Disability and Inclusion Assistant

Volunteering Communications & PR

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.

In line with the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS), regional action plan (DIPAS), and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), UNICEF has expanded its inclusive programming across all programmatic sectors, including education, social policy, child protection, health, WASH, early childhood development and social behavioral change. The regional priorities include early identification and intervention, disability inclusive humanitarian action, and disability inclusive operations.

Madagascar CO intends to strengthen its capacity for disability inclusion by deploying a Disability and Inclusion Assistant to support the office in mainstreaming disability inclusion into the programmatic work in development and humanitarian contexts to generate evidence about children and adolescents with disabilities and their needs, and to strengthen the visibility of disability inclusive programming in communications.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for UN Volunteers with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment.

Support the design of- and implement- accessible and representative advocacy approaches in promoting the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities ; In collaboration with other UN partners and local actors, identify the areas of focus for disability inclusion, skills, and inclusive education-related programming/projects with the greatest potential for impact and scale ; Participate in the development of inclusive strategies for media and information literacy initiatives ; Support the planning and execution of capacity-building programs that cater to the specific needs of persons with disabilities ; Ensure that training materials and methods are accessible and inclusive ; Collaborate on the development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess the impact of inclusive initiatives ; Provide regular reports on the progress of inclusive programs and suggest areas for improvement based on lessons learned and best practices ; Support building and maintaining strategic alliances for gender equality and disability inclusion with various partners, including institutional links with UN agencies and other relevant entities ; Actively support in mapping and identifying potential new partnerships with relevant local and community stakeholders to enhance the reach and effectiveness of inclusion initiatives.

Accountability, Adaptability and flexibility, Planning and organising, Professionalism, Self-management, Working in teams.

the national and/or international level in Social Science or Humanities; experience in partnership with NGOs, civil society organizations, or other international development organizations is an asset; Overall good understanding of the national situation and politics related to persons with disabilities and marginalized communities; knowledge of disability rights and inclusion principles; Strong commitment to inclusion and social justice ; Other (Desired or Mandatory) required technical knowledge ; Good oral and written skills; good drafting, formulation, reporting skills; Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; Computer literacy, including working knowledge in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; Sound security awareness; Have affinity with or interest in UNICEF, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Antananarivo is a B duty station for the UN, albeit towards the bottom of that range. There tends to be political unrest in the city in the lead-up to and aftermath from elections. Criminality is on the increase (particularly from motorcyclists) and care needs to be taken, particularly when walking or moving around the city in a wheelchair. There are some protected areas to walk or move around in, free from the hassle of traffic. Pavements are uneven and often entirely absent. Airlines offering regular flights in and out of the country are Ethiopian Airlines, Air France, Turkish Airlines, Air Mauritius and Air Austral. Emirates is due to start up in the autumn of 2024.
The climate is pleasant all-year round, with the cyclone season occurring between November and April and winter from June to September, with chilly mornings and evenings and on the whole, sunny days. For those who drink alcohol, this is readily available in supermarkets. The cost of living is lower than in most African capital cities, and eating out- at a reasonable cost- is one of the advantages of living in Antananarivo. Rent is affordable, if not cheap. Houses are available- at a price- as well as a range of apartments. Choose an apartment with generator backup, as power cuts can be quite frequent. Water supply tends to be reliable, except when a particularly bad cyclone hits. An ample supply of fruit and vegetables is available in local markets, and there are several supermarkets in the city which sell international products at international prices. Medical facilities are poor throughout the country and this includes the capital city, Antanananrivo. Wifi offer acceptable levels of connectivity, if not super-fast, at a price. Public transport is poor, but reasonably priced taxis are readily available in most parts of the city. Banking facilities are, on the whole, good, but some countries limit financial transfers into Madagascar. To get around this, you can for part of your UN salary to be paid in the local currency, Ariary. Madagascar is a unique country and UNICEF Madagascar is a unique operation, combining both development and humanitarian programming, which is great for UN careers. It provides an interesting and enriching environment but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness and more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.

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Added 8 days ago - Updated 3 hours ago - Source: unv.org