Child Protection Officer, NOB, FT, # 128693, Port Sudan – Sudan, MENA

The Child Protection Officer will provide a professional technical, operational, and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for child protection programmes/projects within the Country Programme from development planning to delivery of results. H/She prepares, executes, manages, and implements a variety of technical and administrative programme tasks to facilitate programme development, implementation, programme progress monitoring, evaluating, and reporting.

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

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

The Sudan Free of FGM (SFFGM2) programme is based on keeping all girls and women uncut and advocating for gender equality and equal opportunities to be afforded to all children and youth. SFFGM2 programme contributes to the Government of Sudan’s National Action Plan to Abandon FGM Within a Generation (2020-2030).  A strategic component of the National Action Plan is promoting positive social transformation and actively engaging and encouraging communities to collectively decide to abandon the practice, ultimately reducing prevalence among girls (0-14) years and accepting the change in the norm  of cutting.

Since then efforts were exerted to join forces of stakeholders from government, UN agencies, International NGOs, civil society and through focused programming such as that supported by FCDO to the Sudan Fee of FGM programme that commenced in 2013.  This FCDO and national-led programme substantially increases in Sudan the UK’s support to efforts to end FGM in Africa, building upon the UK’s support to the multi-country United Nations Joint Programme (JP) on ending FGM/C. This support is provided separately through a centrally managed regional programme over 5 years across 17 countries.

Various interventions have been designed to articulate the way forward for communities.

These included various community dialogue sessions, capacity building to community facilitators and use of the existing community structures that are catalytic to change and ownership of decisions to abandon. All of this has created a momentum for change at the community level reaching to public declarations by thousands of communities, indicating a trend of a social movement towards abandoning the practice. The path to FGM abandonment in Sudan must be forged from and propelled by the Sudanese people, with support from UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO.

Unfortunately, the military coup of 25 October 2021, and the armed conflict erupted on April 15 2023 between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), brought about a more fluid environment with uncertainties in the implementation landscape. In line with UNICEF’s Core Commitment for Children in Humanitarian Action, UNICEF child protection section in Sudan is implementing interventions to address response, mitigation, and prevention of gender-based violence, alongside the nexus humanitarian-peace-development. This includes strengthening synergies with existing programs on GBV prevention, namely the UN joint programs and joint initiatives promoting abandonment of harmful practices (FGM and child marriage), to reduce the stigma around sexual violence and increase access to case management services for GBV survivors.

How can you make a difference?

You report to Child Protection Specialist – Social Norms for supervision. You provide professional technical, operational, and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for child protection programmes/projects within the Country Programme from development planning to delivery of results. H/She prepares, executes, manages, and implements a variety of technical and administrative programme tasks to facilitate programme development, implementation, programme progress monitoring, evaluating, and reporting.

The need to properly respond to the national and international call for attention and action on FGM/C and CM and other social norms related issues generates the need for further support to the social norms team. The applicant is expected to manage, coordinate, and monitor the SFFGM2 program. S/he will provide a significant contribution to the social norms work through monitoring implementation, coordinating with UN agencies, government ministries and other partners and reporting on all related activities.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Support to programme development and planning with focus on SFFGM2/GJP
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation
4. Networking and partnership building
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
6. Lead on FGM/CM  IMS and with exiting referral system in place.

For more details please check the JD:  TOR – Child Protection Officer – Social Norms_Level 2.pdf

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

The following minimum requirements:

• Education: A university degree in one of the following fields is required: Human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, Economic, or another relevant social science field

• Work Experience: A minimum of two years of professional work experience in Social norm with prior experience in FGM and CM related fields

Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage.

• Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Arabic is required.

The following desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.
• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language.

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…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) 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.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

This is required for all posts requiring a higher education degree. “UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates).

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 shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.

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.