Organization Mission

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

Since 2018, UNICEF has supported Operation Welcome through the establishment of an Office in Boa Vista and an Outpost in Pacaraima. UNICEF Brazil currently has a permanent presence in Pacaraima, with one Child Protection and Education Assistant and one Outpost Coordinator to ensure technical coordination and management of the programmatic response. What began as an emergency response to the migration influx evolved into a strong partnership with local authorities, particularly focused on strengthening public policies for children, combining humanitarian action with long-term municipal development.
UNICEF’s response in the context of the migration emergency prioritizes ensuring access to essential and life-saving services for vulnerable children and adolescents, including child protection, education, health and nutrition, water and sanitation. The organization strengthens the capacity of government institutions, non-governmental organizations, and community actors to adequately assist children on the move and their families, while also advocating for the rights and participation of children and women.
Migrant and refugee children and families face significant barriers to regularizing their immigration status, limiting their access to social protection, healthcare, education, early childhood development, sustainable livelihoods, and protection services. The lack of comprehensive migration policies in host countries increases risks of discrimination, violence, family separation, xenophobia, exploitation, and abuse.
Through its Child Protection Programme, UNICEF has provided psychosocial support to thousands of children and enabled the identification and referral of hundreds of cases of violence, abuse, and neglect. Since 2019, UNICEF has maintained a dedicated response for unaccompanied and separated children in Roraima, ensuring case management, access to documentation, family reunification, alternative care, life skills initiatives, and rights-based information for migrants and refugees. UNICEF also supports the strengthening of the Child and Adolescent Rights Guarantee System through technical assistance, training of frontline workers, and support to local governance mechanisms.
Through the Education Programme, UNICEF provides educational activities inside and outside shelters to support learning continuity and facilitate integration into Brazil’s formal education system. It also strengthens local education systems and promotes integrated education and protection spaces in shelters and reception centers, offering non-formal education, psychosocial support, and protection services, with culturally adapted activities for Indigenous groups.
Roraima is home to 11 Indigenous ethnic groups and receives Indigenous migrants from Venezuela. UNICEF prioritizes support to civil society organizations working with Indigenous peoples, recognizing the need for culturally specific child protection approaches. UNICEF also promotes the humanitarian-development nexus through initiatives such as the UNICEF Seal, engaging all 15 municipalities in Roraima to strengthen public policies for children and adolescents. To ensure effective coordination of Child Protection and Education activities, UNICEF will recruit a UN Volunteer Child Protection and Education Assistant based at the Pacaraima Outpost.

Key Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Field Office in Roraima, the overall guidance of the Outpost Field Coordinator, together with the technical supervision of the Boa Vista Education and Child Protection Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
Support and assist activities related to Child Protection – the Super Panas, Protection of Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC) and advocacy with local authorities” strategies in Pacaraima:
• Support the development of Child Protection sectoral program goals, objectives and strategies in Pacaraima and, together with the Education and Child Protection Officer, in Roraima.
• Ensure technical guidance to Implementing Partners decisions regarding Unaccompanied and Separated Children Case Management and Alternative Care guided by the best interests of the child and conducted in close collaboration with authorities and other stakeholders.
• Support the linkage between implementing partners, authorities and stakeholders, contributing to strengthen the local System for Guaranteeing the Rights of Children and Adolescents (SGDCA).
• Support the programmatic implementation of the Child Protection interventions in Pacaraima, considering the migration response, the Humanitarian-Development nexus and the specific needs of Indigenous Peoples.
• Together with the Outpost Coordinator in Pacaraima assist to liaise and engage with key stakeholders and partners on child protection issues and concerns.
• Extend technical support to Child Protection projects.
• Provide support to implement UNICEF Seal activities, particularly related to the Systemic Result 3.
• Support evidence generation and needs assessments related to Child Protection through research, collection, analysis and reporting on child protection.
• Assist in capacity building activities related to Child Protection and to the Humanitarian-Development nexus.
• Advocate for child protection priorities in appropriated forums.
• Support to the coordination activities of the Child Protection local Working Group and coordinate its respective Technical Table in Pacaraima.
• Any other related tasks may be required or assigned by the supervisor.Support and assist delivering Education technical support and services within the context of the humanitarian response and advocacy with local authorities” strategies in Pacaraima:
• Support the development of Education sectoral program goals, objectives and strategies in Pacaraima.
• Assist the daily monitoring of partners in the field, identifying constraints and solutions for the improvement of services.
• Support the linkage between implementing partners, authorities and stakeholders, contributing to strengthen Education public police for children on the move and living in Pacaraima.
• Support the programmatic implementation of Education interventions in Pacaraima, considering the migration response, the Humanitarian-Development nexus and the specific needs of Indigenous Peoples.
• Together with the Outpost Coordinator in Pacaraima assist to liaise and engage with key stakeholders and partners on education issues and concerns.
• Advocate for education priorities in appropriated forums.
• Assist in capacity building activities related to Education and to the Humanitarian-Development nexus.
• Support to the coordination activities of the Education local Working Group and coordinate its respective Technical Table in Pacaraima.
• Assist in the regular situation reporting of activities and in the daily monitoring of partners in the field, identifying constraints and solutions for the improvement of services.
• Provide support to implement UNICEF Seal activities, particularly related to the Systemic Result 2.
• Support evidence generation and needs assessments related to Education through research, collection, analysis and reporting on Education.
• Any other related tasks may be required or assigned by the supervisor.
Support to Pacaraima”s Outpost field coordination:
Support for institutional demands and field assistance in the various UNICEF programmatic areas to cover and report to Pacaraima Outpost Coordinator, if necessary.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day).
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country.
• Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers.
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
Results/expected outputs:
• Improved Education and Child Protection sectoral program goals, objectives and strategies implemented, contributing to strengthen public police for children on the move and living in Pacaraima, addressing emergency migration response, the Humanitarian-Development nexus and the specific needs of Indigenous Peoples.
• Quality material and knowledge products for internal and external audiences produced in a timely fashion, including for trainings.
• Adequate support provided to Child Protection and Education team.
• Capacity development and technical assistance provided, when working with governmental or non-governmental counterparts, considering specially the Humanitarian-Development nexus, Seal UNICEF and projects with Indigenous People.
• Child protection and Education priorities reflected in appropriated forums.
• Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment.
• A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in, and capacities developed.

Required Skills and Experience

• Demonstrated experience, of which one year with child protection related issues, preferably in emergency contexts.
• Background and familiarity with international human rights, children`s rights and emergency response.
• Advanced knowledge and familiarity of State and municipal governments and civil society organisations and the system of rights guarantee (SGD).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and proven ability to work with multistakeholder processes.
• Experience with indigenous population, monitoring of human rights and advocacy is an asset;
• Computer and database literacy will be an asset.

Core Competencies

UNICEF”s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS). The UNICEF competencies required and expected for this post are: Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness; Works Collaboratively with others; Builds and Maintains Partnerships; Innovates and Embraces Change; Thinks and Acts Strategically; Drive to achieve impactful results; Manages ambiguity and complexity.

Living Conditions

Pacaraima is a municipality of 19,300 people located in the northwest of the state of Roraima in Brazil. The history of the municipality of Pacaraima is linked to the demarcation of the border with Venezuela by the Brazilian Army, originating around the landmark known as BV-8, gateway to Brazil from Venezuela. The city has been the epicenter of the migration response since 2017. Most migrants/refugees enter the country via the border in the municipality of Pacaraima, where official temporary shelters and triage center, managed by the Brazilian Army (Operação Acolhida) and UNHCR.

Housing options in Pacaraima are limited and security requirements are necessary to ensure a safe place to reside. Access to health care facilities is limited in the city, making it necessary to travel to the state capital, Boa Vista.
The UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) in Brazil advises to exercise a high degree of caution in Brazil due to the high levels of serious and violent crime, especially in major cities. Violent crimes such as assaults, armed robberies, kidnappings and sexual assault are very important. All United Nations personnel must scrupulously comply with UNDSS procedures and recommendations during their assignment, both on and off duty.
For missions in rural areas or indigenous reserves, special procedures may apply; United Nations personnel should consult with the local DSS office in advance. Additional means of communication can be provided in Pacaraima.

Health
Basic health services are available and most of the specialized services are offered at the capital city, Boa Vista.
Travelers are advised to carry a supply of the necessary prescription medications. The yellow fever vaccine is mandatory, and evidence of yellow fever vaccine is required (at least ten days before the trip to the area). Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya and yellow fever are transmitted by the same mosquito, Aedes Aegypti. Preventive measures are key. The mosquito feeds mainly at dusk and dawn, indoors, in shaded areas or when the weather is cloudy. Wear long-sleeved clothing, use insect repellents, place windows with screens, keep residences cool with air conditioning and use mosquito nets.

Housing
No furnished housing available. Power cuts are frequent but short
As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging their own housing and other living essentials.

Roraima is a unique State and has a unique humanitarian operation. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment but also requires a mature level of cultural and security 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 full 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.