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For every child, a future.

Background
According to the IPCC report, Uzbekistan “as the most water-stressed country in the region” will experience one of the strongest negative impacts of climate change with “…[water] withdrawal approximately equal to water availability”. Uzbekistan has the second from highest score in the Children’s Climate Risk Index in Europe and Central Asia. The quickly rising temperatures, glacier melting, irregular rainfall patterns, and droughts can potentially lead to food insecurity, waterborne and respiratory diseases, increased unemployment, and disrupted education.

Additionally, Uzbekistan already faces the consequences of a huge climate tragedy – the Aral Sea. Once the fourth largest inland lake in the world, it is currently down to 10% of its original size due to the diversion of Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers for irrigation. The Aral Sea disaster has led to air pollution, economic hardships, malnutrition, limited clean water access, and multiple health hazards for the local population, especially children.

To mitigate the potential impact of climate change on children and adults, since 2016 Uzbekistan has demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing ecological and climate change issues, prioritizing them as top national concerns. Among other measures, the Government of Uzbekistan recognizes the potent force of children and youth on climate change action. The Government has strongly committed to green skills development and engagement of children and youth in climate change action through the following measures.

In 2024 UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and the International Public Foundation Zamin established and supported the work of a volunteering network of Young Climate Champions. The main objective of the network is to promote a sustainable development culture and spearhead climate resilience and mitigation interventions at the school and community levels. During 2024–2025 academic year the network mobilized over 17,400 young people across the country. Moreover, adolescents and youth from Uzbekistan had an increasing opportunity to participate in high-level policy dialogues on climate change, including at the national and international levels.

In August 2025 the second cohort of Young Climate Champions – 51 adolescents from 15 schools from all regions of Uzbekistan - was recruited and trained to continue the work in their schools and communities. In this context, UNICEF is looking for a consultant who will support scaling up the work of the Young Climate Champions network across the country, with a focus on Karakalpakstan, and engagement of young people in climate advocacy at the national and international levels.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
The main objective of the consultancy is to provide technical assistance to UNICEF Country Office in scaling up results in the area of meaningful youth engagement as agents of change in climate agenda through the expansion of the Young Climate Champions network, community-based youth climate actions, especially in Karakalpakstan, and advocacy at national and international levels.

Scope of Work:
Specifically, working in close cooperation with the national partners and UNICEF Youth and Adolescent Development and Participation and Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Teams, the national consultant will be responsible for the below workstreams:

1. In cooperation with climate scientists and experts, coordinate work on contextualization and translation of learning materials, including a set of materials on water preservation, for young climate activists. The materials shall be tailored to the needs and interests of young people.
2. Coordinate and monitor the operation of the second cohort of Young Climate Champions network. Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for the capacity building of the mentors and members of Youth Climate Champions, support and monitoring of awareness-raising and community youth-led eco events in schools and communities, including those on water conservation.
3. Empower youth climate actions through the undertaking, jointly with the national partners, climate challenges/plogging/ ecathons, water conservation actions in schools and communities by bringing young people from the most deprived regions to develop youth-led ecological solutions or mobilize the community.
4. Support meaningful youth participation in climate-related decision-making and policy advocacy at local, national and international levels. Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for securing the platform for youth and preparing young people to make meaningful interventions.
5. Document the work process, participation of young people, lessons learned, and feedback received during programme implementation for the way forward. Moreover, the consultant will be responsible for the development of advocacy and communication materials to increase awareness of climate change, adaptation and mitigation measures and to showcase impactful youth climate actions among young people and the general public.

Work Assignments Overview - Deliverables/Outputs - Timeline

1. In cooperation with climate scientists and experts, coordinate work on contextualization and translation of learning materials, including a set of materials on water preservation, for young climate activists. The materials shall be tailored to the needs and interests of young people - 1. The contextualized and translated teaching and learning materials, including the ones below, are reviewed and recommended for approval - By 15 December 2025 (20 working days)

a) a set of materials on water conservation - 7 days
b) air quality - 5 days
c) Earth Champions FunDoo tasks - 8 days

2. Coordinate and monitor of the Young Climate Champions network

2.1 Support and monitor youth-led climate actions in schools and their communities, including the actions on water conservation in Karakalpakstan - 2.4a Monthly updates on adolescents’ activities in the regions are submitted to the Youth and Adolescents Development Officer - Monthly, October 2025 – May 2026; 2.4b At least 14 field monitoring reports are submitted with the key takeaways from each region - By April 2026

2.2 Undertake the closing event and award ceremony for the second cohort of Young Climate Champions 2.5 All Young Climate Champions and their teachers received the certificates. The achievements of young people are recognized and appreciated by UNICEF and the national partners - By June 2026

3. Jointly with the national partners, undertake diverse youth climate actions or advocacy events agreed on with the national partners, e.g. climate challenges, climate hackathon, actions on water conservation - 3.a At least 1,500 adolescents and youth are engaged into climate hackathon, plogging or another youth climate challenge -By June 2026; 3.b Youth-led actions on water conservation engaged at least 3,000 young people in Karakalpakstan - By August 2026

4. Support meaningful youth participation in climate-related decision-making and policy advocacy at local, national and international levels - 4.b At least 10 young people are prepared and provided with an opportunity to participate in climate change policy-dialogues at the national and international levels, e.g. NDC development, COP30 -By June 2026; 4.c Youth Advisory Boards are established under the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan - By June 2026

5. Document the work process, participation of young people, lessons learned, and feedback received - 5. Report on the key results, lessons learned and recommendations on the way forward is developed and approved by UNICEF - By 6 April 2025

6. Develop advocacy and communication materials to showcase youth climate actions - 6. At least 5 human interest/success stories showcasing the climate actions of young people are developed and posted, including on water conservation youth actions in Karakalpakstan - May 2024 – April 2025

Local Travel is required: 

• Travelling to the bootcamp venue - August 2025
• Monitoring visits to the pilot regions - Sep 2025- April 2026

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: A university degree in one of the following fields is required: international development, environmental studies, human rights, sociology, anthropology, international law, education or another relevant social science field.
• Work Experience: At least 3 years of experience in one or more of the following areas is required: social development, eco volunteering, youth engagement initiatives design, planning, implementation and monitoring.
  Knowledge and experience in gender equality promotion, work with girls-led organizations is an asset.
  Demonstrated experience in project coordination, preferably in the field of youth development, volunteer engagement, or community empowerment.
  Proven ability to coordinate and manage complex project work, with a focus on education, climate change, youth engagement, social and behaviour change.
  Experience in building partnerships with various stakeholders, including the Government, NGOs, local authorities and school administration.
  Experience in report writing, monitoring and evaluation of projects.
  Previous experience working with the UN(ICEF) or UN(ICEF)-funded projects is an asset;
• Skills: Good communication and public speaking skills. 
• Language Requirements: Fluency in Uzbek, English and Russian is required.

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

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 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

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, eligible and suitable female candidates 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.

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.