Section/Division/Duty Station: Child Protection / Migration and Displacement Hub, Programme Group - NYHQ

Duration: May 15, 2025, to December 31, 2025 

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.

To provide technical support and capacity building to UNICEF’s leadership and technical colleagues across sectors, Regional and Country Offices on leveraging new data, preventing and minimizing risk of child displacement and preparing and strengthening climate resilient and inclusive systems for children for children on the move. Serve as subject matter expert to inform UNICEF’s global positioning on climate mobility policy dialogue, partnership development and resource mobilization.

Climate change is already a direct challenge to children’s rights and well-being. One billion children – nearly half of children globally – are at ‘extremely high risk’ of its impacts. From wildfires to floods, droughts and cyclones, we know the next decade will see the worst impacts of climate change continue to intensify. UNICEF’s 2021 Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) shows that children and adolescents in many regions are subject to risks of environmental, social and health impacts due to climate change. Across the highest risk regions, strong physical, psychological, and ecological effects of climate change converge with a high number of poor and vulnerable communities, where children are most at risk. Refugee and migrant children – already displaced or pushed to move due to conflict, violence, or other adversity – are particularly vulnerable to exacerbated risks related to extreme weather events. 

Building on its Children’s Climate Risk Index, UNICEF partnered with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) to generate new data insights on current and future risks of weather-related displacement of children and to identify climate displacement hotspots where children are most vulnerable. Strengthening UNICEF’s evidence base on climate-related displacement of children in priority regions will better enable governments to predict displacement, and better prepare children and their communities for mobility. 

To this end, UNICEF undertook a deep dive analysis of available data to identify and map high-risk hotspots for child displacement (from floods, droughts, storms, wildfire and extreme heat) in the Eastern and Southern Africa region. Tailored recommendations and costed action plans were developed in 3 countries to improve child-centered preparedness and risk mitigation actions in displacement hotspots, as part of an overall systems-strengthening approach. A regional convening brought together relevant government representatives, climate negotiators and other stakeholders, to plan the way forward to translate the data into action. With strong momentum in the region and a public-facing report ready, this consultancy will carry the project into the next phase. This will entail continued engagement with the governments and key stakeholders in focus countries – and the region more broadly – to mobilize resources to prevent and mitigate risks associated with climate-related displacement and ensure mobility in the context of climate change is safe and empowering.

Similar analysis, policy dialogue and technical support will also be needed in UNICEF’s other regions, including regions and countries highly impacted by climate displacement, migration and relocation – including a focus on Small Island Developing States (SIDS). 

As UNICEF develops and rolls out its new Strategic Plan and a revised Global Programme Framework for Children on the Move, this consultant will lead on the development and delivery of a capacity building package for one of five key action areas related to Minimizing Displacement Risks for Children, where Disaster Risk Reduction and child displacements related to extreme weather events is anchored. More broadly, this consultancy will deliver technical support to UNICEF teams across the organization on climate mobility and internal displacement.

Finally, with UNICEF’s role, positioning and value add on climate mobility becoming clear, this consultant will help shape both policy and practice responses to the disproportionate effects of climate change on children in global and regional fora to position the displacement agenda in climate policy and finance. This will include a focus on Loss and Damage - including engagement with the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage, and Santiago Network, as well as contributing to UNICEF’s advocacy efforts around the Global Goal on Adaptation. 

The consultant will perform the specific tasks in collaboration with UNICEF Regional Offices, key country offices, PG’s Climate Environment Energy & Disaster and Child Protection Teams, Data & Analytics, and the Public Partnerships Division.

The specific scope of work is as follow: 

• Develop and implement a dissemination and stakeholder engagement strategy for the Regional Report on climate mobility in Eastern and Southern Africa. 

• Deliver webinars on climate mobility in priority regions (ESAR/WCAR, ROSA, LAC).

• Write case study for Action Area 1 within the revised Global Programme Framework.

• Develop capacity building package on “Minimizing Displacement Risks for Children” (Action Area 1) as a part of the rollout of the revised Global Programme Framework for Children on the Move.

• Organize and facilitate a Community of Practice meeting on the capacity building package for Action Area 1 of the Global Programme Framework to build capacity of UNICEF teams to implement the actions programmatically. 

• Provide technical support for the generation of new data insights and mapping of child displacement in the context of extreme weather events in one additional region and write/edit related report. 

• Support donor engagement, including preparation of presentations for the Government of Canada and write programme proposals to help mobilize resources in the area of climate mobility, coordinating closely with collaborating partner organizations – including with a focus on SIDs

• Support the planning, policy influencing and technical engagement as a subject matter expert on climate mobility for UNICEF in global fora, including COP30, the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage Executive Committee’s Taskforce on Displacement, Santiago Network, and with the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. 

