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,

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, advocacy, and operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

UNICEF Tajikistan Country Office (TCO) is seeking a national consultant to manage, coordinate and provide technical support in operationalizing key priorities of Child Rights Monitoring (CRM) interventions under the CPD 2023-2026 in light of the ECAR CRM Framework. Within the 2023-2026 Country programme of cooperation, the CRM is framed within the Governance and Inclusion programme (Social Policy and CRM Section). The Governance and Inclusion outcome is aimed at strengthening the inclusive governance systems ensuring evidence-based planning, budgeting, implementation of social policies and monitoring of child rights in line with CRC and nationalized Sustainable Development Goal commitments.
To strengthen the child rights monitoring system, UNICEF is enhancing partnerships with national and subnational child rights institutions to enable them to monitor and report progress towards the realization of child rights and Sustainable Development Goal commitments for children. Realizing children's rights requires strengthening evidence-based systems and data analysis with additional disaggregation to highlight underlying vulnerabilities and ensuring that the government and development partners use this analysis to formulate medium- to long-term response. The key priorities set under the two-year workplans with key counterparts are highlighted below:

Strengthening of CRC Coordination and Oversight: This involves support in developing/enhancing a monitoring mechanism(s) to monitor progress related to human rights instruments such as CRC concluding observations and promoting child participation in CRM activities.
Situation Analysis of Children (SitAn): This encompasses development of a comprehensive situational analysis for children and adolescents, updating/refining a factsheets and digital version of the SitAn, and establishing an integrated child data portal.
SDG monitoring, alignment, and reporting: This entails providing support to strengthen national capacity in monitoring progress in child related SDGs and national evaluation capacity development to generate data and evidence for informed policy making.
Child-centric Survey MICS-7: Carrying out advocacy, planning and capacity building of relevant stakeholders particularly Taj Statistics and MEDT for exploring MICS-7 to fill data gaps in the country.
National Household Surveys (such as DHS, LFS): This involves engaging with Taj Statistics and other relevant stakeholders to support planning, integration of child related questions and modules and secondary data analysis and dissemination survey results related to children.
Sector-Specific Data and MISs: Contribute to enhancing sectoral data quality, refining administrative data, fostering cross-sectoral data collaboration, and supporting interoperability between sectoral Management Information Systems.

How can you make a difference? 

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following tasks under the direct supervision of the section chief and technical guidance of the ECA regional office:

DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

Duration: 60 working days between May - August 2025
Supervisor: SPCRM section chief, UNICEF Tajikistan

1. Strengthening child rights monitoring systems.
a. Implement activities as per signed workplan with the relevant government partner including the support and or arrangement of capacity development sessions at the interagency working groups of the National Development Council and in UNICEF-supported evaluations.
b. Maintain partnerships with relevant child rights institutions and civil society to strengthen the existing independent monitoring systems and processes so that reliable and disaggregated data and analysis on the situation of disadvantaged and excluded are available to, and used by, decision-makers in the development child-related policies and programmes.
c. Coordinate the cross-sectional implementation of the Strategy note on strengthening the national child rights monitoring system and mechanisms.

Conduct a rapid review of existing policies and regulations that govern climate-related health responses, identifying any gaps relevant to implementing SOPs effectively.

• Perform a quick mapping of existing health and social services relevant to heat/cold/dust-storm response to ensure that SOPs align with on-the-ground capacities.

• In consultation with MoHSPP, draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that link the Ministry, Hydromet, and the Committee of Emergency Situations.

• Outline clear roles and timelines for early alerts, data sharing, and integrated response.

• Integrate additional guidance for sand/dust storms and cold waves so it can be appended to the existing Heatwave Action Plan (2024–2026).

 

4. Workshops & Capacity Building

• Develop at least one standardized training module (half-day or one-day) on climate-related health risks for maternal/child health workers, including content on facility-based measures (ventilation, safe ward conditions, hydration).

• Coordinate with relevant medical education centers (e.g., Republican Family Medicine Center, Tajik State Medical University, Postgraduate Medical Institute, Republican medical college) for possible integration of these materials into pre-service or in-service curricula.

The detailed TOR with concrete deliverables and timeline is at the following link.  ToR_Consultancy_CRM_2025_final.docx

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

• Education: Bachelors’ university degree in data science, computer science or statistics.
• Work experience: Relevant recent professional work experience in child rights monitoring and data work.
• Strong literature review and analytical skills to compile and consolidate various inputs and data. Excellent data compilation and skills, practical skills of using Excel and visualization software
• Previous experience with UNICEF or another UN organisation is a strong advantage.
• Communication and interpersonal skills for interacting with government stakeholders across sectors
• Languages: Fluency in English, Tajik and Russian

Qualified candidates are requested to submit:

• CV and completed EOI (Annex 2 at the link below) 
• Technical proposal describing approach/methodology to achieve the tasks of the TOR, workplan with concrete timeframes
• Financial proposal in TJS-all inclusive, indicting fee per day (Annex 3 to be completed). Annex 3 at the link 
• Contact of three references.
• Applications without technical and financial proposals will not be considered.

Applications must be received in the system by 14 May 2025 on UNICEF website.

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. At 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.