UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

Duration: from 19 August 2025 to 18 August 2026
Workplace: office-based
Modality: full-time

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, a fair chance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=E1xkXZs0cAQ

Background
UNICEF maintains a strategic partnership with the Government of Kazakhstan to strengthen the protection of children’s rights and ensure equitable access to quality services. Within this collaboration, child protection is a cornerstone priority, rooted in the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The overall vision of the UNICEF 2021-2025 Country Programme for Kazakhstan is that all boys and girls, from early childhood to adolescence, including the most vulnerable, grow up healthy and resilient, have the skills and knowledge to prepare them for adult life as citizens in twenty-first century Kazakhstan, and are protected from violence, abuse, neglect and abject poverty.
Globally, UNICEF’s Child Protection Strategy (2021–2030) and Strategic Plan (2022–2025) call for stronger, more inclusive systems that safeguard children from harm in both physical and digital environments. Kazakhstan has made notable progress in strengthening its legal and policy framework on child protection, including the adoption of comprehensive legislation in 2024 aimed at ensuring the safety of women and children. However, despite these legislative advancements, implementation remains fragmented due to limited cross-sectoral coordination and limited focus on technology-facilitated violence and exploitation.
With over 82% of Kazakhstan’s population connected to the internet, the second-highest rate among Commonwealth of Independent States countries, the digital landscape plays an increasingly central role in children’s lives. While digital connectivity offers significant educational and social benefits, it also exposes children to new forms of harm. Unfortunately, policies, research, and coordinated child protection response mechanisms in Kazakhstan remain underdeveloped in addressing online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) and other digital risks.
The 2023 Kazakhstan Kids Online (KKO) study conducted by UNICEF in Kazakhstan jointly with the Ministry of Education showed that a significant proportion of children experience sexual risks online but rarely report them. Many children are exposed to sexual content, receive sexual messages, or are solicited online.The findings point to limited help seeking behavior among affected children, gaps in digital literacy as well as insufficient awareness of risks among parents and educators.
At the same time, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the judiciary in Kazakhstan face challenges in responding effectively to OCSEA cases, due to a lack of specialized training in handling digital evidence, limited technical capacity, and the absence of a coordinated national framework. The WeProtect Global Threat Assessment 2023 further confirms that rapidly digitizing countries often struggle to close the gap between legislative intent and operational capability.
To address these systemic challenges, UNICEF Kazakhstan jointly with national authorities in Kazakhstan and with the support of the Safe Online Fund, is implementing a comprehensive program ‘Protecting children from online violence, abuse and exploitation in Kazakhstan’. It entails child protection system strengthening, capacity building of law enforcement and child protection personnel, awareness raising among children, youth, parents and general public. UNICEF Office in Kazakhstan is looking for a national expert to support child online safety work in Kazakhstan through policy and legislative work, research, advocacy, capacity building, ICT sector engagement, coordination, and communication and social behaviour change (SBC) efforts.

Purpose of the assignment
The purpose of the assignment is to provide technical assistance to the UNICEF Country Office in Kazakhstan in achieving country programme results in the area of child protection with focus on child online safety, by strengthening national systems, policies, and capacities, and promoting the digital skills and rights of children as active participants in the digital environment.

Scope of Work
The individual contractor will:

Evidence generation and analysis:
• Support the implementation and dissemination of findings from the two separate assessments to inform further priorities for strengthening the national response to online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA): (1) the contextualization and assessment of the Model National Response (MNR) framework in alignment with the WeProtect Global Alliance standards, and (2) the INTERPOL-led capability assessment of national digital investigative and law enforcement capacities;

Strengthening national policy and legal framework
• Provide technical inputs to the development and dissemination of recommendations and review of laws, policies, and regulations related to online child protection, digital safety, and justice for children in digital environments;
• Support UNICEF Kazakhstan in advocacy and consensus building dialogue on child protection system strengthening with focus on protection of children in the online environment in line with international standards

Advocacy and engagement of ICT industry
• Engage with the ICT sector to promote child online safety, including support to self-assessment processes using UNICEF’s Mobile Operator Child Rights Impact Assessment (MO-CRIA) and Child Online Safety Assessment (COSA) tools, and provide technical input to the UNICEF led business group on child online safety;
Capacity building of law enforcement and child protection personnel
• Support the capacity strengthening of law enforcement and digital forensic specialists in the detection, investigation, and prosecution of online crimes against children;
• Provide technical support to communication and social and behaviour change (SBC) work related to online child protection;
• Provide support in planning and co-delivering capacity building sessions at the national level convenings and in the regions.

Documenting key steps and presenting Kazakhstan’s experience
• Contribute to reports writing and documentation, proofreading translation into Kazakh and Russian languages, supporting thematic correspondence with stakeholders, and providing inputs to advocacy and visibility efforts, while ensuring alignment with the strategic scope of the consultancy.
• Support UNICEF and international consultancy in conducting independent evaluation of the program
The individual consultant’s engagement is based on 2025-2026 Work Plan between UNICEF and key national stakeholders, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Children’s Rights Protection Committee of the Ministry of Education and cooperation framework with the Commissioner for Child Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

 Work Assignment Overview Child online safety.docx

There will be 3 travels to the regions, totally 15 days

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
• Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in law, international law, social sciences, information and communication technology, public policy, business administration, management, or another related field.
• Experience:
- At least 5 years of practical experience in development field, system strengthening; child protection, offline and online violence prevention and response.
- Proven experience in planning, implementation and overseeing research, assessments, evaluation, developing analytical documents.
- Excellent programme management skills.
- Good communication, writing and interpersonal skills.
- Experience with successfully pitching new ideas to a variety of stakeholders with varying interests.
- Experience in planning, delivery and leading projects that specifically relate to innovation in promotion of child rights and technology for development is desirable.
- Experience in working with high and technical level government officials and local authorities.
- Experience in the design/implementation of advocacy is an asset.
- Fluency in English and Kazakh, Russian languages.
Other skills and attributes:
- Networking, advocacy and negotiation.
- Proven ability to innovate, plan and execute ideas as well as transfer knowledge and skills.
- Advanced computer skills.

Evaluation Criteria
A) technical criteria (maximum 75 Points)
- Education and qualifications – 25 points
- Knowledge of international standards of child protection with focus on protection of children from online sexual abuse and exploitation - 25 points
- Proven experience in child protection system strengthening approach – 25 points
B) Financial Proposal (maximum 25 Points)

For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is also proud of a diverse workforce who are profoundly committed to supporting the full realization of children’s rights, and in uplifting a rights-based approach in all that we do.

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 

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

Remarks:
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:  

Completion of the UN/UNICEF mandatory trainings is obligatory upon commencement of the contract.

All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and that UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Costs indicated are estimated. Final rate shall follow the “best value for money” principle, i.e., achieving the desired outcome at the lowest possible fee. Consultants will be asked to stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy contract 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.

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 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.

In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues across multiple locations. For effective collaboration, we encourage flexible working hours that accommodate different time zones while prioritizing staff wellbeing.

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.