Communications and Advocacy Assistant

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist 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 Jalalabad in 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, organize 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.

**Note: Only female are highly encouraged for this Assignment

Results/Expected Outputs:

● Work with the field area officers in updating the regional programme profile at least every 6 months. ● Produce one human interest story with photos per month for each of the provinces covered by the region, ensuring that all UNFPA programmatic interventions (FHH, CME, MHT, PSCC, etc.) are covered, and taking into strict consideration safety and security conditions. ● Document and ensure communication coverage for distribution of supplies ( Dignity kits for example) ● Conduct an assessment of visibility and IEC needs of the facilities supported by UNFPA in the region and work with the implementing partners and area field officer to ensure that the needs are addressed. All materials to be developed should follow clearance process with the Country Office in Kabul.

• 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 Jalalabad. 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.