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 fordeveloping 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.

Consultancy: GBV Integrated Programming Consultant 

Duty Station: Child Protection Team - Programme Group

Duration: 1 February 2026 - 31 January 2027

Home/ Office Based: Remote

 

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does - in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life - in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions - her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens - addressing inequity - not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Related to this mission, UNICEF is directly involved in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in some of the world’s most intense and complex conflicts and disasters. GBV in its various forms constitutes a global crisis which undermines social and economic progress; as one of the world’s greatest human rights violations, GBV must be addressed to ensure universal rights and principles with regard to equality, security, liberty, integrity and dignity of human beings. Addressing gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE) is recognized as a life-saving measure and an essential component of humanitarian action. UNICEF has made GBViE (prevention, risk mitigation and response) one of its targeted priorities in its Strategic Plan and Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) 2026-2029, as well as in the Child Protection Strategy. GBViE contributes to the results under the SP high-level target on violence as well as the Adolescent Girls accelerator. GBViE risk mitigation cuts across all sectors and areas of work in UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children.

UNICEF has made significant progress on integrating GBV risk mitigation across all of the Agency’s programmatic sectors and clusters, with Nutrition showing particularly exciting momentum in recent years. Examples include: building the evidence base both at global level and through operational research; developing two integrated programme models with accompanying implementation guidance (one for GBV risk mitigation in nutrition and one for GBV/nutrition integrated response services); and capacity strengthening for colleagues working in both sectors. UNICEF’s GBV/Nutrition work is currently focusing on expanding the accessibility and uptake of existing technical resources, piloting the new integrated service delivery model in Ethiopia and Nigeria and refining the model package and its guidance based on lessons learning from the pilots. UNICEF is now planning to expand both GBV risk mitigation in Nutrition and GBV/Nutrition integrated service delivery in new contexts.

In recent years, UNICEF has also progressed on strengthening its partnerships with local women-led organizations. During a strategic planning meeting held in June 2024, the GBViE team reconfirmed its three key priorities for the next phase of WLO work under UNICEF’s GBViE portfolio, including continuing to build the evidence, addressing systemic barriers to partnering with WLOs and using the agency’s platform to provide space and voice for these organisations. Over the last four years, UNICEF ESARO has been implementing a GFFO-funded regional gender-based violence (GBV) programme which includes a component focusing on strengthening the capacity of women-led organizations. In November 2025, UNICEF ESARO convened a large meeting with WLO coming from various countries of the region to take stock on and document successes, challenges and lessons learnt. This consultancy will help advance UNICEF’s WLO workstreams in general, including the recommendations that came out of the convening.  In addition, UNICEF has  identified some concrete next steps within the Agency’s ongoing work on the GBV-related components of both sexual and reproductive health in humanitarian settings and public health emergencies (PHE).

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of the GBViE Specialist, the consultant will be responsible for the following areas of work (specific deliverables further outlined in the table below):  

• Contribute to advance the GBV/Nutrition integrated programming in targeted humanitarian contexts;
• Support the next phase of operationalizing UNICEF’s institutional commitments on local women-led organizations;
• Support further advancement of UNICEF’s work on GBV and Public Health Emergencies (PHE);
• Participate in the technical working group and support deliverables on SRHR in humanitarian settings; especially focused on adolescent girls, as part of the joint UN 2gether 4 SRHR programme in ESA region;
• Support work planning and launch of implementation for UNICEF’s new partnership with the World Bank and UNHCR (funded by The Netherlands MFA Prospects Opportunity Fund).  

The consultancy will be home-based with travels to emergency-affected contexts relevant to the above tasks, as feasible.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Work Assignment Overview/Deliverables and Outputs/Delivery deadline

Contribute to advance the GBV/Nutrition integrated programming in targeted humanitarian contexts

1.  Provide technical support to implement the integrated service delivery model in new operational contexts

-  At least 5 capacity building initiatives (training, webinars, calls, etc.) covering 10 UNICEF COs

30 June 2026

-  At least 12 bilateral coaching meetings with at least 3 UNICEF national staff working on GBV/Nutrition integration

31 December 2026

2.  Contribute to resource mobilization focused on GBV/Nutrition integration

- At least 3 case studies developed featuring GBV/Nutrition integration in target humanitarian contexts.

