Consultancy – GBV Content Development (Laaha) Consultant Req.#568972

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, LOVE

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

 Consultancy Title: Consultancy – GBV Content Development (Laaha) Consultant

Station: Child Protection – Programme Group – NYHQ

Duration: 15 February 2024 – 31 December 2024

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. 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.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/ Assignment:

 The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does – in programs, 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.

Related to this mission, UNICEF is directly involved in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in some of the world’s most complex conflicts and disasters. GBV in its various forms constitutes a global crisis which undermines social and economic progress; as one of the world’s greatest human rights violations, GBV must be addressed to ensure universal rights and principles with regard to equality, security, liberty, integrity and dignity of human beings. Preventing and responding to GBV in emergencies (GBViE) is recognized as a life-saving measure and an essential component of humanitarian action. As a lead agency in addressing GBViE, UNICEF has expanded its on-the-ground programming in recent years and made prevention and risk mitigation of, and response to GBViE one of its targeted priorities in its Strategic and Gender Action Plans (GAP) 2022-2025, as well as in the Child Protection Strategy.

In 2019, UNICEF’s Executive Director issued a call to innovate to fill gaps in the accessibility and availability of services at the Oslo Conference on Ending GBV in Emergencies. Since 2020, UNICEF has embarked on developing new technologies for GBV programming. One of these innovative solutions is Laaha, a Virtual Safe Space platform for women and girls.

Women and girls’ safe spaces have long been established as a key approach to provide survivors with information, links to services, skills-building, peer connection, and support. Yet, as access to physical safe spaces is often limited for adolescent girls and women, UNICEF has been developing Laaha, a virtual safe space (VSS) platform for them to access GBV, but also Sexual and Reproductive Health (Rights) (SRH(R)) and Mental Health (MH) information.

Laaha’s design and content have been developed using a human-centered design methodology. The content has been developed based on the information needs and priorities women and adolescent girls have expressed throughout the research phase. As of today, Laaha offers a total of 75 modules. Laaha is currently being deployed in a number of additional countries, including Afghanistan, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Venezuela. Laaha aims at reaching 1 million users and 15 languages by 2025. Additional topics are being raised by women and adolescent girls and collected by UNICEF to enrich the content. Similarly, the content requires contextualization to the priorities and/or sensitivities of the new contexts.

As a member of UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict, UNICEF plays a critical role in helping to ensure the survivor-centred approach and best interest of the child considerations are consistently integrated within the broader conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) agenda. Over the past years, the issue of children born as a result of CRSV has received increasing attention. Support is required to develop guidance around survivors who become pregnant as a result of sexual violence and their children, including a dedicated synthesis document focused on this issue as well as integration of this topic into broader guidance being developed on civil registration, vital statistics and identity (CRVSID).    

 Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of the Child Protection Specialist (GBViE), the consultant will be responsible for the completion of the following deliverables:

1. Support the development of additional content modules to be added on Laaha;
2. Contribute to develop a governance framework for content development on Laaha;
3. Support contextualization of existing content modules for additional deployment contexts;
4. Support Laaha’s impact evaluation in collaboration with Washington University of Saint Louis.
5. Support development of  guidance  on supporting survivors who become pregnant as a result of sexual violence and their children.
6. Provide technical review of GBViE global products.

The consultancy will be home-based, with travels to emergency-affected contexts as feasible.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Deliverable 1: At least 40 new modules developed and approved

By 31 October 2024

Deliverable 2: Process mapping of content development finalized  

By 31 August 2024

Deliverable 3: Guidance on how to adapt existing content to at least 4 new contexts provided      

By 31 December 2024

Deliverable 4: Brief document synthesizing relevant guidance and UNICEF’s recommended approach on supporting survivors who become pregnant as a result of sexual violence and their children finalized

By 30 June 2024

Deliverable 5: At least 4 meetings with the UNICEF Child Protection Systems Strengthening Team with the aims of identifying entry points to incorporate CRSV considerations to the civil registration, vital statistics and identity work  

By 30 June 2024

Deliverable 6: At least 5 products reviewed and supported  

By 31 December 2024

Qualifications

Education:

• University degree in Social Work, Women’s Studies, Human Rights and International Law, Public Health, other related degree or equivalent programming experience

Work experience:

• 8-10 years relevant experience, preferably including GBV and/or MHPSS, and/or SRH programming in humanitarian contexts, including at field level.
• Demonstrated experience in developing resources and tools related to GBV prevention and response, MHPSS, Children Affected by Armed Conflict, and/or SRH(R).

Competencies/Knowledge:

• Good knowledge of recent developments in the CRSV agenda, including interagency coordination at field- and global levels.
• Deep understanding of GBV guiding principles and survivor-centered response.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, including the ability to work independently with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexible work attitude: the ability to work productively in a team environment and to handle requests or issues as they arise.
• Demonstrated understanding of issues related to confidentiality, data safety/security, and other ethical concerns related to the sharing of sensitive data between humanitarian agencies.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to successfully and effectively liaise with people in a wide range of functions in a multi-cultural environment, including women and girls.
• Excellent drafting skills and capacity to efficiently channel complex or sensitive messages to a varied audience.
• Strong understanding of UNICEF programmes, communication, technology, user-centered design, youth participation, and partnership goals.

Language Proficiency:

• Fluency in English is required. 
• Knowledge of Arabic, Spanish or French is considered an asset for this role

Requirements: 

Completed profile in UNICEF’s e-Recruitment system and

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect:
  • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • 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.