In 2019, at the Nairobi ICPD+25 Summit, the UNAIDS Secretariat announced its intention to launch a new high-level initiative to accelerate HIV prevention among girls and young women. Convened by five women leaders of UN agencies – UNAIDS, UN Women, UNICEF, UNESCO and UNFPA – this effort is bringing together an exceptional network of African and global leaders from civil society, business, unions, faith groups, and media (refer to Annex 1 for details).
Within this initiative, UNICEF and UNFPA have laid out institutional commitments to co-lead the delivery of a young women’s leadership structure, to cultivate and empower a dedicated group of high-level advocates, drawn from the key networks, institutions, and movements across the six priority issues of the initiative. UNICEF also supports the domain on girls’ secondary education, coordinating joint action on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), school-related Gender Based Violence (GBV) with the designated agency leads.
The purpose of this assignment is to provide mid- to senior-level support to ensure a coordinated support across UNICEF NY-HQ Programmes Groups (Gender, Education, Health, and ADAP) and with the regional offices of the UN co-sponsors.
Scope of Work:
Under the guidance of the Senior HIV/AIDS Adviser, Adolescents, and working closely with UNHQ and Regional Advisors of the Co-Sponsors (UNFPA, UNESCO, UN Women, and UNAIDS) the consultant will be assigned a range of tasks:
Overall, serve as the focal point within Programmes Division for the initiative. Manage coordination, outreach and engagement with partners, ensure buy-in and amplify reach and impact.
Liaise across UNICEF HQ-NY Programmes Groups, other UN agencies, and with multiple UNAIDS units as needed.
Interact with regional and country teams to coordinate their inter-agency commitments and engagements.
Set out how UNICEF leadership will help enable the breakthroughs in political leadership, policy and practice that will fulfil the initiative’s advocacy goals, including identifying support needed.
Convene, support and build the visibility of successive classes of high-profile young women leaders and champions in making the case, including mentorship, personal coaching, capacity building, networking support, and strategic advocacy engagements largely driven by the young women themselves, with the collaboration of other agencies
Develop annual workplans, budgets, and resource mobilization plans to support UNICEF’s mandate
Perform other communications-related duties, as required
Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:
Consolidate documentation on the work and activities of young women’s pillar
Formalize strategic partnerships and collaborations with institutions across the African Region
Develop framework and plan for the Virtual Support Center
Empanel Selection Committee for 2023 Cohort, and support transition and onboarding of new cohort of dynamic young women leaders
Strategic activations (International Day of the Girl Child advocacy, 16 Days of Activism, World AIDS Day, CSW2023)
New cohort recruitment completed
Coordinate strategic planning processes, including budget and workplan development, annual retreat, and stocktaking process
Qualifications
Education:
Master's in Gender, Sociology, Education, Public Health, International Health, International Affairs, Public Administration or other related discipline.
Work experience:
A seasoned mid-career professional with a minimum proven professional record of 7 years in Gender and Health at the International level
Native fluency in English; excellent writing skills in English. French or Portuguese would be an asset
Experience in engaging with decision-makers and Influential across Africa, and beyond
Experience in supporting, coordinating, or managing complex multi-agency initiatives for strategic results.
Able to operate in a complex environment and to work with much broader coalitions, including engaging women’s, youth and civil society movements
A record of working on women’s and girls’ rights and gender equality
Clear record of resourcefulness, flexibility and taking initiative. Able to manage complexity, risk and multiple stakeholders while delivering powerful work with a sizeable impact
Language Proficiency:
Native Proficiency in ENGLISH required FRENCH or PORTUGUESE fluency a distinct advantage
