relationship-building with relevant non-governmental actors in the national territory, including civil society organizations, community leaders, youth-led groups, and young activists, in close coordination with the 1MiO team. Provide support for Youth Mobilization Activities by 1MiO within the UNICEF Seal, #AgendaCidadeUNICEF strategy, civil society organizations and state government partnerships;

Competencies and values

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. • The UNICEF competencies required for this post are… • Professionalism • Integrity • Teamwork and respect for diversity • Commitment to continuous learning • Communication • Flexibility • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance, and commitment towards UNICEF’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values

Living conditions and remarks

The municipality of São Paulo will be the duty station for this UNV assignment. São Paulo is the most populous city in Brazil, with more than 12,4 million people. It is a place marked by inequalities, mixing rich and poor areas. São Paulo is vibrant city, with numerous cultural institutions and a rich architecture. The UNICEF office in São Paulo is in the neighbourhood of Vila Clementino, next to the AACD metro station, several restaurants and Congonhas airport. It is generally an expensive city to live in São Paulo, but it offers different housing options depending on the region chosen. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging their own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. United Nations Department of Safety and Security UNDSS Brazil advises to exercise a high degree of caution in Brazil due to high levels of serious and violent crime, particularly in major cities. Violent crime as muggings, armed robbery, kidnappings, and sexual assault, is very high. Avoid shanty towns (favelas) in the big cities and if you are attacked or robbed, do not resist. Demonstrations can occur at any time and may turn violent with little or no warning. All United Nations personnel must scrupulously comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment in Brazil. For missions in rural areas or indigenous reservations, special procedures may apply; UN personnel should consult with the local DSS office in advance. São Paulo is a unique city and it provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential. Information on entitlements at the duty station is available at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos. https://www.unv.org/

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements