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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. 

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Consultancy Title: Consultant to support to Human Rights Framework for Action implementation

Section/Division/Duty Station: Human Rights, Programme Group, UNICEF NYHQ

Duration: 3 March 2025 to 31 August 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ / Remote

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

The purpose of the assignment is to support the acceleration of the implementation of several work streams of the Framework for Action  – Child Rights at UNICEF’s Core – developed following the Global Leadership Meeting decision to reinvigorate UNICEF’s child rights leadership and to make child rights the core of all UNICEF actions. Specifically, the consultant will support the following elements of the Framework by:

1. Building the knowledge and capacity on child rights across the organization, at all levels and across roles;
2. Strengthening of programmatic entry points, including the development of programme resources on children’s civil and political rights;
3. Supporting the Committee on the Rights of the Child in developing a General Comment on children’s access to justice and right to remedy;
4. Nurturing UNICEF’s partner-of-choice relationship with the Committee on the Rights of the Child. 

Scope of Work:

1.      Support the development of the two following tools:

1.1.   Online resource on civil and political rights: The selected candidate will compile and analyze recommendations from international and regional human rights mechanisms; identify and compile existing guidance and tools; suggest and support the preparation of additional assets such as video messages from children and experts; identify and collect examples of relevant UNICEF interventions, as well as good practice from other actors; support the development of case studies; support the uploading and visual formatting of the material online, as necessary.

1.2.   Child rights learning project: The selected candidate will support the collection of case studies and good practice examples from UNICEF country offices; support other tasks as relevant, in cooperation with the instructional designer. 

2.      Support the preparation of the two following meetings:

2.1.   A consultation meeting to inform General Comment 27 from the Committee on the Rights of the Child (April 2025): The selected candidate will assist with the preparation of supporting documents, including the participant list; prepare correspondence with participants; support logistical arrangements; take notes during the meeting.

2.2.   The Biennial meeting between the Committee on the Rights of the Child and UNICEF senior management (May 2025):   The selected candidate will assist with  the preparation of supporting documents; completion of the  logistical arrangements; and take notes during the meeting. This activity will include travel to Geneva for the Biennial meeting and a preparatory internal meeting.

3. Support the development of UNICEF resources in relation to LGBTIQ+ children

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

GC27 consultation meeting. GC27 Consultation meeting is prepared and conducted by assisting with:

• The preparation of the supporting documents, including the participant list;
• Preparing correspondents with the participants;
• The logistical arrangements for the meeting;
• Taking the minutes of the meeting (30 April 2025)

CRC/UNICEF Biennial meeting. The CRC/UNICEF Biennial Meeting is prepared and conducted by assisting with:

• The preparation of supporting documents;
• The logistical arrangements for the meeting;
• Taking the minutes of the meeting (31 May 2025)

Online resource on civil and political rights. Produce a document after compiling and analyzing the recommendations by human rights mechanisms;

• Create a list of existing resources;
• Create a list of examples of UNICEF interventions;
• Develop at least 5 case studies (30 June 2025)

Child rights learning project

• Collection of at least 5 case studies and documentation of at least 5 UNICEF good practice examples from UNICEF country offices (31 July 2025)

LGBTIQ+ resource

• Develop 5 programme sectors tip sheets (31 August 2025)

Qualifications

Education: 

Advanced university degree (Masters) in the area of human rights, international affairs or related field.

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *: 

• A minimum of 2 years of experience in the field of human rights.
• Experience with international human rights mechanisms.
• Experience in working with the Committee on the Rights of the Child. 
• Experience in working with UNICEF.
• Field experience would be an asset.
• Excellent written and spoken communication and analytical skills.
• Fluency in English and French.
• Available for the specified duration period.

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

- Upload copy of academic credentials

- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

• • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability

- Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

- At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

- Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Consultants 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.