Communication Officer ( U- Report), NO-B, Maseru, Lesotho #125033(Opened for nationals of Lesotho only)

Contract

This is a NO-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-2 contracts.

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, Education

Adolescents (10-19 years) make up 18 per cent of the total population of Lesotho. Like young people elsewhere, they face complex and changing environments. However, in Lesotho, many of their challenges are particularly acute and concerning, especially in the context of widespread poverty where 67.3 per cent of adolescents aged 13-17 years are deprived in multiple dimensions of well-being such as healthcare, nutrition, education, safe water, housing, and information.

Lesotho has the second-highest HIV prevalence in the world. A quarter of its entire population is living with HIV/AIDS. While HIV-related outcomes improved for other age groups, the rate of improvement has not translated for adolescents. Adolescents, and in particular girls, are especially at risk. Every week, 28 adolescent girls 10-19, and seven adolescent boys are newly infected with HIV. Comprehensive knowledge of HIV is also worryingly low among adolescents 35 per cent for girls and 30 per cent for boys. Overlapping risk factors such as high teenage pregnancies (1 in 5), early sexual debut (2 in 5), low contraception use, (1 in 5) and never testing for HIV (2 in 5) place adolescents at high risk of HIV. The nexus between HIV risk among adolescent girls and mother-to-child transmission of HIV is clear. Over 50 per cent of all pregnancies in Lesotho are among adolescent girls, and young women (15-24) and 1 in 5 ANC attendees are adolescent girls 15-19.

Education often plays a protective role in reducing adolescents’ vulnerability to HIV infection and other risks. However, only 46 per cent of adolescents are in secondary school. Children with disabilities, rural adolescents, and rural boys, in particular, are most disadvantaged. Only 16 per cent of adolescents with disabilities attend secondary school. Rural boys who become herd boys a cultural obligation in Lesotho society is especially likely to be deprived of an education. The poor quality of education is linked to high youth unemployment, another major obstacle to a meaningful life for many adolescents and young people in Lesotho. The broad unemployment rate is estimated at 28 per cent, and it is as high as 43 per cent for youths aged 15 to 24.

Sexual violence against children and adolescents is a tragic but common occurrence in homes, schools, and institutions. At least 10,000 adolescents and children are believed to experience sexual abuse in Lesotho, according to a 2011 Situation Analysis of Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children, which remains the best available source of specific data on the subject. More than 24 per cent of women are married by age 18, while almost one in five girls aged 15-19 years have begun childbearing.

How can you make a difference?

To address some of the above-mentioned and some of the already existing challenges in area of youth civic engagement, participation and skills development, the Country Office has initiated in 2019 the process of establishing and introducing a communication platform that enables young people to have increased access to information and participation on key issues that concerns them - U-Report. U-Report is a social monitoring tool designed for youth and other community members to strengthen community-led development, citizen engagement, and access to and use of real-time monitoring and participation platforms. It allows youth to speak out through polls and unsolicited messages – on what is happening in their communities. It provides a forum to amplify their voices through local and national media and acts as a citizen-sourced, real-time data point for key stakeholders, service providers, and decision-makers about the issues being faced in communities. The platform also feeds back useful information to the U-Report users, so they are empowered to work for change and improvements in their localities themselves. The platform is based on a global model that has been successfully deployed in a range of other countries. Therefore, the overall goal of this role is to support the UNICEF Lesotho Country office and Partners with the implementation of the U-Report strategy and scale up throughout Lesotho to reach children, adolescents, and young people, empower them to speak out and influence issues they care about in their communities. The position requires extensive external and internal communication and collaboration and involves significant partnership mobilization and engagement. The Communications Officer (U-Report), in collaboration with Communications Specialist, is expected to ensure that information collected through U-Report feeds into UNICEF and the Government of Lesotho’s joint strategic goals, outlined in the current Country Programme Documents (CPD) 2019-2023 and its relevant strategies.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities

Under the direction of the UNICEF Lesotho Communication Specialist, the Communications Officer (U-Report) will:

• Network and coordinate with a range of partners – government, youth, development partners, etc.
• Assist with the development of polls, info bots, and other creative content aimed at keeping young people engaged and informed.
• Actively manage U Report Lesotho’s social media platforms
• Map potential partners who can contribute to the growth and substantiality of U Report Lesotho.
• Promote national youth engagement activities under UNICEF Lesotho Youth Engagement and Participation.

