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, protection.

Since the beginning of 2018 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has faced in increase influx of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees after previously popular migration routes to Western Europe through the Balkans shut down in 2017.  The national system to protect unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in BiH - from identification and registration, to referral and protective services – was initially overwhelmed, but the response is increasingly stable.

Nevertheless, UASC and other children on the move are exposed to heightened protection risks, including incidences of (gender-based) violence, abuse, and exploitation (smuggling and human trafficking). UNICEF's response to children on the move transiting through/stranded in BiH takes a two-track approach: (1) Immediate humanitarian assistance and protection to refugee and migrant children, especially UASC, working in close collaboration with government authorities at all levels, UN agencies and NGOs; and (2) Strengthening child protection systems to provide better services to all vulnerable children in BiH through capacity building, policy reform and technical assistance.

UNICEF's key child protection interventions include the following:

(a) Support the identification of UASC, appointment of legal guardianship, child protection case management and referral to relevant support services, including through the deployment of extra professionals to enhance access to child protection services.

(b) Provide 24/7 child protection presence at the TRCs including 24/7 onsite care and support services as well as referral to external support services.

(c) Operating of Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) at the TRCs. CFS operate as multi-functional centers to prevent and respond to protection concerns and connect children and their families with a variety of humanitarian services. They provide children with opportunities to develop, play, learn, and strengthen their resilience, as well as access psychosocial support. CFS also offer a space for the identification, referral, and follow-up, and/or direct support of at-risk children.

(d) In partnership with Centers for Social Welfare and NGOs UNICEF aims to expand availability of quality mental health and psychosocial support to children on the move and their caregivers.

(e) Strengthen linkages with protection systems, and contribute to overall systems strengthening through capacity building, coordination, improving the legal/policy framework, their resilience, as well as access psychosocial support. CFS also offer a space for the identification, referral, and follow-up, and/or direct support of at-risk children.

How can you make a difference? 

Under the direct supervision of the Emergency Coordinator in UNICEF Office Bihac, the consultant will support UNICEF in monitoring and coordination of the protection situation of children on the move within and outside of reception facilities in Una-Sana Canton.   

The consultant will be based in TRC Borici and requires the ability to problem solve, work effectively with diverse stakeholders and advocate for children as new issues and needs arise.

This includes working with key counterparts to quickly identify solutions as new protection issues arise, and practically applying the best interest of the child principle to a range of situations. Additional support to other locations may be required, depending on the refugee, migrant mixed migration flows and needs of children.

Child protection monitoring is the ongoing and systematic collection, analysis and use of child protection related data and information. Child protection monitoring refers to ongoing efforts to monitor child protection risks, concerns, violations, and capacities with the purpose of producing evidence on child protection risks and existing capacities to inform analysis, strategy, and responses. Child protection monitoring should be carried out with the main objective of reporting on child protection risks informing and improve programming and service delivery, including both prevention and response activities; undertake advocacy; and support accountability.

The Consultant will focus on monitoring and coordination related to the child protection environment within and outside of temporary reception centres (TRC) in Una-Sana Canton (USC) and will collect data related to Child protection (CP) from different actors focused on the number of children arriving to the area, number of children staying outside of official TRC, quantity and quality of services ensured to children.

 Coordination between different governmental, UN and NGO partners to ensure efficient service delivery to refugee migrant children is crucial for the protection of children and is also an important component of the work.

Child Protection Monitoring in Una-Sana Canton will include:

• Support the monitoring of the child protection response of UNICEF and partners in Una-Sana Canton and provide recommendations for improvements/adjustments.
• As per instructions provided by Child Protection Officer in Bihac and Emergency Coordinator  (supervisor) cooperate and coordinate with respective Social Welfare Centres, Service for Foreigners Affairs (SFA) and other relevant government counterparts on child protection issues, strengthening integration of refugee, migrant children into protection systems;
• Support the collection and consolidation of child protection relevant data and information and contribute to reporting and regularly update weekly and monthly reports as we interagency dashboard every week.
• Provide recommendations and technical assistance for improving reporting mechanisms as well as internal data storage and analysis.
• Ensure child protection, education and health monitoring in temporary reception centres in Una-Sana Canton and monitor care and support services to ensure children’s wellbeing, best interests and standards for health, hygiene and safety are met.
• Advocate for child rights and support coordination in relevant Camp Coordination Management meetings in temporary reception centres in Una-Sana Canton, and other coordination meetings as requested: coordination meetings, complaint councils, protection meetings, and coordination outreach meetings organized as well as other ad-hoc meetings like Boys parliaments, Case conferences, etc.
• Provide support for Best Interest Determination (BID) panels/case conferences with relevant actors.
• Establish and maintain relationships with local communities, stakeholders, and relevant organizations to facilitate effective outreach and referral processes. Collect relevant data on outreach activities, including the number of UASC and children in families identified and referred, challenges encountered, and outcomes achieved. Prepare regular reports to document progress and impact.
• Monitor the implementation of child safeguarding policies and procedures within TRCs. Support capacity building on child safeguarding among relevant stakeholders, and assist to the Child Protection Emergency Officer and Emergency Coordinator for preparing and delivering trainings and presentations including contributing to transition.
• Keeps records of NFIs procured by UNICEF and kept in the IOM and other warehouses with UNICEF procured NFIs and regularly updates the list of available items and upon the request of IOM and implementing partner coordinator brings adequate quantities of needed NFIs in TRCs Borici and Lipa.
• Provide: handover minutes in accordance with procedures, collect documentation, and transfer of properties and other tasks as requested. While carrying out above tasks, it is expected that the consultant will apply the “do no harm” approach to ensure that child rights monitoring and protection activities do not put children at risk and ensure high standards in humanitarian practice, with special focus on cultural sensitivity and non-discrimination.

The consultant is primarily based in TRC Borici, however may occasionally required presence in UNICEF’s office in Bihac or other locations.

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

• University degree in social sciences, preferably social work, psychology, social pedagogy, law or equivalent
• Two years of relevant work experience such as working with vulnerable groups of children, in child protection or in an emergency/humanitarian situation; additional experience an asset.
• Knowledge of English and BHS language required, fluency/working knowledge in any of the languages commonly spoken by refugees and migrants (Arabic, Farsi, Pashtu, French, Spanish and/or Urdu) an asset.
• Ability to work independently, with minimum supervision and as part of a team;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships;
• Strong writing and communication skills required.
• Knowledge of child protection, social welfare, and/or previous experience with UNICEF
• Ability to analyze documents, gather information from key stakeholders and synthesize into succinct format.
• Knowledge of international principles and legal instruments related to child protection, refugee, migrants

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

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

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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:  

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.