31 March 2026

-  1 donor roundtable organized

30 April 2026

-  At least 1 product developed in at least 5 COs to support resource mobilization for GBV/Nutrition programming (such as concept note, proposal, brief, infographics, advocacy paper etc)

30 June 2026

3.  Establish a shared space for learning exchange within UNICEF

-  1 online (Sharepoint) page dedicated to GBV/Nutrition developed and published

31 March 2026

-  Informal community of practice established on GBV/Nutrition and at least 3 interactive learning exchanges facilitated

30 September 2026

Support the next phase of operationalizing UNICEF’s institutional commitments on local women-led organizations

4.  Facilitate at least 2 calls with WLOs who participated to follow-up on action points from the November 2025 convening

-  At least 2 follow-up calls with WLO participants held and MOM shared

30 June 2026

5.  Support UNICEF South Sudan’s WLO pilot initiative

-  One workshop to launch the WLO pilot initiative (remote or in-person)

28 February 2026

Provide technical advice under the “Together for SRHR” programme in ESAR

6.  Support the roll-out of the GAIA toolkit in targeted countries

-  Action plans developed for each of the four target countries

31 March 2026

-  One summary brief produced highlighting adolescent girls’ feedback/experiences with the GAIA toolkit in the four target contexts

30 June 2026

-  One joint learning exchange facilitated with COs in the four target countries 

30 September 2026

-  At least one call held per target country per quarter (minimum 16 calls total) to track implementation progress and troubleshoot as needed

31 December 2026

Support further advancement of UNICEF’s work on GBV and Public Health Emergencies (PHE)

7.  Support design of research model to build the evidence of links between GBV and PHE

-  Research framework designed and shared

31 January 2027

8.  Facilitate internal socialization sessions to raise awareness of existing GBV/PHE resources among UNICEF staff

-  3 webinars for UNICEF staff completed

31 July 2026

Develop and initiate implementation of the new Prospects GBViE partnership

9.  Bring project partners together and agree upon working modalities

-  At least 5 calls held with project partners and stakeholders, meeting minutes and action points shared 

30 June 2026

10.  Develop workplan and implementation timeline to guide the 2-year project

-  Workplan and implementation timeline delivered and approved

31 March 2026

Qualifications

Education:   

An advance degree is required (Master’s or above) in public health, social work, political science, human rights and international law or other related degree, or equivalent programming experience

Language Proficiency:

Fluency in English and French is required.

Working proficiency of other official UN languages is highly desirable.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

• At least 10 years of humanitarian or related work experience in GBV programming in natural disasters and conflict-affected countries.
• Solid understanding of GBV guiding principles and the survivor-centred approach.
• Knowledge and experience working on GBV risk mitigation with other humanitarian sectors/clusters. Proven experience with humanitarian coordination structures (at global and/or field level) preferred.
• Knowledge and experience working with local women-led organizations and/or on tailored programming for adolescent girls in emergencies.
• Demonstrated experience in resource mobilization, including convening events and developing products for donors.
• Excellent drafting skills and ability to write effectively for UNICEF external products.
• Experience in Gender/GBV related knowledge management and sharing is an asset.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s working modalities, including related internal communication and advocacy.
• Flexible work attitude: Ability to work productively and independently in a team environment and handle requests or issues as they arise.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people in a wide range of functions in a multicultural environment.
• Experience working with a wide variety of stakeholders, including the UN family, and capturing of requirements in an inter-agency setting.
• Creative, innovative thinker who can also translate ideas into practical applications. 
• Proven skills in networking, strategic thinking, problem-solving, advocacy and negotiation.

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.