Under the direct supervision of the Communication Specialist, the Communications Officer (U-Report) will undertake the following tasks:

1. Increased outreach of U-Report and promoted youth engagement and participation.

• Support the popularization of the U-Report platform in Lesotho.
• Coordinate, monitor, and ensure the implementation of the planned activities under the U-Report Lesotho strategy and Work Plan for 2022/2023.
• Ensure the day-to-day management and running of the Lesotho U-Report digital platform and provide support for the analysis and evaluation of the U-Report roll-out process; Manage and regularly update the U-Report website.
• Work closely with the Communications Specialist, IT Manager, and Partners and assist in the development, deployment, and regular reporting back to the U-Report polls and stories designed to inform and engage communities, including inputs to live chat Q & A, chatbots and U-Report thematic campaigns.
• Ensure regular feedback to U-Report users on results and how information is used.
• Write and submit monthly and annual reports on U-Report to UNICEF and Partners.

2. Develop and implement continuous users’ recruitment and engagement plans:

• Advise and support trainings of partners on the utilization and promotion of U-Report
• Monitor, evaluate and support the partner usage of U-Report to understand incentives and constraints involved between highly active and less frequently engaged U-Reporters and propose solutions and strategies to foster stronger participation.
• Contribute to the development and adjustment when needed of U-Report annual activity and content plans.
• Prepare technical documentation, reports, guidelines, etc. relating to U-Report implementation, including suggestions for improvement.
• Contribute to the integration and utilization of U-Report disaggregated data in UNICEF and partners’ youth program planning and service delivery.
• Coordinate the work of the U-Report Steering committee, manage communication with its members, and minutes all online and offline meetings.
• Facilitate the activities of the U-Report Youth Champions Group once established.

3. Partnership engagement and communication:

• Establish the National Multi-stakeholder U-Report Steering Committee and U-Report internal Task Force.
• Map potential partners (CSOs, youth groups, govt ministries, and other public sector organisations) that can support in outreach, promote U-Report and Generation Unlimited and disseminate our messages.
• Provide support for building and nurturing strong long-term partnerships with youth groups and coalitions, Non-Governmental Organizations, universities, schools, community organizations, the private sector, and others, to engage them constructively and sustainably in U-Report.
• Support identification and application of U-Report within key partner-relevant initiatives and campaigns.
• Support public communication activities, awareness raising, and participate in campaigns and related events aiming at U-Report promotion once established.
• Assist in knowledge management through documenting use cases, success, and lessons learned of U-Report progress and impact in Lesotho.
• Work in close collaboration with the Communications Specialist, U-Report internal Task Force, and the National Multi-stakeholder U-Report Steering Committee to submit monthly and annual reports.

4. Development/adaption/curation of social media content

• Develop creative content such as videos, text-based posts, and other creative elements based on U-Report’s key messages.
• Conduct active community management on Facebook and Instagram.
• Promoting social media posts to increase U Report following.
• Help structure poll questions and contextualize them for Basotho youth (e.g., suggesting more youth-friendly approaches/language, etc.).
• Develop flows on RapidPro, the drag-and-drop software that allows building polls which are then launched through U-Report (training will be provided).
• Plan and execute public events promoting the U-Report Platform in Lesotho.
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor

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

Education

A Bachelor’s in one of the following fields is required: social science, and behavioural science, including sociology. Education, communication, international/development studies, or other related field.

Experience

A minimum of two years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: communication for development, public relations, communication, and advocacy.

Experience in a youth network or NGO, preferably in the field of youth participation.

Up-to-date knowledge of new media and relevant communication skills, relevant computer systems, and applications.

Language

Fluency in English and Sesotho is required. Knowledge of another UN Language is an asset.

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…

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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 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.

Remarks:

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.