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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.   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, child protection is a must!!

How can you make a difference? 

Country Context:

Most of Liberia’s children, adolescents and youth are trapped in a cycle of violence, poverty and deprivation, experience violence, struggle to get educated, and find it difficult to find decent employment. Violence against children and adolescents, especially girls, remain a challenge, including rape, abuse, harassment, and exploitation. Sexual harassment in schools in the form of ‘sex for grades’ and ‘sex for school fees’ is common. Violent discipline is also a widely accepted practice, while at least 31 per cent of children (2-14 years old) were engaged in some form of labour.

Harmful cultural and traditional practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) are among the gravest forms of violence practiced against children in Liberia. Birth registration is the first critical first step towards safeguarding lifelong protection for a child. Despite the increase in birth registrations from 25% in 2013 to 66% in 2019, it remains out of reach for many children in Liberia.  The country has one of the lowest levels of birth registration in the world: less than one quarter of all births are registered. When vulnerable children and adolescents come into conflict with the law, they are often exposed to even more violence and distress.

Promoting child-friendly justice, including diversion programs, presents additional challenges. It is necessary to ensure that children, whether they are victims, witnesses, or alleged offenders, are treated with dignity and respect throughout legal proceeding. Ongoing efforts on diversion program to redirect children in conflict with the law away from formal judicial proceedings to community-based solutions require a robust support system and continuous monitoring.

UNICEF has been working in Liberia for close to 30 years, turning our vision for children into practical action and helping build a comprehensive child protection system to keep children safe. This means supporting the implementation of laws, especially the Children’s Law, and relevant policies, regulations and services that protect children from harm, and that respond to, and support victims and survivors. This includes support to rule of law and transitional justice in Liberia and the country’s efforts to prosecute crimes committed during the Liberian Civil War. Protection starts at birth,  UNICEF supports the delivery of birth registration services by building the capacity of government, increasing the availability and quality of services and mobilizing parents and communities to register their children.

UNICEF supports the Government of Liberia and civil society organizations to end all forms of violence against children. We collaborate with the government, civil society and development agencies to strengthen community-based protection and response services to prevent all forms of violence against children or provide assistance should it occur, with special attention to harmful practices and social norms, including child marriage and FGM. 

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose for the Internship:

The overall purpose of this internship post is to support UNICEF’s Child Protection Programme in the context of research, programme development, implementation, programme progress monitoring, evaluation and reporting. The intern will report to the Chief of Child Protection and will receive ongoing mentorship from the Chief.  

Key function, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

• Conduct situational analysis and relevant research on child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) in Liberia to inform programme development and planning.
• Support innovative programming approaches through the application of lessons learned, best practices and other strategies to address child marriage and FGM.
• When required, prepare presentations to be used by UNICEF in International/ Regional/ National forums to present research findings on Child Marriage and FGM.
• Support timely writing and submission of donor reports as well as success stories as may be required.
• Generate data and manage knowledge of child marriage and FGM, as well teenage

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

Education:

• An advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in a relevant field, e.g., Law, Social Sciences, Social Work, Public Policy, and International Development. A first-level university degree in combination with one additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience:

• One to two years of relevant professional experience in research on children’s issues or related area would be an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. 

For every child, you demonstrate... 

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others.

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 and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for personnel 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 recruitment 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:  

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

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 selected candidates 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 contracts.