• Provide written contributions to UNICEF’s climate policy development and influencing strategies to ensure they are displacement-sensitive and to leverage mobility as an entry point to position UNICEF as a key technical player in addressing Loss and Damage.

• Contribute to at least 6 Briefing Notes, Talking Points or strategies for senior leadership. 

Develop and implement a dissemination strategy for the Regional Report on climate mobility in Eastern and Southern Africa, including press release, social media content, and email correspondence, in collaboration with the Regional Office and Global and Regional Communications and Advocacy (GCA) colleagues as well as the government of Canada.

- Dissemination strategy developed.

15 May 2025

- Press release written, cleared and publicized.

30 June 2025

- Human interest story content developed and shared with GCA.

30 June 2025

Develop content, prepare run of show, and coordinate delivery of a webinar related to the Regional Report on climate mobility in Eastern and Southern Africa in collaboration with Regional focal points and the government of Canada. 

- Webinar completed.

15 July 2025

Provide technical support to help UNICEF integrate displacement and mobility sensitive engagement/messaging in global and regional fora, including on Loss and Damage, regional climate weeks, and COP30.  Organize and present at one event.

- 2 Concept notes, key messages, and 2 presentations prepared for two events; 

30 April 2025

- 2 presentations delivered.

5 Sept 2025

- 8 Briefing Notes/Talking Points drafted.

30 November 2025

Provide written contributions to UNICEF’s climate policy development and influencing strategies to ensure they are displacement-sensitive and to leverage mobility as an entry point to position UNICEF as a key technical player in addressing Loss and Damage.

- Written contributions submitted to 8 briefing notes, 4 reports and/or other documents

20 April 2026

Deliver 3 webinars on climate mobility, incorporating new data insights on child displacements in the context of extreme weather events as well as UNICEF’s policy positions and programmatic offer with regard to preparedness of the social service workforce and the resilience building of families.

- 3 webinars developed and delivered. 

30 Sept 2025

15 Nov 2025

31 Dec 2025

Provide technical support to Regional and Country Offices on climate-related displacement, migration and relocation to strengthen UNICEF’s preparedness and programmatic response, sharing relevant resources as needed.

- 15 technical support or email correspondence delivered.

31 May 2025

30 June 2025

31 July 2025

30 Sept 2025

31 Oct 2025

30 Nov 2025

31 Dec 2025

Develop capacity building package for Action Area 1 of UNICEF’s revised Global Programme Framework for Children on the Move for UNICEF Country Offices, drawing from UNICEF’s existing tools and resources, but adapted for the Global Programme Framework.

- Capacity building package finalized.

31 Aug 2025

Develop content, prepare run of show, coordinate and facilitate a Community of Practice meeting on the capacity building package for Action Area 1 to build capacity of UNICEF teams to implement the actions programmatically. 

- Community of Practice meeting contents/presentation prepared and delivered.

30 Sept 2025

Oversee and coordinate the generation of new data insights and mappings on child displacements in the context of climate change for one additional region, working closely with data consultant and IDMC.

- Data visualization maps created.

31 Oct 2025

Write and edit report on climate-related displacement of children in one other region. 

- Report written.

31 Dec 2025

Support donor engagement, including preparation and presentations for other potential donors.

- 6 presentations developed for potential donors.

15 June 2025

15 July 2025

15 August 2025

15 Sept 2025

15 Oct 2025

15 Nov 2025

Write 3 proposals to help mobilize resources in the area of climate mobility, coordinating closely with collaborating partner organizations.

- 3 proposals delivered

31 May 2025

15 July 2025

15 Dec 2025

 

Qualifications

Education:

• Advance University Degree (Masters) in Human Rights Law, Political Science, Transitional Justice, Human Rights

 

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

Work experience: 

• At least 8 years of progressively responsible professional work experience in the field of child rights and migration.

• Prior experience and demonstrated knowledge of climate related displacement, migration and relocation of children, DRR and related programming.

• Demonstrable track record of developing, coordinating and delivering capacity building resources required; Resources related to climate mobility preferred.

• Policy and advocacy experience on issues related to climate mobility policy and financing.

• Strong writing skills.

• Familiarity with UNICEF’s work on migrant and displaced children is desirable.

 

Requirements: (DO NOT EDIT)

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and 

- Upload copy of academic credentials 

- Financial proposal that will include/ reflect :

o the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.

o travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR. 

o Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.

o 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.