Organization Mission

The United Nations Population Fund is the UN agency which leads global efforts to help ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every young person”s potential is fulfilled.
UNFPA’s programmes work to ensure that women, adolescents, young people and marginalized populations, including Persons with Disabilities (PWD), are empowered to make decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health and rights and able to live free of discrimination and violence.

Context

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person”s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2026-2029), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.

In Afghanistan, the youth literacy rate (15-24 years) is 65.4%, with a notable gender gap (male 74.1%, female 56.3%). Since September 2021, girls have been banned from schooling beyond age 11, including university education, resulting in 80% of girls no longer being in school.

Health and Wellbeing: The adolescent fertility rate shows 16.3% of women aged 20-24 had a live birth by age 18. Pregnancy complications are a leading cause of death for young women. Adolescent girls face issues like anemia, underweight, and overweight. In 2018, 15.6% of young people reported drug use. HIV knowledge is low, especially among girls. Mental health concerns are significant, with 22.2% of adolescents meeting criteria for a probable psychiatric disorder in 2021, and around 14% reporting depression. Tobacco use is much higher among males than females.

Limited Access to Services: A significant portion of the population (73% under 35, 63% under 25) experiences limited access to quality health, education, and skills development.
Education Restrictions: The Taliban”s ban on girls” education prohibits adolescent girls from secondary and tertiary education, and only 17% of youth with disabilities participate in education.

Digital Divide: Only 27.7% of households have computers with internet access, and only 8% of women aged 15-49 have used the internet in the last three months, further disadvantaging women.

UNFPA launched the Multipurpose Youth Centre (MYCs) Model in November 2022. MYCs are comprehensive one-stop shops providing integrated health, protection, and livelihood services. They offer a safe space for young people to access training, education, and social opportunities.

Currently, Six MYCs (four male, two female) are operational in Kabul, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Samangan and Balkh provinces while two female MYCs are suspended in Kabul and Herat with one more expected to be established by January 2026 in Nangarhar. Services include livelihood and training programs (graphic design, coding, translation, employability skills, computer labs, internet access), healthy lifestyle awareness, psychosocial support, life skills education, and volunteer programs.

In addition, Youth Health Line (YHL) was launched in 2012. This nationwide toll-free service (dial ”120”) provides confidential information and counselling on health and reproductive health.

UNFPA is currently integrating Youth Friendly Health services in service delivery points, including Mother and Child Health Centers, Basic Health Centers and Family Health Houses. Additionally, it is providing Youth Friendly Health Information and Referral services via the nation-wide Youth Health Line and Multi-purpose Youth Centres.

In this context, UNFPA is seeking an international UNV on the Adolescents and Youth programme to provide required technical assistance and guidance in execution of the A&Y programme.

Key Responsibilities

The Adolescents and Youth Programme consultant will provide technical assistance and guidance to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to adolescents and youth, expediting the expansion of the Multi-Purpose Youth centre, promoting access to both girls and boys, and ensuring the effective technical management of UNFPA’s donors’ supported projects.
S/he will work in close collaboration with the Youth Programme Officer, other units within the UNFPA office, including the implementing partners. The Consultant will be responsible for ensuring integration of the UNFPA mandate within the programme delivery, including coordinating UNFPA’s projects with other stakeholders, leading the efforts on strengthening the quality of interventions, overseeing the preparation phase of new interventions, supporting the management of the Youth Programme and Team, including the implementation of its related projects and funds.Coordination:
● Provide required technical guidance and oversight to the Youth Programme under the Afghanistan Country Programme, undertake consultation with field offices and implementing partners in regular intervals to get updates and progress around implementation of the adolescents and youth component of the project/programme, including through youth educators.
● Lead technical inputs related to Youth into reports and proposals when required as well as take overall leadership in donor meetings for updates under the youth portfolio.
● Build strong partnerships with youth and youth integration projects’ partners and stakeholders at national, provincial, and regional levels.
● Oversight of the Adolescents and Youth coordination bodies, including providing strategic guidance for the Adolescents and Youth Working Group.Project design and Implementation:
● Lead the process of identifying areas of improvement in the implementation of MYCs and implement steps to strengthen the quality of interventions.
● Advise on all activities programmed for youth integration projects and contribute to the design and scale up whenever needed in any additional regions.
● Provides technical support and guidance to the implementing partner, technical staff, and partner agencies to ensure good quality implementation and integration of youth project activities.
● Lead the technical youth guidelines and toolkits development, revision and roll-out among UNFPA implementing partners.
● Lead the process of developing new interventions or implementation of action plans that have been initiated, such as prevention of child marriage, male engagement etc.Assessment, Monitoring, and Evaluation:
● Participate in field missions to provinces and assessments as appropriate to inform strategic approaches and for addressing the issues around adolescents and youth and access to services in collaboration with the RH/GBV and Humanitarian Provincial Coordinator
● Support RH/GBV and Humanitarian Provincial Coordinator to monitor progress of the projects’ activities, identify sources of delays in the project implementation, contribute to feasible solutions, and ensure follow-up actions are being carried out.Resource Mobilization, Partnership and Reporting:
● Prepares regular reporting on projects’ status (mainly for donors and CO)
● Prepare debriefings for donor meetings about adolescents and youth interventions, including attending required donor meetings.
● Support the Resource Mobilisation team in proposal writing and donor reporting as technical lead for youth thematics
● Support the A&Y team in identifying potential new partners for scaling up
● Any other activities as requested by the CO.

Required Skills and Experience

● 7 years related to lead Guidelines and toolkits/SOPs development related to youth work (and preferably youth integration in activities)
● 5 years of field experience in humanitarian context working with UN agencies, I (NGO’s), CBO’s. Previous experience with UNFPA or other UN agencies are preferred.
● Familiarity with the Afghan context is an advantage.
● Knowledge in SRH, maternal health, gender, youth programming, child marriage and services
● Experience working with conflict-affected communities, including with adolescents, youth and communities.
● Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills
● Proven experience in conducting similar work
● Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
● Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish

Core Competencies

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism
• Self-management
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.

Living Conditions

Afghanistan is a unique country and the UNFPA Afghanistan program is a unique humanitarian operation. It provides an enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness,
as well as stamina and commitment. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, are essential.

The security situation in the country remains volatile, though the number of security incidents has reduced significantly since 2021. As the security level in the country remains high, it requires strict
compliance with the relevant guidance. Kabul is a non-family duty station. It is classified “E”, with “A” being the least and “E”, the most difficult.

UN personnel are accommodated in the UN guesthouses within the UN compounds only. No commercial rent of accommodations or travel outside of the compound for recreational purposes is allowed. Guesthouse rooms are equipped with kitchen and basic appliances and utensils. There are 2 supermarkets in the compound with a wide variety of products. Gym, soccer field, basketball court are also available at the compound. The internet is stable at the office and the guesthouses.

The weather in Afghanistan can vary significantly from day to day and across different regions. It is advisable to bring some warm layers to accommodate these changes. During the winter season the
weather can be very cold, up to -15 degrees and it is recommended to bring enough winter clothes.

Afghanistan is an Islamic country, and it is advised that personnel dress accordingly.

You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator.
The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.