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For every child, the right to result, innovation, opportunity, protection, safety, health, chance.

Bhutan has made significant progress in expanding Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services across educational institutions over the last decade. The recent nationwide Assessment of WASH Services and Facilities in Schools and Monastic Institutions (2025), conducted by the Ministry of Education and Skills Developmen (MoESD), Dratshang Lhentshog, and UNICEF, demonstrates that most monastic schools and nunneries now have basic WASH infrastructure in place. However, the assessment also highlights substantial gaps in service quality, reliability, safety, inclusivity, and sustainability that prevent institutions from fully complying with the National Standards for WASH in Schools and Monastic Institutions 2024.

Monastic schools and nunneries play a vital role in Bhutan's education system and cultural heritage. They currently serve 12,213 monks and 1,664 nuns across 216 monastic schools and 32 nunneries. Importantly, they also accommodate 664 individuals with disabilities, including 481 monks and 183 nuns, underscoring the need for inclusive WASH services that support the health, dignity, and educational participation of all learners.

The assessment findings reveal significant disparities between infrastructure coverage and compliance with national WASH standards. While 89.4% of monastic schools reported water availability at the time of assessment, only 18.8% of nunneries had water available. Access to uninterrupted 24-hour water supply remains inadequate, with only 68.1% of monastic schools and 50% of nunneries reporting reliable service. Water safety is also a concern, as 20.4% of monastic schools and 15.5% of nunneries experienced water contamination during the previous year, while only 20.4% and 25.0%, respectively, had conducted water quality testing within the last 12 months. Furthermore, fewer than one-third of institutions have filtration systems or advanced water treatment facilities. These findings indicate that many institutions remain vulnerable to service disruptions and waterborne diseases.

Although sanitation coverage appears adequate when measured against toilet-to-student ratios, significant functionality and accessibility challenges persist. Only 70.8% of monastic schools and 68.8% of nunneries reported toilets that were fully functional and adequately lit. Accessibility remains critically low, with only 13.4% of monastic schools and 12.5% of nunneries meeting disability-accessibility standards. Similarly, urinal adequacy is severely lacking, with only 31.5% of monastic schools meeting national standards.

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: WASH consultant.pdf

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

Minimum requirements: |(Qualifications/Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills)

Education: Master’s degree in Public Health, Civil Engineering, Environmental Management, Water Resources Management, Economics or another relevant subjects.
Work Experience: At least 7 years’ relevant professional experience in conducting assessment, situation analysis and development of costed action plans/framework and policy briefs.
Language Requirements: English
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
- Knowledge and skills related to WASH and waste management.
- Ability to assess data, forecast population and model capital versus operation expenditure needs.
- Demonstrated experience preparing costed sector plans, investment cases, or financing strategies
- Stakeholder engagement and coordination skills with multiple stakeholder agencies, including Dratshang Lhentshog, Government and UN agencies.
- Excellent report writing and presentation, facilitation and interpersonal communication skills.
Desirables: Prior experience with similar assignments completed for UN or the Government would be an advantage

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

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
Cover letter
A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template) Financial proposal WASH Consultant.xlsx

Remarks: If the TOR or financial proposal documents are not downloadable on certain recruitment platforms, please visit our official page Vacancies | UNICEF Careers.

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

National Consultancy to Develop costed action plan for WASH in monastic schools and nunneries for 5 months (remote)