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UNICEF, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, works together with partners in 190 countries and territories to promote and advocate for the protection of the rights of every child.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, answers

Refugee children are particularly vulnerable. Their rights are often disregarded and systematically overlooked before, during and after their voluntary or forced return (i.e. deportation). Although unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) and accompanied children find themselves often in different scenarios, each with its own challenges. This is shown by various studies by UNICEF and UNICEF Germany.

Children's perspectives and their rights, particularly their best interests often play a subordinate role in returns decisions and processes, and the evidence base on how they affect them and how they navigate these processes is extremely limited. To ensure that their best interests play a primary role, and their rights are ensured during the return process, it is key to identify both the gaps in, and solutions to the implementation of children´s rights throughout the entire journey, including prior to, during and following return.

In this context, the German National Committee is planning to conduct a study, together with UNICEF Innocenti Global Office of Research and Foresight, on the situation of children in return processes using Germany as a case study. This research will not only shed light on the German national implementation of return processes but also assess the implications current developments at the EU level. The study will also develop and present realistic and feasible policy scenarios and recommendation, which reflect our core values and ensure the protection of children’s rights while taking into consideration the distinct politically sensitivities and polarized environment around returns. This approach makes the study highly relevant for both the German context and the broader work of the organization on behalf of children engaged in contexts of return.

How can you make a difference? 

1. Landscaping the Current German Asylum and Returns Context:
a. What is the demographic profile and key asylum and return trends in Germany, and what are the main challenges to children’s rights – particularly in the context of return - as already identified in existing literature?
b. What existing child protection services and systems are in place to support the needs and rights of children engaged in voluntary return and/or deportation in Germany, including those provided by national, UN (UNHCR, IOM, UNICEF), and civil society actors?
c. How are children´s experiences in voluntary and forced return processes described at different milestones – including whilst in Germany awaiting return, the actual return event, and longer-term efforts to reintegrate into communities of arrival? What are the main obstacles and challenges described? What can be understood about their near-term plans and aspirations?

2. Policy Analysis and Trends:
a. How do these findings apply to the CRC, German and EU legal frameworks, and recent developments such as the EU Returns Directive and the Pact on Migration and Asylum? What systematic gaps emerge across legal and practical levels, and what realistic, child-rights-based policy options could address them?
b. How do Governments cooperate on returns and how do they ensure that the rights and needs of children are considered and ensured?
c. What are the challenges and opportunities of Germany´s federal system?
d. How do current political narratives and policy trends in Germany and at the EU level shape return procedures for children, and what implications does this have for child rights advocacy?

3. Policy Recommendations:
a. What needs to be done, at policy levels, to ensure a safe return based on the CRC? What key advocacy messages should support such efforts?
b. How can lessons learned from the German case study inform broader advocacy and programming across EU member states?

If you would like to know more about this opportunity, please review the complete Terms of Reference here:  Innocenti_German Returns Study ToR EXT.pdf

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in political science, anthropology, sociology, social work, psychology, economics, public health/social policy, sociology, or relevant fields in areas of UNICEF work is required. 
• A minimum of eight years of professional research experience and defined publication record in child migration issues in the European/German context. Specific expertise on German and EU asylum and return/reintegration policies and procedures strongly desirable.
• Strong expertise in research and analysis, including mixed-methods study design, and hands-on experience in literature review and synthesis, key informant interviews, data collection, and analysis.
• Excellent communication skills experience, including in written, verbal presentation, group facilitation and convening roles.
• Experience in working on evidence generation within a UNICEF and/or International Organization context.
• Excellent coordination and programme management skills and experience, with proven record of experience and deliverables in project coordination and workflow management.
• Strong fundraising skills and experience, including familiarity with donor engagement, resource mobilization, and working with a diversity of organizational stakeholders at multiple levels.
• Professional, respectful and fully committed to maintaining ethical behaviors. 
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset. 
• Fluency in written and spoken English and German is essential. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. 

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about children’s rights and making a lasting difference on children’s lives, one of the global leading entities on children’s rights would like to hear from you.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is also proud of a diverse workforce who are profoundly committed to supporting the full realization of children’s rights, and in uplifting a rights-based approach in all that we do.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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 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.