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, care.

The most widespread child protection concern in Fiji is violence against children (VAC). Recent data suggests that 81% of Fijian children experience violent discipline at home in the form of physical punishment and psychological aggression. Violence against women, in particular intimate partner violence (IPV), is similarly widespread, with 64% of women aged 15 to 49 experiencing physical or sexual violence. Data from Fiji Police Force (FPF) and Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre indicates that teenage girls are the victim in nearly two-thirds of reported cases of rape or sexual assault. However, the majority of response services available in such cases (e.g., health, shelter, and psychosocial support) are designed for adult women and lack child-specificity.

Children (primarily boys) are frequently in conflict with the law. From 2017-2022, an average of 634 children per year were charged with offences, most commonly property offences (e.g., theft). While data is not collected on how many children are diverted from the formal justice system, analysis of FPF data suggests that roughly 80% of children charged with offences are diverted before appearing in court. However, these children are often not linked to rehabilitative services in a systemic and coordinated way.

To address these concerns, the Fiji Government recently enacted two pieces of legislation, the Child Care and Protection Act 2024 and Child Justice Act 2024. The two bills modernize Fiji’s child protection and child justice systems, prioritizing prevention of VAC, promoting early intervention, strengthening oversight of alternative care, raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14, and prioritizing alternatives to detention for children in conflict with the law.

Implementation of these acts is now crucial, requiring a fully resourced and well-coordinated whole-of-government approach. This will require dedicated action from relevant line ministries and government agencies such as the Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Protection (MWCSP), Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, FPF, Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, Fiji Judiciary, Legal Aid Commission, Online Safety Commision, and National Coordinating Committee for Children (NCCC). In addition, civil society organizations and faith based organizations will also play a key role in implementation of the legislation.

In terms of resourcing, Fiji has been added for the first time to the DFAT funded multi country program. Additional proposals have been made for funding covering child protection. Unlike other field locations in the Pacific, Fiji has neither dedicated international or national staff covering the child protection program.

How can you make a difference? 

Overall objective of the assignment:

The consultant will play a key role in facilitating and coordinating UNICEF’s overall contribution to the planning for and implementing of the two new Acts, as well as providing ongoing monitoring of progress and challenges in promoting effective implementation. Specifically, the consultant will:

• Act as liaison between the UNICEF Child Protection Team and the NCCC Secretariat to promote a whole-of-government approach to child protection, including supporting coordinated action led by different sectors, including social welfare, justice, health, and education.
• Establish and start up tracking systems for the NCCC (and its members) to monitor implementation and identify gaps / challenges for rectification.
• Support implementation of key UNICEF child protection programming aligned with the new legislation, including interventions related to diversion, online protection, workforce development, residential care standards, prevention of violence, and evidence generation.
• Provide planning, monitoring, and reporting/documentation support to NCCC and UNICEF as the new legislation is implemented.
• Support documentation of good practices, lessons learning for sharing with donors and Pacific partners.

Please refer to the ToR ( TOR_Child Protection Coordination.pdf) for further information on the deliverables and the timelines. 

GUIDANCE FOR APPLICANTS:  

Please submit a separate financial offer along with your application. The financial proposal should be a lump sum amount for all the deliverables and should show a break down for the following:

• Monthly / Daily fees– based on the deliverables in the Terms of Reference above
• Travel (economy air ticket where applicable to take up assignment and field mission travel)
• Living allowance where travel is required
• Miscellaneous- to cover visa, health insurance (including medical evacuation for international consultants), communications, and other costs.

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

Education:

• An Advanced University degree in international development, human rights, international law, or other relevant field is required.

Experience & Skills:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in child protection and/or other related areas at the international level, some of which preferably were served in a developing country, is required.
• Relevant experience working with an international organization, NGO, or Government in the Pacific, or a similar context, is required.
• Relevant experience in child protection program and project management in the Pacific is highly desirable
• Experience working in the UN system agency or UN organization is an asset.
• Proven ability to work independently under difficult conditions.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English.

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 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 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.