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For every child, education

BACKGROUND

Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is a critical component of ensuring safe and healthy learning environments for all students, particularly for adolescent girls. Poor menstrual hygiene can significantly impact school attendance, academic performance, and overall well-being, contributing to gender disparities in education. Across different regions in Guyana, including the hinterland locations, inadequate access to menstrual hygiene products, sanitation facilities, and proper knowledge about menstruation remains a significant barrier to education for girls. In the hinterland and migrant communities, challenges related to MHM are exacerbated by geographic isolation, socio-economic constraints, and cultural stigmas surrounding menstruation. Some schools lack the necessary infrastructure, such as private and well-maintained washrooms, clean water, and waste disposal facilities, which are essential for proper menstrual management. Additionally, the limited availability and affordability of menstrual hygiene products pose further obstacles, leading some girls to miss school during their menstrual cycles.

With funding from Canada, UNICEF, through the Ministry of Education, has prioritized MHM as part of the broader initiative, Promoting Safe and Healthy Living and Learning Environments in Migrant and Host Communities in the Hinterland and Selected Coastal Regions of Guyana. This initiative aims to create inclusive, gender-responsive, and child-friendly learning environments that cater to the diverse needs of students. Recognizing that menstrual health is integral to gender equality and the right to education, the MHM initiative seeks to address these barriers through a comprehensive approach. This includes providing menstrual hygiene education, improving school sanitation infrastructure and promoting community engagement to challenge stigma and taboos surrounding menstruation. The initiative aligns with national education policies and international commitments, such as Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Goal 5 (Gender Equality), that will ensure that girls have the opportunity to complete their education in a safe and supportive environment

How can you make a difference? 

Globally, millions of girls face significant barriers to education due to inadequate menstrual hygiene management (MHM). Guyana is no exception, with disparities in access to menstrual hygiene products, sanitation facilities, and awareness about menstruation being particularly pronounced in rural, riverine, and hinterland communities

In many of these communities, adolescent girls struggle with the lack of access to private, clean, and safe sanitation facilities, coupled with limited access to affordable menstrual hygiene products. These challenges often result in absenteeism, school dropouts, and a perpetuation of gender-based educational disparities. The stigma surrounding menstruation also contributes to social exclusion and reinforces negative attitudes toward girls' education, further hindering their full participation in school life.

In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, is prioritizing menstrual hygiene management as a key intervention to promote safe and healthy learning environments for all students, particularly girls. The Promoting Safe and Healthy Living and Learning Environments in Migrant and Host Communities of Guyana initiative seeks to address these barriers by improving menstrual health education, providing access to menstrual products, and enhancing school infrastructure. To date, the MoE has conducted a Needs Assessment among adolescents in dormitory schools on the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding menstrual hygiene. The assessment also covered assess to menstrual products and facilities for disposal. The MoE with support from UNICEF is also piloting a menstrual hygiene journal for girls to increase their awareness on the issue and provide an opportunity for girls to reflect on their experience. This consultancy is expected to support the institutionalization of the MoE’s Menstrual Hygiene program through the following.

Objectives

The key objectives of this phase of the MHM Program are:
1. To enhance understanding and responsiveness to the menstrual health needs of adolescent girls through direct engagement with girls, boys, parents and teachers.
2. To ensure that the Menstrual Health Journal is contextually relevant, informative, and accessible to girls in target communities.
3. To develop a structured and effective awareness plan that promotes menstrual health education and reduces stigma.
4. To create high quality education and awareness materials that effectively communicate key MHM messages and empower schools and communities to support good menstrual hygiene practices.

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

-A Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Social Science (Education, Behavioural Science, Communications or related field)
-Minimum six years of work experience in behaviour change, health education or communications.
-Knowledge of child’s rights approaches, WASH and gender responsive programming;
-Ability to work with government, international agencies and facilitate collaboration among various stakeholders;
-Knowledge and experience in data collection and analysis
-Expert knowledge and experience in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint and Excel)
-Effective communication skills, both orally and in writing, in English;
-Sensitivity to diverse opinions and difficulties arising from differing social and cultural perceptions;
-Excellent writing skills
-Proficiency in English (spoken and written).
-Proven knowledge of local context

Desirable:
-Previous work experience with the United Nations System.
-Knowledge of / fluency in the local languages an asset.

Please access the complete ToR here  TOR Technical assistance to support Menstrual Hygiene Programme.pdf

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

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UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

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.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual 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 and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors 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.