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For every child, the right to HOPE!

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

Section/Division/Duty Station: Human Right Unit, New York HQ

Duration: December September 1, 2025  - Augst 31, 2026

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ/ Remote

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: 

The consultancy serves an urgent and strategic purpose, focused on:

•           Accelerating the implementation of UNICEF’s Human Rights Framework for Action (2024), a cornerstone initiative requiring swift and coordinated action across the organization.

•           Safeguarding and reinforcing UNICEF’s active engagement with international human rights mechanisms, which are currently under significant pressure. In this context, sustained and visible UNICEF engagement is more crucial than ever.

Scope of Work:

The consultancy, under the supervision of Anne Grandjean, Programme Specialist, PG Human Rights Unit, will contribute technical expertise in two critical areas of UNICEF’s Human Rights Framework for Action, also in line with the Secretary-General’s Guidance Note on child rights mainstreaming:

1.         Amplified engagement and advocacy on child rights with human rights mechanisms including with a greater number of Treaty Bodies, strengthened advocacy at the Human Rights Council, and through the UPR.

•           Support UNICEF’s engagement with the Human Rights Council (HRC60, HRC61, HRC62), the Universal Periodic Review (UPR50, UPR51, UPR52) and the Committee on the Rights of the Child (three pre-sessional working groups). This includes preparing analytical summaries of relevant debates at the HRC; preparing UPR policy recommendations and writing analytical read outs; organizing online pre-sessional working groups with concerned UNICEF offices, Child Rights Connect and the Secretariat of the CRC Committee to replace the pre-sessions cancelled because of the liquidity crisis; and reviewing UNICEF country offices’ alternative reports to the CRC Committee and supporting their finalization.

•           Identify and prepare UNICEF submissions to Special Procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies other than the CRC to support the mainstreaming of child rights in their work as required by the SG Guidance Note on child rights mainstreaming. This includes conducting research, coordinating with relevant UNICEF colleagues and developing the submissions. 

•           Update and enhance UNICEF’s online toolkit on engagement with international human rights mechanisms – Providing technical review and drafting of updated guidance to UNICEF country offices in their engagement with international human rights mechanisms. 

2.         Development and implementation of programme resources on children’s civil and political rights.

•           Prepare analytical briefs and organize and facilitate technical consultations with experts and UNICEF country offices and National Committees to inform the development of UNICEF programme resources on children’s civil and political rights, based on recommendations from international and regional human rights mechanisms, good practices and other sources.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

• Amplified engagement and advocacy on child rights with human rights mechanisms including with a greater number of Treaty Bodies, strengthened advocacy at the Human Rights Council, and through the UPR.

Analysis of the 60th session of the Human Rights Council prepared for dissemination across UNICEF (at least 15 interactive dialogues).

30 September 2025

Consolidated UNICEF inputs, x3,  prepared and shared with Special Procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies other than the CRC.

31 October 2025

Seven pre-sessional working groups meetings with the CRC Committee organized.

31 October 2025

UPR policy recommendations and read-outs of the UPR working group session prepared for five countries.

30 November 2025

Three submissions of consolidated UNICEF inputs prepared and shared with Special Procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies other than the CRC

30 November 2025

UPR policy recommendations and read-outs of the UPR working group session prepared for five countries

31 January 2026

Three submissions of consolidated UNICEF inputs prepared and shared with Special Procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies other than the CRC.

31 January 2026

Online engagement toolkit up-dated, expert  support provided to COs in their engagement with the mechanisms.

28 February 2026

Analysis of the 61st session of the Human Rights Council for dissemination across UNICEF (at least 15 interactive dialogues).

31 March 2026

Seven UNICEF country office reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child quality assured and submitted.

30 April 2026

Three submissions of consolidated UNICEF inputs prepared and shared with Special Procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies other than the CRC.

30 April 2026

UPR policy recommendations and read-outs of the UPR working group session prepared for five countries.

31 May 2026

Three submissions of consolidated UNICEF inputs prepared and shared with Special Procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies other than the CRC.         

31 May 2026

Three submissions of consolidated UNICEF inputs prepared and shared with Special Procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies other than the CRC.

30 June 2026

Analysis of the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council for dissemination across UNICEF (at least 15 interactive dialogues).

31 July 2026

Seven UNICEF country offices reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child quality assured and submitted.

31 August 2026

Three submissions of consolidated UNICEF inputs prepared and shared with Special Procedures mandate holders and treaty bodies other than the CRC.          31 August 2026

Online engagement toolkit updated, technical  support provided to COs in their engagement with the mechanisms.

31 August 2026

• Development and implementation of programme resources on children’s civil and political rights.

Three briefs on children’s civil and political rights drafted and finalised; expert consultation meeting on civil and political rights organized, facilitated and summary analysis drafted. 

31 December 2025

Five briefs on children’s civil and political rights drafted.           

30 June 2026  

Qualifications

(1) Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s) degree in the area of human rights, international affairs or related field

(2) Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

•      A minimum of 2 years of experience in the field of human rights.

•      Experience with international human rights mechanisms, including preferably 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.

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

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, are encourage to apply are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (if applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.