UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to a Future

Afghanistan remains one of the most complex humanitarian contexts globally, with women and girls facing heightened risks of gender-based violence (GBV) due to prolonged conflict, displacement, poverty, and deep-rooted gender inequalities. The operational environment is further characterized by restrictions affecting women and adolescent girls’ fundamental rights and access to services, mobility, and participation in public life, significantly limiting their ability to seek protection and support.

How can you make a difference?

1. Support to programme/project development and planning

Support the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for the GBV programmes/projects to ensure that current and comprehensive data on GBV issues is available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on child rights and protection, and to set programme priorities, strategies, and design and implementation plans. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery.

Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of GBV and gender programmes/projects. Formulate, design and prepare programme/project proposals for the sector, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s overall Strategic Plans and the Country Programme, as well as coherence and integration with the UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan (UNSFA), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.

Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national priorities and competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.

Support the integration of gender analysis and gender-responsive and gender-transformative approaches into programme design and planning across UNICEF sectors.

Contribute to the development of programme documents, workplans, proposals, budgets, and reports, ensuring GBV and gender priorities are evidence-based and results-oriented.

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

Plan and collaborate with colleagues and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators, other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements, to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in GBV programmes.

Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and/or weaknesses in programme management. Identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.

Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits, surveys and exchange of information with partners to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems. Take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.

Monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations, procedures, donor commitments, as well as standards of accountability and integrity. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources.

3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation

Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners and donors on the interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, best practices, and approaches on GBV related issues to support programme management, implementation and delivery of results.

Participate in GBV programme meetings, including programme development and contingency planning discussions on emergency preparedness in the country or other locations designated, to provide technical and operational information, advice and support.

Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.

Provide technical support and capacity building on gender mainstreaming and gender-transformative programming approaches to UNICEF staff, including zonal office counterparts sectoral teams and implementing partners.

4. Networking and partnership building

Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant government counterparts, national stakeholders, global partners, allies, donors, and academia - through active networking, advocacy and effective communication - to build capacity, exchange knowledge and expertise, and to reinforce cooperation to achieve sustainable and broad results in GBV.

Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and to support fund raising for GBV programmes and emergency interventions.

Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on GBV related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNSFA planning and preparation of programmes/projects. Ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNSFA process for development planning and agenda setting.

Support the integration of gender-sensitive indicators and monitoring frameworks to track progress on GBV and gender equality outcomes across programmes.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders, and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.

Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best practices in GBV management and information systems. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.

Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.

Support documentation and learning on gender-transformative programming and GBV integration across sectors.

The Specialist supports the development and preparation of the GBV programme(s) in the CO.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Download File 118658 Child Protection Specialist (GBV) P3.doc

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

Minimum requirements:

Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s) in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.
Work Experience: A minimum of five years of professional experience in managing large and complex CP/GBV and gender-related programme is required.
Skills:
- Expertise in large and complex portfolio grant management, particularly with International Financial Institutions (IFIs).
- Demonstrated experience in resources mobilization including proposal writing and reporting
- Strong written and spoken communication skills and ability to work across sections.
- Expertise in skills development particularly for adolescents and youth.
Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.

Desirables:

Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language
Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
Relevant experience in programme development in GBV and gender related areas in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is considered an added 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 competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female applicants are highly encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Child Protection Specialist (Gender-based violence), P-3, Fixed Term (12 months), Kabul Afghanistan, #00118658 (Non-Afghan Nationals Only)