Mission and objectives

UNICEF was established in 1946 to supply emergency relief to millions of children suffering in the aftermath of World War II. The organization still functions to ease the suffering of millions of children in emergency situations across the world. UNICEF also focuses on the protection and promotion of child rights, working for the survival, protection, education and healthy development of every child. UNICEF has worked in Jordan since 1952 to promote and protect the rights of children. In the following decades, significant progress has been achieved for children. Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis in 2013, UNICEF has significantly increased its operation to respond to the challenges faced by both refugee children and those in the communities where they live. Building on the lessons learned from this emergency response, UNICEF Jordan moved to a vulnerability approach in 2018 - supporting interventions that target the most vulnerable children in the country, regardless of their nationality.

Context

Gender equality is essential to realizing UNICEF's mandate to uphold the rights of all children. The UNICEF Gender Action Plan (GAP), 2022–2025, operationalizes the UNICEF Gender Policy, 2021–2030, by specifying how UNICEF will promote gender equality across its programmes and workplaces. Recognizing that gender discrimination has lifelong and intergenerational impacts, the GAP advances gender equality throughout life. In humanitarian settings, the gender sectoral commitment and gender-cross-cutting commitments outlined in UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCCs) outline UNICEF's commitments to women and girls and gender equality in crisis response. At the same time, it promotes targeted actions to advance the leadership and well-being of adolescent girls, as girls are disproportionately affected by gender inequality and have tremendous potential to be leaders for change. This dual-track approach goes beyond responding to the manifestations of gender inequality to tackle its underlying drivers, including engaging boys and men as allies, advancing upstream financing and policy solutions, and supporting girls’ agency and voice.

Additional information: International UN Volunteers are entitled to:

• Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) at the amount of USD 2,507.69 (subject to change in monthly Post Adjustment Modifier).

• Entry lumpsum, Exit lumpsum; and Travel Allowance.

• Annual and learning leaves.

• Free Medical and life insurance.

• Free access to different learning platforms. For more information on UN Volunteer benefits, entitlements and support, please visit: https://www.unv.org/become-volunteer/volunteer-abroad

Task description

The Gender Programme Specialist collaborates closely with the Sectors, Humanitarian team and the ADAP teams, and provides technical support to UNICEF MENARO Country Offices. Under the direct supervision of UNICEF MENARO Regional Gender Advisor, the UN Volunteer will: In relation to the Adolescent Girls priority agenda, and working with the Regional Gender Advisor:

• Coordinate, review and support the implementation and monitoring/evaluation of the MENA Adolescent Girl Strategy across accelerators at MENARO, reflecting regional learning and in alignment with the UNICEF global strategy and priorities, with an emphasis on promoting the transition from learning to earning;

• Support CO teams managing adolescent girl programming to integrate gender equality analysis and recommendations into responsive and transformative programmatic and policy action through reporting, monitoring and evaluation, joint resource mobilization, partnership outreach and management (especially with regional partner girl-led, human rights and women’s organizations), and annual work-planning, including through capacity building and field visits;

• Manage partnerships and collaboration with Plan International and Oxfam to achieve gender transformative results, identify effective gender equality strategies, and to promote girls’ voices and participation in regional and global forums.

• Support gender analysis in climate action (NDC, UNFCC/GAP), capacity building and advocacy support for COs, and promoting girls’ engagement in regional and global platforms; In relation to Humanitarian Preparedness and Response, and working with the Regional Gender Advisor and Emergency Advisor:

• Build capacity of UNICEF staff, cluster and partners including women’s organization to improve assessment and monitoring for gender integration in humanitarian preparedness and response, reporting, through analysis, production of country briefs and reporting of sex and age-disaggregated data in line with CCC benchmarks;

• Undertake country field missions to UNICEF Country Offices, to support gender responsive humanitarian responses in crisis-affected countries and communities.

• Support quality assurance and gender integration into key humanitarian documents and platforms, including L3 Evaluations, EMT presentations, Humanitarian Action Appeals, Emergency Preparedness Plans, Situational Analysis Reports, and Humanitarian Response Plans.

• Represent UNICEF in the Regional Gender in Humanitarian Work Group (GiHA) led by UN Women and OCHA through contributions to analysis, advocacy and localization as well as knowledge management and regional capacity sharing for enhanced gender in humanitarian action, and also by engaging with key representatives from regional/country-level structures and women/girl led CSOs;

Eligibility criteria

Age

18 - 80

Nationality

Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Requirements

Required experience

5 years of experience in gender equality frameworks, programme design, advice, and monitoring approaches, including gender-responsive/gender-transformative results across the GAP priorities and regional accelerators (five regional accelerators that promote adolescent girls’ health and nutrition, learning and skills, protection from violence, and girls’ abilities to influence decisions that affect their lives regarding climate change and economic security); and with at least 2 years of humanitarian experience

• Demonstrated knowledge of UNICEF organizational and programme approaches and sectoral priorities, including UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan and Adolescent Girl Programme Strategy;

• Demonstrated experience integrating gender into emergency preparedness and humanitarian responses and programming, including needs assessments/gender analysis, programme design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation;

• Experience designing, developing, and monitoring programming and advocacy for and with adolescent girls in the region;

• Applied technical and research skills in gender across UNICEF Goal Areas, specifically the five UNICEF MENA Regional Accelerators;

• Knowledge and understanding of country/regional/global gender equality issues, specifically relating to women and children and the good practices and evidence to promote child rights for all boys and girls;

• Experience working in complex environments where diplomacy is necessary to identify solutions that advance women’s and girls’ rights;

• Strategic thinker who can pull disparate ideas into a cohesive vision and plan;

• Ability to undertake tasks while proactively seeking relevant input, cooperation, and guidance from key constituents;

• Ability to think outside the box, generate new ideas, approaches, or insights, and develop innovative ways to undertake projects and initiatives and shape solutions to problems.

• Strong communication, public speaking and writing skills.

• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills;

• Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing;

• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development;

• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;

• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;

• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;

• Sound security awareness;

Area(s) of expertise

Crisis and emergency response, Development programmes, Community development

Languages

Arabic, Level: Fluent, Required English, Level: Fluent, Required French, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable

Required education level

Master degree or equivalent in gender studies, social sciences and development, or another relevant field is required.

Competencies and values

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Applications deadline is 31 October 2024