Consultancy Title: GBV Tech & Innovation Consultant
Section/Division/Duty Station: Programme Group, Child Protection Team
Duration: Estimated 15 February 2026 to 31 December 2026
Home/ Office Based: 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 fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does - in programs, in advocacy, and in 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.
Related to this mission, UNICEF is directly involved in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in some of the world’s most intense and complex conflicts and disasters. GBV in its various forms constitutes a global crisis which undermines social and economic progress; as one of the world’s greatest human rights violations, GBV must be addressed to ensure universal rights and principles with regard to equality, security, liberty, integrity and dignity of human beings. Preventing and responding to gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE) is recognized as a life-saving measure and an essential component of humanitarian action. UNICEF has made GBViE (prevention, risk mitigation and response) one of its targeted priorities in its Strategic and Gender Action Plans (GAP) 2022-2025, as well as in the Child Protection Strategy. GBViE contributes to the results under Goal Area 3 and is a cross-cutting priority across the Strategic Plan, making GBV risk mitigation one of UNICEF’s change strategies and a key contributor across all Goal Areas. GBViE risk mitigation cuts across all sectors and areas of work in UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children.
Currently, traditional, static GBViE programming is becoming increasingly difficult to deliver in many humanitarian settings due to complex access constraints, conflict, and funding cuts. In some humanitarian contexts – including areas of Afghanistan, Sudan, Syria, Myanmar, Haiti, Palestine, Yemen, and DRC – remote, digital service provision modalities have become the only lifeline available to women and girls to access life-saving information and support. To meet this urgent need, UNICEF has developed Laaha, a Virtual Safe Space (VSS) platform co-designed with adolescent girls. Laaha offers contextualized information on GBV, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and mental health and psychosocial support. Following successful pilots in Iraq, Lebanon, Ecuador and others, Laaha is now in various stages of rollout in several high-risk countries. The platform is a flagship intervention on its own, as well as increasingly contributing to other components of the GBViE portfolio.
Laaha has captured global attention, including from the private sector and other potential allies who are helping unlock new, non-traditional funding and positioning UNICEF at the forefront of ethical, girl-centered digital innovation.
The success of Laaha and broader GBViE/Tech initiatives hinges on availability of the right skillsets. This will help UNICEF’s global GBViE programme to:
- Ensure sustained technical support to country offices leading Laaha rollouts.
- Maintain and grow donor partnerships tied to Laaha and other GBV tech tools.
- Drive forward ethical, safe, and survivor-centered digital GBV programming globally.
- Provide inputs to inter-agency coordination and innovation platforms.
The consultant will provide strategic and technical support on GBViE with a focus on technology and innovation, digital service delivery, and GBV risk mitigation. The consultant will contribute to the development, scaling, and sustainability of GBViE-related digital tools, while strengthening inter-agency alignment and donor engagement. The consultant will also support knowledge generation, safeguarding, and the ethical use of technology in GBV programming.
To ensure smooth continuity of this strategic workstream during UNICEF’s forthcoming transition to the new Centers of Excellence structure, the consultant will be tasked with supporting UNICEF’s global advocacy, networking, and partnership-building efforts related to GBViE. The consultant will also actively participate in the GBV AoR Technology & Innovations Reference Group, support engagement with donors and interagency bodies, and advise on advocacy for GBV integration. Additionally, the consultancy encompasses a strategic and technical advisory role for UNICEF’s digital GBViE products, such as scaling the Laaha virtual safe space platform and Primero/GBVIMS+, as well as supporting resource mobilization, advancing research on technology-facilitated GBV, and fostering collaborations with tech companies to address the digital gender gap.
The Consultant will help UNICEF’s GBViE team maintain critical momentum and ensure delivery of existing institutional commitments, including donor deliverables.
Scope of Work:
Under the supervision of the Child Protection Specialist – GBViE, the consultant will provide strategic and technical support to UNICEF’s GBViE Technology and Innovation portfolio, with a specific focus on inter-agency engagement, digital product scale-up, safeguarding, and donor coordination.
