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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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

For every child, … protection..

UNICEF plays a pivotal role in addressing gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE), recognizing it as a global crisis and a critical human rights issue. As a leader in GBViE prevention, risk mitigation, and response, UNICEF has integrated this priority into its Strategic and Gender Action Plans (2022-2025) and Child Protection Strategy. GBViE efforts are cross-cutting across UNICEF’s goals and core commitments, ensuring risk mitigation is embedded in all sectors. UNICEF also leads in developing GBViE programming and tools, co-developing guidelines, building interagency capacities, and advancing innovative approaches. Notably, UNICEF emphasizes technological solutions, partnering with women and girls to address digital literacy and connectivity gaps, aligning these innovations with global efforts like the Generation Equality Action Coalition.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF is seeking a passionate and experienced Child Protection Specialist - Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE) to drive innovation and coordination in addressing GBViE. Based in Geneva, Switzerland—a global hub for humanitarian partnerships—the Specialist will represent UNICEF in interagency efforts, engage with donors, and strengthen key partnerships with entities like the GBV AoR, Protection Cluster, and UNHCR. This role is central to advancing GBV risk mitigation, supporting UNICEF’s leadership in interagency coordination, and aligning humanitarian actions with global quality standards. If you’re ready to champion GBViE priorities, shape international advocacy, and contribute to transformative solutions, this is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

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

The Child Protection Specialist – GBViE will lead efforts to strengthen gender-based violence risk mitigation across UNICEF-led clusters and sectors, focusing on safeguarding the rights and safety of women and girls through innovative approaches. This includes providing technical support for GBV risk mitigation, developing digital tools like the Pocket Guide app and U-Report Safer Chatbot, and tailoring GBV Digital Minimum Standards for UNICEF’s Technology and Innovation work. The role will also involve supporting regional and country offices in implementing technology solutions that prioritize safety and advancing initiatives such as UNICARE to ensure inclusive and ethical programming.

The Specialist will represent UNICEF in global advocacy, networking, and partnership-building efforts related to GBViE. This includes co-chairing the GBV AoR Technology & Innovations Reference Group, engaging with donors and interagency bodies, and advocating for GBV integration in international forums. Additionally, the role encompasses managing UNICEF’s digital GBViE products, such as scaling the Laaha virtual safe space platform and Primero/GBVIMS+, as well as driving resource mobilization, advancing research on technology-facilitated GBV, and fostering collaborations with tech companies to address the digital gender gap. This position is pivotal in ensuring UNICEF’s leadership in GBViE innovations and promoting sustainable, impactful solutions globally.

The following minimum requirements:

Advanced university degree in public health, social work, political science, human rights and international law or other related degree, or equivalent programming experience.

Work Experience:

• At least 8 years of programme management experience, preferably including at least 3 years implementing GBV programming in humanitarian contexts.
• Demonstrated experience in human-centred. feminist-oriented approaches to technological development, usage and management, including familiarity with flagship UNICEF products, such as Primero/GBVIMS+, the e-Referral Pathway for GBV, and Laaha Virtual Safe Space.
• Demonstrated experience developing technology and digital products for women and girls in low connectivity and low literacy settings.

Desirables/Assets:

• Demonstrated experience with GBV service delivery, including case management and its intersections with information management.
• Demonstrated understanding of GBV risk analysis and risk mitigation measures as they relate to technology/digital solutions.  
• Exposure to and awareness of the development life cycle, structured analysis, design and programming technique.
• Experience working with a wide variety of stakeholders and capturing of requirements in an inter-agency setting.
• Experience working with UNICEF operations at some combination of HQ, regional and country office level an asset.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and French (verbal and written) is required. Knowledge of an additional UN Language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children.

All selected candidates will 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.

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:

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.

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.

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.