Consultancy Title: Consultant to coordinate the Regional Action Forum

Section/Division/Duty Station: Global Programme Division, Child Protection & Migration

Duration: 15 March 2026 to 31 March 2027

Home/ Office Based: 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 Child Protection Global program on harmful practices is seeking an individual consultant to support the coordination and strategic strengthening of the Regional Action Forum to End Child Marriage (RAF) in the Arab World. The consultancy will lead on key deliverables related to the effective functioning, positioning, and impact of the Forum, in close collaboration with UNICEF and UNFPA harmful practices focal points for the middle east and Arab World.

The Regional Action Forum to End Child Marriage in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)/Arab States region was established in 2018. The RAF was developed based on the findings of the UNICEF multi‑country Regional Study on Child Marriage in MENA (2017), alongside extensive consultations with UNICEF and UNFPA country offices, civil society, donors, academic institutions, and UN partners.

The RAF represents a collective commitment by development and humanitarian actors to coordinate efforts to end child marriage in the Arab world, in line with UN reform and global accountability frameworks. As child marriage remains firmly embedded within the global and regional development agenda, the RAF supports coordinated action, evidence‑to‑practice learning, and joint advocacy to address the drivers and impacts of child marriage.

In 2026, the RAF enters a new phase, moving beyond coordination alone toward a stronger emphasis on systems‑based approaches, movement building, innovation, and the development of regional public goods that can support country‑level action.

Scope of Work:

Under the overall coordination of the UNICEF Child Protection Prevention of Harmful Practices for the MENA, the consultant will be responsible for leading coordination efforts related to the Regional Action Forum to End Child Marriage, while also supporting the development of strategic and programmatic outputs aligned with evolving regional priorities.

The scope of work includes the following areas:

1. Coordination and Governance of the RAF
   • Foster collaboration across RAF members and support collective planning and implementation of the RAF annual workplan for 2026.
   • Organize and facilitate regular coordination meetings with RAF members, including annual and mid‑year.
   • Serve as a neutral coordination focal point, ensuring inclusive participation and shared ownership among members.
2. Knowledge Sharing, Learning, and Capacity Strengthening
   • Organize webinars, learning events, and regional exchanges on child marriage prevention and response.
   • Consolidate, develop, and disseminate briefing notes, and knowledge or communication products to support evidence‑informed programming.
3. Strategic Thematic Workstreams
   In coordination with UNICEF and UNFPA, support the development of regionally relevant strategic outputs, including:
   • Engagement of religious leaders based on successful experiences and culturally grounded approaches;
   • Engagement of boys and men to address harmful gender norms and toxic masculinity;
   • Movement building and girls’ agency, positioning girls as change agents and narrative shapers;
   • Design and support the organization of the International day of Girls with a focus on ending child marriage.
4. Development of Regional Public Goods
   • Co-develop of a modular, practical 360° Regional Manual on Addressing Child Marriage, drawing on existing evidence and tools across SBCC, community engagement, advocacy, partnerships, programme design, humanitarian settings, and financing.
5. Communication, Advocacy, and Visibility
   • Coordinate the development and dissemination of RAF newsletters, advocacy campaigns linked to international days, and other visibility products.

All deliverables will be coordinated closely with UNICEF and UNFPA harmful practices focal points and aligned with agreed timelines.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Estimated Travel - $4,000 USD

Qualifications

Education:

• University degree (Bachelor’s) in international relations, gender, social sciences development studies or a related field

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *:

• Demonstrated at least 5 years of experience in programming related to child marriage, harmful practices, and/or gender equality.
• Proven track record in coordinating regional initiatives and facilitating multi-stakeholder platforms, including partnerships with government, civil society, and development actors.
• Strong facilitation, analytical, and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and present it clearly to diverse audiences.
• Solid knowledge and contextual understanding of the MENA region, including socio-political dynamics relevant to programme implementation.
• Fluency in English and Arabic is required; working knowledge of French is considered a strong asset.
• Demonstrated expertise in strategic communication, branding, and social media engagement, particularly in support of advocacy and programme visibility.
• Experience facilitating Communities of Practice and engaging youth networks, including designing participatory approaches that foster meaningful youth participation.

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.