The consultant will be responsible for the following key deliverables:
1. Provide Strategic Direction and Technical Guidance on GBViE Digital Products Development and Scaling
- Review business models and strategic approaches for UNICEF's flagship GBViE products
- Update product briefs and quarterly roadmap for Laaha
- Facilitate integration of CPIMS+ and GBVIMS+ on Primero and pilot in one country
- Set up IVR technology infrastructure for Laaha to reach marginalized populations
- Develop scale-up plan for dissemination and discoverability of Laaha to increase user uptake
2. Facilitate Digital Ecosystem Integration and Interoperability
- Support integration of Laaha with other digital solutions within UNICEF including IoGT, U-Report
- Collect and file technical documentation for Laaha and GBVIMS+ rollout and maintenance
3. Advise on Strategic Positioning Related to GBViE Technology and Innovation
- Develop tech partners' mapping and identify strategic partnerships with private sector including in-kind contributions
- Support UNICEF’s positioning as a thought leader on GBV Tech risk mitigation through strategic advocacy and communications development
4. Guide Internal Alignment and External Stakeholder Engagement
- Convene and facilitate strategic GBViE Tech retreat internal to UNICEF
- Develop Laaha presentation for the UNICEF co-organized event at Women Deliver conference
- Prepare lessons learned and success stories related to Laaha for the Zonta donors visit in Ecuador
5. Support Coordination and Technical Engagement with Partners on GBViE Technology and Innovation
- Provide technical inputs to the GBVIMS Steering Committee and inter-agency working groups
- Participate actively in the Technology & Innovations Reference Group
- Collect, harmonize and report inputs from UNICEF on the implementation of the GBViE commitments, including under the Generation Equality Forum and Migration Hub
6. Build Capacity of Partners and Foster Community of Practice
- Organize SVRI workshop on capacity building of feminist groups on GBV and Tech, including development of a Conversation Starter Guide
- Develop and facilitate Community of Practice across ongoing Laaha country implementations to share learning and strengthen coordination
7. Contribute to Resource Mobilization and Donor Reporting
- Support the preparation of funding proposals and donor reporting linked to GBViE Innovation
- Develop content for strategic presentations and advocacy.
Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:
Travel - Estimated $10,000
Qualifications
Education:
- Advanced university degree in Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Women’s Studies, Political Sciences, Human Rights and International Law, Public Health, other related degree or equivalent programming experience
Work experience:
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:
- 8-10 years relevant experience, preferably including GBV and/or MHPSS, and/or SRH programming in humanitarian contexts, including at field level.
- Demonstrated experience with GBV service delivery, including case management and its intersections with information management.
- Demonstrated experience in human-centred, feminist-oriented approaches to technological development, usage and management, including familiarity with flagship UNICEF products, such as Primero/GBVIMS+, the e-Referral Pathway for GBV, and Laaha Virtual Safe Space.
- Demonstrated experience developing technology and digital products for women and girls in low connectivity and low literacy settings.
- Demonstrated understanding of GBV risk analysis and risk mitigation measures as they relate to technology/digital solutions.
- Exposure to and awareness of the systems development life cycle, structured analysis, design and programming technique.
- Experience working with a wide variety of stakeholders and capturing of requirements in an inter-agency setting.
- Experience working with UNICEF operations at some combination of HQ, regional and country office level an asset.
- Demonstrated organizational skills, including the ability to work independently and productively with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
- Flexible work attitude: the ability to work productively in a team environment and independently, and to handle requests or issues as they arise.
- Demonstrated understanding of issues related to confidentiality, data safety/security, and other ethical concerns related to the sharing of sensitive data between humanitarian agencies.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people in a wide range of functions in a multi-cultural environment, including women and girls.
- Excellent Computer skills, including MS Word and Excel.
- Excellent drafting skills and capacity to efficiently channel complex or sensitive messages to a varied audience.
- Creative, innovative thinker who can also translate ideas into practical applications.
- Understanding of UNICEF programmes, communication, technology, user-centered design, youth participation, and partnership goals is an asset
Language Proficiency: Fluency in English and French (verbal and written) is required. Knowledge of other languages is considered an asset for this role.
Requirements:
Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and
- Upload copy of academic credentials
- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :
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- 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.
