HIV and SRHR Programme Officer

UNICEF, also known as the United Nations Children’s Fund, is a United Nations agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. The agency is among the most widespread and recognizable social welfare organizations in the world, with a presence in 192 countries and territories. UNICEF’s activities include providing immunizations and disease prevention, administering treatment for children and mothers with HIV, enhancing childhood and maternal nutrition, improving sanitation, promoting education, and providing emergency relief in response to disasters.

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, adolescents, and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children and adolescents have an opportunity to survive, develop, and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favoritism. To the degree that any child or adolescent 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. UNICEF’s HIV response for children must ensure that neither age, poverty, gender inequality, nor social exclusion determine access to life-saving HIV prevention, treatment and care, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). UNICEF and its partners’ responses ensure all children are born free of HIV and remain HIV-free for the first two decades of life, from birth through adolescence. It further ensures that adolescents and young people have access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, through a multisectoral response.
This UNV assignment is part of UNICEF’s HIV and SRHR programming for children, adolescents, and women in Eastern and Southern Africa, the global epicenter of the HIV epidemic with high rates of adolescent pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and gender-based violence. The UNV provides professional technical, operational, and administrative assistance throughout the HIV and SRHR programming process, with a focus on humanitarian action and knowledge management to improve the efficiency, visibility, and impact of our mandate and work.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Regional HIV and SRHR Adviser or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV HIV and SRHR Programme Officer will undertake the following tasks:

HUMANITARIAN ACTION
• Contribute to programme development, planning, implementation, review, and provide technical assistance on HIV and SRHR work in humanitarian action
• Represent the Section in regular humanitarian action meetings and ensure timely follow-up on agreed actions
• Contribute to the planning, development, and implementation of HIV and SRHR activities under the 2gether 4 SRHR joint UN programme (SRHR in Humanitarian Crises Thematic Ar-ea) and Sub-TWG on HIV in humanitarian setting under RATESA (Outcome 3, result area 10)
• Provide liaison with other sections in the regional office, including but not limited to Health, Humanitarian Resilience and Peace Building (HARP), Child Protection, Nutrition, Communication, ICT, and other Sections to ensure smooth HIV and SRHR Section project management
• Support communication and follow up with Country Offices to optimize HIV and SRHR work in humanitarian action

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
• Serve as the Section focal point on knowledge management, participating in and supporting various knowledge management initiatives in the region
• Liaise with colleagues to maintain the UNICEF ESARO HIV and SRHR Sharepoint Sites with up-to-date evidence and resources that are readily accessible by Regional and country-of-fice colleagues.
• Compile the monthly ESARO HIV and SRHR newsletter, contributing to its continued quality improvement, including through solicitation of inputs and feedback
• Contribute to the development of HIV and SRHR knowledge products
• Participate in capacity-building initiatives to enhance the competencies of UNICEF colleagues and partners in knowledge management

ESARO HIV SECTION PROCESSES AND EVENTS
• Contribute to the development of the HIV and SRHR Section’s rolling workplan and input on the midyear and annual reviews
• Support the Section’s review of country office annual reporting
• Actively engage in biweekly HIV Section Meetings, including as a rotating chair and notetaker
• Support the planning and implementation of the 2022 HIV Network Meeting
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publica-tions/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.