The purpose of the PSE Innovation Consultancy is to support the Child Protection team in delivering on UNICEF’s PSE commitments and organizational priorities, as outlined in the work plan. This support will focus on specific, targeted initiatives, including: 1) strengthening UNICEF’s digital approaches to enhance PSEA programming through innovative and effective solutions, 2) supporting learning, knowledge management, and capacity building of UNICEF staff and partners in PSEA digital innovation, including the rollout of the PSEA Digital Innovation Technical Note, 3) providing targeted technical support on PSEA, with an emphasis on effective, safe, ethical, and responsible use of technology and digital methods to strengthen PSEA programming.

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, hope.

Consultancy Title: PSEA Innovation Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Programme Group, Child Protection, UNICEF NYHQ

Duration: 1 December 2024 to 30 March 2025

Home/ Office Based: NYHQ / 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. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. 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:

UNICEF is committed to accelerating protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) across all humanitarian settings.  PSEA is an organization-wide accountability, and UNICEF Child Protection leads and is a key contributor to this work. UNICEF’s Child Protection strategy prioritizes the prevention of violence, which includes prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.  The UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025 includes core commitments on PSEA, including within Goal Area 3: Every child is protected from all forms of violence, exploitation, abuse, and harmful practices. The Strategic Plan also includes a strategic enabler on the establishment and strengthening of PSEA systems at country-level, for which Child Protection holds a leading role. In addition, UNICEF’s Child Protection Programme Team serves as the designated lead for the roll-out of PSEA within the Core Commitments for Children and the Emergency Procedures. UNICEF’s PSEA strategy aims to ensure that women and children are protected from SEA and have access to safe and confidential complaints and reporting mechanisms and response systems, including quality survivor assistance and safe and timely investigations.

Building on the foundation of initiatives such as Voices of Change, which aimed to scale up safe and accessible reporting channels for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and enhance community engagement and awareness on PSEA, there is a critical need to continue driving innovation in PSEA programming. This work focuses on utilizing community-centered and digital approaches that place the experiences of women and girls at the forefront, ensuring safe, effective, and inclusive engagement. Opportunities exist to strengthen PSEA programming through innovative digital tools, enabling communities to access information on PSEA, report risks, provide feedback on services, and flag concerns safely and securely. By integrating UNICEF-incubated tools and digital channels, affected communities—especially women, girls, and boy —are empowered to participate in the design, implementation, and monitoring of programs, which reinforces Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) and PSEA standards. This engagement drives safer programming across UNICEF sectors by embedding community voices in all stages of programming. Ongoing PSEA programming initiatives have highlighted the need for further support, guidance, and identification of safe and effective practices when using technology and digital tools with communities related to PSEA. Therefore, updating UNICEF’s Digital Innovations for PSEA Technical Note is essential to reflect recent developments and provide field teams with robust guidance on safe and ethical digital engagement, particularly with women and girls. This consultancy will contribute significantly to advancing these goals and strengthening PSEA programming worldwide.

The purpose of the PSE Innovation Consultancy is to support the Child Protection team in delivering on UNICEF’s PSE commitments and organizational priorities, as outlined in the work plan. This support will focus on specific, targeted initiatives, including: 1) strengthening UNICEF’s digital approaches to enhance PSEA programming through innovative and effective solutions, 2) supporting learning, knowledge management, and capacity building of UNICEF staff and partners in PSEA digital innovation, including the rollout of the PSEA Digital Innovation Technical Note, 3) providing targeted technical support on PSEA, with an emphasis on effective, safe, ethical, and responsible use of technology and digital methods to strengthen PSEA programming.

Scope of Work:

Under the supervision of the Child Protection Specialist/ PSEA global technical lead, the consultant will be responsible for completion of the following tasks and deliverables:

• Update and expand the technical note on digital innovation for PSEA, informed by global best practices and input from UNICEF country offices, regional focal points, and other relevant stakeholders. As part of this work, gather input from relevant UNICEF stakeholders and conduct a mapping of existing practices and approaches across UNICEF country offices on how digital technology is currently being used in the context of PSEA programming.
• Support knowledge-sharing efforts and roll out of updated PSEA digital innovation technical note through webinars and strategic knowledge products.
• Provide targeted technical and advisory support on PSEA innovation, effective and safe practices related to the use of technology and digital approaches in engagement with communities in the context of PSEA programming.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

Update and expand the Technical Note on Digital Innovation for PSEA

• Revised Technical Note: Review, update and expand the existing technical note ensuring it reflects current best practices and recommendations for PSEA digital innovation based on consultation insights, and highlighting safe, responsible, and effective use of digital tools for community engagement in PSEA. (By 15 January 2025)

Support knowledge-sharing efforts and rollout of updated PSEA digital innovation technical note.

• Webinars or virtual clinics on Technical Note implementation (3) – Conduct three webinars or virtual clinics introducing and guiding the rollout of the updated technical note. (By 30 January 2025)
• Knowledge Products (3): Develop three strategic knowledge products (e.g., digital engagement PSEA, checklists on information management, training module on PSEA and digital safety, lessons learned document, online engagement strategy for PSEA awareness raising, etc.) related to PSEA digital innovation and community engagement. (By 28 February 2025)

Provide targeted technical and advisory support on PSEA innovation.

• Two short guidance notes or practical tools: Develop concise reports or guidance resources, such as checklists, guides, or other practical tools to support safe, effective digital engagement and community-focused approaches with PSEA programming (by 30 December 2024)
• Technical and advisory support and final summary report: Provide technical and advisory support and written inputs to specific PSEA initiatives focused on digital innovation and submit a summary report summarizing progress and key recommendations. (By 30 March 2025)

Qualifications

Education: 

Advanced university degree (Masters) in the area of Public health, Social work, Political science, Human rights and International law or other related degree, or equivalent programming experience.

Work experience:

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required *: 

• 5-8 years of previous experience in the areas of child protection, protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, safeguarding, or gender-based violence, human rights and/or a similar area of expertise is required.
• In-depth understanding of digital safety, privacy, and data protection principles, particularly in humanitarian or development settings.
• Demonstrated experience in capacity building and developing guidance materials, toolkits, or technical notes, related to safe digital engagement practices.
• Strong knowledge of community engagement strategies, including digital and innovative approaches for awareness-raising and risk identification.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into accessible tools and resources for diverse stakeholders, including field staff and community partners.
• Fluency in English is required, strong written and verbal competency is necessary. Working knowledge of another UN language an asset.

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.