Consultant, Protection of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Child Safeguarding in the LAC Region

Contract

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UNICEF promotes the rights and welfare of all children and adolescents in everything we do. Together with our allies, we work in 190 countries and territories to transform this commitment into practical actions that benefit all children, especially focusing our efforts on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded, worldwide.

The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office is based in in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices.

For every child, protection

UNICEF promotes the rights and welfare of all children and adolescents in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to transform this commitment into practical actions that benefit all children, especially focusing our efforts on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded, worldwide. The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office is based in in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices.

In 2017 the UN adopted a strategy to prevent sexual abuse and exploitation (SEA). Policies and procedures have been developed for the whole UN which include requirements for action plans, risk mitigation frameworks and staff responsibilities to report SEA. The Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse [PSA] is at the core of UNICEF's mandate. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by UNICEF personnel and by personnel and sub-contractors of UNICEF Implementing Partners.

In December 2018, the Interagency Standing Committee of UN and non-UN agencies established to better respond in humanitarian situations laid out three main priorities to prevent and respond to SEA, namely: 1) safe and accessible reporting mechanism that is gender and child sensitive; 2) quality SEA survivor assistance; and 3) enhanced accountability, including through prompt and respectful investigations. An independent review of UNICEF's work on PSEA and the development of an institutional Strategy on PSEA was issued in 2019.

UNICEF further articulated procedures to prevent and respond to SEA, and there are contractual obligations with consultants and implementing partners which include requirements for implementing partners on PSEA and a Procedure for Assessing SEA Risks in Implementing Partnerships. A PSEA Toolkit was also issued in 2020.

In 2016 UNICEF established a strong child safeguarding (CSG) policy which encompasses and goes beyond SEA and, in 2021, a new Instruction and a Guidance Note for reporting allegations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and Concerns of Abuse ['significant harm to a child'] were issued by UNICEF HQ.

From 2020 the UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean began a process of strengthening SEA prevention actions within the Regional and Country Offices with a view to set up systems to address SEA at regional level and across of high-risk contexts, especially Haiti, Venezuela and Colombia from LAC region. Interagency initiatives at the national and regional levels were supported and provided technical support with all 24 COs for inclusion of PSEA in COVID responses.

In order to further strengthen the implementation of the above policies, UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and Caribbean (LACRO), conducted a survey on the knowledge of and prevention and response structure for CSG and PSEA I the country offices. Based on the results it is developing staff capacities at regional and country level, supporting country offices in the capacity building, articulating reporting structures and supporting the development of country level plans within the UNCT framework, as well as a robust monitoring system to ensure compliance.

For more information about UNICEF and its work in this Region, please visit UNICEF LACRO.

**How can you make a difference?

Purpose of the Assignment**

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to Regional and Country offices (COs) in Protection from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (PSEA) and Child Safeguarding. The assignment aims to ensure that COs across the Region have the required systems in place to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and Concerns of Abuse, and ensure Child Safeguarding, as concerns UNICEF Personnel or associates (suppliers, implementing partners), in line with UNICEF instructions and guidelines and institutional accountabilities.

Specific Tasks

1. Monitoring System:

• Develop a monitoring system for PSEA in LACRO which will follow the implementation of UNICEF directives including responsibilities around training of staff, assessments of partners, acceptability of PSEA procedures, follow up on assistance provided to victims, and tracking the reach of PSEA awareness and reporting mechanisms. This will be populated during the consultancy.

• Collaborate with CPiE Specialist and KM-CP Consultant collecting and documenting good practices/lessons learned, for current, useful, and reliable reference for the region.

2. Training:

• Develop and implement a basic training programme (that can be replicated) for UNICEF PSEA focal points in the region and implementing partners on PSEA and child safeguarding. This includes general orientation training as well as specific trainings for those who carry particular roles in the reporting process. The package will work from the existing PSEA trainings already developed globally and is expected to include 'initial' trainings and successive follow up training/learning opportunities. It will also include reference to PSEA requirements found within UNICEF's Core Commitments to Children.

Expected Results

The following results are expected at the end of the consultancy:

• Repository with Documentation of PSEA and CSG programmes in the LAC region. Material developed within this consultancy (e.g. good practices, regional specific guidance) will be in Spanish and English.

• A regional monitoring system for SEA in Spanish and English.

• Replicable learning packages on PSEA and child safeguarding designed and delivered including reports on key results/learnings from each training in Spanish and English.

**To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

Education:**

• Master's degree in social sciences, sociology, political science, international relations, international development or related fields.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of of professional, international experience associated with the support, design, implementation, or management of PSEA and/or child safeguarding and/or Child Protection.

• Experience working in the UN or other international development organizations an asset.

Languages: - Fluency in Spanish and English is required. Knowledge of French or Portuguese will be considered an asset.

****Technical knowledge:****- Experience operationalizing response plans and codes of conduct, ideally in a related area.

• Experience designing and conducting trainings, remotely and in person, ideally in a related area.

Other skills and attributes:

• Demonstrated excellent communication skills.

• Demonstrated ability to engage and build collaboration with multiple partners.

• Ability to work efficiently under tight deadlines.

• Demonstrate strong communication skills, verbally and written.

• Able to work effectively and engage young people in program design.

• Demonstrated experience on UNICEF will be an asset.

• Knowledge and fluent ability in communication tool such as Teams, and ability to use tools such as Word, PowerPoint.

Supervision: the individual contractor will work under the direct supervision of the Child Protection [Emergency] Specialist, in close coordination with the Child Protection Regional Adviser.

Workplace: This is a home-based remote consultancy. The consultant will need to provide his/her own premises, equipment, materials, tools and resources for this consultancy. The consultant will be required to have access to Teams/Skype/Zoom to facilitate the communication required during this assignment. Travel may be required, in coordination with the supervisor, and will be covered by UNICEF as per policy.

Duration: This is a 6 months consultancy, expected to start on 1 June 2022.

How to Apply: Application should be submitted online and should include: Resume, Cover Letter and Financial proposal. Qualified candidates are requested to submit daily and monthly fees in their financial proposal.

For every Child, you demonstrate… UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and the following core competencies: Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness, Works Collaboratively with others, Builds and Maintains Partnerships, Innovates and Embraces Change, Thinks and Acts Strategically, Drive to achieve impactful results, and Manages ambiguity and complexity.

To view our values and competency framework please visit the following links: Our Values and Our Competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.