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 fulfil 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.
Organizational Context and Purpose for the job
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, advocacy and in operations. UNICEF's work is based on the need to address the impact of conflict and other phenomena affecting the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families and translate this commitment to children’s rights into action. UNICEF performs these tasks to give all children equal opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias, or favouritism. This will ensure that every child has an equal chance in life. Moreover, UNICEF’s work 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 and in its Core Commitment for Children in the Humanitarian crisis.
In Afghanistan, more than forty years of conflict continue to undermine the rights of children to have access to their rights (Education, health, food, nutrition, protection etc) which adversely results in children and their families demonstrating Mental Health and Psychosocial disorders and challenge. The National Mental Health Survey and Assessment of Mental Health Services (2018) showed that the population of Afghanistan is very much exposed to traumatic events: 66% have personally experienced at least one traumatic event, and 77% witnessed such an event, for a total of 85% who have either personally experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. This is a very high number which is considered a risk for PTSD[1]. Irrespective of this alarming level of risk of PTSD in the country, the multiple levels of emergencies ranging from the conflict, which intensified in 2021, the COVID Pandemic and climate-related (storms, flooding, winter, drought, earthquake etc) emergencies result in further Mental Health and Psychosocial challenge for the population, including children. According to the 2018 National Mental Health Survey, 10 % of children were found to be impaired in their daily roles by a mental health problem as evaluated by their mother; 8% may qualify for a potential diagnosis[1].
How can you make a difference?
The reach and scope of nutrition service delivery for women and children in Afghanistan have expanded significantly over the past two years. UNICEF's nutrition programs, including Maternal, Infant, and young Child Nutrition (MIYCN), Community Based Nutrition Program (CBNP), Multi Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS), Micronutrient Powder (MNP), Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation, have been scaled up across all 34 provinces. This rapid expansion underscores the critical need for national-level expertise to ensure effective program reporting, monitoring, and quality assurance.
UNICEF is supporting national MIYCN and caring practices as one of the major components of nutrition program targeting maternal Nutrition which refers to the nutrition of women during adolescence, pregnancy, and lactation, as it affects their health and the health of their foetus and/or infant, through their childbearing and nurturing roles, furthermore, the program is focusing on infant and young child feeding practices.
The consultant will report directly to UNICEF’s Nutrition Specialist at ACO contributing to the continuous improvement of program outcomes and data-driven interventions.
Scope of Work:
Provide technical support for MIYCN programming, including guideline development, service quality improvement, partner mapping, and capacity building training to strengthen nutrition outcomes at national and subnational levels.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Familiarity with BPHS and non-BPHS systems, and practical experience in oversight and quality assurance of implementers across different service models.
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract 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 and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors 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.
How to apply:
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 fulfil their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, e... Read More
