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, hope.

 

Consultancy Title: PSEA Capacity Building Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Programme Group, Child Protection Section, UNICEF NYHQ

Duration: 01 December 2024 to 30 June 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ / 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:

UNICEF is committed to accelerating protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) across all humanitarian settings.  PSEA is an organization-wide accountability, and UNICEF Child Protection leads and is a key contributor to this work. UNICEF’s Child Protection strategy prioritizes the prevention of violence, which includes prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.  The UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025 includes core commitments on PSEA, including within Goal Area 3: Every child is protected from all forms of violence, exploitation, abuse, and harmful practices. The Strategic Plan also includes a strategic enabler on the establishment and strengthening of PSEA systems at country-level, for which Child Protection holds a leading role. In addition, UNICEF’s Child Protection Programme Team serves as the designated lead for the roll-out of PSEA within the Core Commitments for Children and the Emergency Procedures. UNICEF’s PSEA strategy aims to ensure that women and children are protected from SEA and have access to safe and confidential complaints and reporting mechanisms and response systems, including quality survivor assistance and safe and timely investigations.

As a leader in child protection globally and as an agency mandated to strengthen the protection of children and women, UNICEF is also committed to advancing best practice and evidence-based approaches to support the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) in delivering on the shared PSEA framework commitments. UNICEF actively leads and contributes to PSEA acceleration within the IASC and UN systems, including providing critical support to Humanitarian and UN Country Teams to fulfill their PSEA responsibilities.  UNICEF also leads several key initiatives aligned with these shared priorities, which are led by UNICEF’s Child Protection team, whose leadership has been central to advancing PSEA across UNICEF and the IASC.

UNICEF is leading the global rollout of the UN Victim Assistance Protocol on behalf of the UN system and the IASC, to strengthen the system-wide approach to provision of victim assistance and ensure quality and timely support for survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA). As part of this effort, UNICEF has developed a Victim Assistance Technical Note and related training materials and has provided technical support and trainings for RCs/HCs, UNCTs/HCTs and interagency structures in over 15 countries and over 1,800 practitioners received either a briefing or training on the protocol and technical note. To further accelerate the protocol rollout and strengthen victim assistance, UNICEF is supporting the IASC in adopting the technical note for NGOs and is undertaking the review of the protocol’s implementation to date.

Additionally, UNICEF is providing support to the Office of the Special Coordinator (OSC) and the Victims’ Rights Advocate (OVRA) on strengthening the UN response to SEA, including co-leading a working group focused on developing a broader strategy, policies, and SOPs for managing SEA risks during the peace operations and mission transitions.

UNICEF has also played a key role in developing a joint UN-Government Framework for PSEA, which was includes a model PSEA clause that will be inserted in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCF). Following with endorsement of the model clause in May, UNICEF Child Protection is providing key technical support to the UN system in rolling out the framework, including through guidance, tools, and webinars for UNCTs that will be conducted jointly with the OSC, OVRA, and DCO.

In line with these PSEA commitments, the purpose of the PSEA Capacity Building Consultancy is to provide support to the Child Protection Specialist - PSEA global technical lead, to deliver on UNICEF’s organizational priorities as outlined in the CPHA annual rolling work plan. This support will focus on specific, discrete PSEA initiatives, addressing targeted areas of work, including: 1) contributing to the strategic rollout and evaluation of the UN Victim Assistance Protocol, 2) development of transition guidance for mission drawdowns, and 3) rollout of the government framework on PSEA.

 

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of the Child Protection Specialist/ PSEA global technical lead, the consultant will be responsible for completion of the following tasks and deliverables:

1. Rollout and evaluation of the UN Victim Assistance Protocol

• Update and disseminate the Victim Assistance Technical Note and support capacity building and training initiatives in target countries.
• Assess progress and challenges in implementing the Protocol across countries with humanitarian responses and development contexts and develop summary report with recommendations for accelerating Protocol implementation.

2. Development of PSEA Guidance for UN Mission Drawdowns

• Support development of specialized guidance on PSEA in mission drawdowns, with particular focus on victim assistance planning.

3. Support for the Government Framework Rollout

• Provide technical assistance for rolling out the PSEA clause and related government framework, focusing on stakeholder engagement and capacity building.

 

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

1. Rollout and evaluation of the UN Victim Assistance Protocol

• Produce an updated Victim Assistance Technical Note that incorporates stakeholder feedback and best practices for SEA victim assistance, including online consultation with key stakeholders to validate the updates. (By 30-Jan-25)
• Develop a Protocol implementation status overview report, including data collection and remote consultations with designated countries with humanitarian responses, supplemented by in-depth assessments of two designated case study countries. This report will incorporate findings from country consultations, providing a comprehensive view of the protocol’s implementation and effectiveness. (By 30-Mar-25)
• Develop a summary report with key recommendations for accelerating the implementation of the Protocol at country level, including presentation of findings in a virtual debrief. (By 30-Apr-25)
• Update the existing training package to align with the revised technical note and facilitate 4 targeted webinars or training sessions (virtual/in person) on the Protocol and the updated technical note. (By 30-Jun-25)

2. Development of PSEA Guidance for Mission Drawdowns

• Conduct 3 technical support calls or consultations (remote/in person) with the DRC country team to provide input into the needs assessment, review guidance, and gather feedback. This includes drafted inputs for the needs assessment. (By 30-Dec-24)
• Develop high-quality written inputs for a transition guidance, with specific focus on victim assistance planning and handover process for targeted country contexts. This work will include support for the working group meetings co-chaired by UNICEF to gather insights and feedback which will be incorporated into the final guidance. (By 28-Feb-25)

3. Support for the Rollout of the Government Framework

• Conduct 6 webinars or virtual knowledge-sharing sessions on the joint UN- Government framework for PSEA and its applications. (By 28-Feb-25)
• Develop concise guidance document with recommendations for UNICEF country offices on how they can contribute to the framework’s implementation and design a training module on PSEA tailored for government stakeholders to build capacity and ensure alignment with the framework’s priority areas. This work includes two online sessions introducing these tools. (By 30-Apr-25)

The financial proposal should include a lump sum cost per deliverable, as well as a total lump sum for all deliverables combined including travel. The consultant will be required to work both remotely and undertake mission related travel as needed. The consultancy will include a mission to DRC. The consultant should budget for round-trip airfare from their home country to DRC, including all expenses for a stay of approximately seven days. Additionally, the consultant should estimate costs for two further missions, likely within Africa, anticipating duration of approximately 7 days per mission. Please note that UNICEF will reimburse actual travel costs; these estimates are intended only to guide budget planning.

 

Qualifications

Education: 

Advanced university degree (Masters) in the area of public health, social work, political science, human rights and international law or other related degree, or equivalent programming experience.

 

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *: 

• 5-8 years of previous experience in the areas of child protection, protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, child safeguarding, gender-based violence, human rights and/or a similar area of expertise is required, including within UNICEF and at the inter-agency level.
• Previous experience working in humanitarian response and UN mission processes.
• Strong facilitation and consultation skills with experience in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Familiarity with the UN's protocols and standards related to sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Previous experience in developing high-quality written reports and technical notes, and training packages is required.
• Demonstrated ability in work planning and report preparation.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Fluency in written and oral English and French is required. A third UN language would be 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 :

• • 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.