Communications and Advocacy Assistant

Contract

This is a UNV National Youth contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Youth contracts.

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s new Strategic Plan (2022-2025) focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction. Since the August 2021 events in Afghanistan, UNFPA has seen an expansion of our program in all the regions in the country. This expansion comes at a time when there is a high level of sensitivity on many issues including UNFPA’s mandate areas of sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence. At such a time, there is great need to amplify the benefits of UNFPA’s work in the region and to also strengthen our advocacy. For this purpose, the Communications and Advocacy Assistant will support the UNFPA field office in Herat in advocacy on our mandate and strengthen visibility of UNFPA’s work on the ground through gathering of human-interest stories, photos and videos; documentation of key activities; providing technical assistance to implementing partners on communications; working with local media; and other related tasks. The youth UNV will play a critical role in ensuring the appropriateness and sensitivity of communication activities conducted in the field to safeguard the safety and dignity of beneficiaries as well as the continuity of UNFPA’s humanitarian response in the ongoing crisis.

Under the direct supervision of the Field Area Officers and with oversight of the Communications Specialist, the Communications and Advocacy Assistant will undertake the following: • Develop compelling human interest stories that demonstrate the result of UNFPA’s work in the area of sexual and reproductive health, youth and GBV in their respective regions. • Ensure coverage for all UNFPA related activities, as necessary, and share materials and reports, including human interest stories, with the Communications Unit in the Kabul office for use in external communications platforms such as websites, social media and donor reports. Such activities may include special events, distribution of RH Kits, Dignity Kits and other supplies, and similar activities. • Develop content for UNFPA’s social media accounts by gathering powerful stories, photos, quotes, short videos, and other appropriate materials and share with the Communications Unit in Kabul Office. • Provide inputs and work with the regional team in the development of relevant advocacy and policy documents for the region to advance UNFPA’s mandate. • Identify advocacy platforms that can be used by UNFPA to advance its mandate, such as special events, commemoration of international days, etc., and ensure media coverage as necessary and appropriate. • Maintain a photo and video library that contain all information about the files (e.g., date photo/video was taken, location, details about the subject (name, age, locality, as appropriate) and a short caption describing the image/video. • Generate content for the Safe Birth Even Here website on a regular basis. • Support the area field officer in developing regional situation reports on a bi-monthly basis by ensuring completeness and clarity of information before they are submitted to the Country Office in Kabul. • Support UNFPA missions in the region with documentation of mission highlights and shared with the Communications Unit in the Kabul Office for dissemination. • To the extent possible, organise young women in the region and build their capacity to become communication champions for UNFPA’s mandate. • Any other tasks as may be assigned by the Country Representative.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

The females are encouraged to apply.

• Professionalism • Integrity • Teamwork and respect for diversity • Commitment to continuous learning • Planning and organizing effective organizational • Flexibility • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards UNFPA’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

communications and advocacy, preferably in a humanitarian context. • Experience working with the media is desirable. • Awareness and demonstrable knowledge of UNFPA mandate areas is an added advantage. • Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply

The selected candidates will be based in Herat. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.