South Asia has the largest share of the adolescent girl population globally: 171 million. These girls represent a massive but untapped potential for future economic growth, and innovations. They are likely to develop into healthy and skilled women, and active and informed citizens. While girls are taking actions to shape their collective future, multiple barriers and social norms continue to impact the quality of their environment, relationships, and experiences, including access to information, services, and the support they need.
Adolescence is a once-in-a-lifetime window of opportunity to equip the next generation of female leaders with essential skills and employability, implant gender-equitable norms, make up for poor childhood health and nutrition and break the intergenerational cycle of violence, malnutrition, and poverty. Girls in South Asia are disproportionately affected by gender-unequal norms, rules, and relations, evident from high rates of child marriage, early pregnancies and poor health and nutrition. Girls also lack access to quality education and skills (only 36 per cent of girls complete secondary school) and nearly half of them are NEET. Schools do not meet the safety and hygiene needs of girls. Considerable disparities in nutritional status persist, with the most socio-economically deprived suffering the greatest burdens of undernutrition.
South Asia is also facing aggravated climate risks, hazards, and emergencies. Natural disasters, often aggravated by unplanned growth and unsustainable use of natural resources, threaten to reverse the progress made on the gender goals over the years. Civic conflicts and refugee crises in several parts of South Asia too escalate the risk of child marriage, discontinuation of education and gender-based violence for adolescent girls. This UNV assignment is a part of UNICEF’s adolescent girls programming strategy 2022-25 in line with the Gender Action Plan (GAP) and Strategic Plan sets out a vision for accelerated actions with and for adolescent girls. UNICEF is well-equipped to implement multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder programming in collaboration with the government using multiple systems (health, education, protection, social protection, food), CSOs, NGOs, women and girl-led organizations and adolescent girls that meet their diverse needs holistically and comprehensively. UNICEF´s wide reach and established networks can ensure that the most marginalized communities are reached, and no one is left behind. UNICEF achieved considerable gains in advancing adolescent girls’agency and well-being by implementing multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder programming during 2023. The UNV is expected to contribute to the adolescent agenda within the overall framework of UNICEF’s Gender Policy 2021-2030, the GAP and the Strategic Plan in both the development and the humanitarian contexts.

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Gender Advisor or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Junior Programme Officer the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

Contribute to COs’ initiatives on gender programming in development and humanitarian contexts: • Keep track of gender resources available within UNICEF, new and emerging resources to provide updated guidance notes, reference materials to COs as needed. • Keep updated information on emerging or continuing humanitarian situations.
• Engage with COs to understand, assess and support the existing response mechanisms and to design new/ additional mechanisms. • Coordinate with COs and regional office designated focal points for organizing knowledge sessions, webinars, and meetings on different components of gender programming • Work closely with the fund raising and partnerships teams to contribute to the resource mobilization documents on overall gender programming
• Assist programme and sector colleagues to advance one or more of the Targeted Gender Priorities in the Adolescent girls’ strategy.
Contribute to advocacy, networking, and partnership building • Assist regional office in implementation of policy and advocacy strategy with key messages on working with and for adolescent girls, building from existing work • Contribute to development of communication materials for key advocacy and communications moments on gender
• Assist the office in creating a database of UN agencies, development partners, and relevant networks working on the issue of gender equality in the region, along with their specific expertise.
• Assist regional office in building and maintenance of strategic alliances for gender equality with various partners, including institutional links with UN agency teams focused on gender and adolescent girls, and other relevant entities. • Support the team in quality assurance of Gender thematic fund proposals and donor reports
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor. • 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.

☒ Accountability ☒ Adaptability and Flexibility ☒ Building Trust ☒ Client Orientation ☒ Commitment and Motivation ☒ Commitment to Continuous Learning ☒ Communication ☒ Creativity ☒ Empowering Others ☒ Ethics and Values ☒ Integrity ☒ Professionalism ☒ Respect for Diversity ☒ Technological Awareness ☒ Working in Teams

Demonstrated interest in: • Gender
• Intersectionality
• Humanitarian Contexts

The assignment is in Nepal, a beautiful country nested in the Himalayas. The duty station is Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Nepal is a unique and diverse country and ROSA is a unique operation. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as 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. The location is prone to earthquakes, however, staying in well-build house/ apartment and adherence to the usual minimizes the risks. Rains and water logging during monsoons may be disruptive. Kathmandu is prone to traffic congestions, but this can be mitigated by scheduling the local travel in a way that avoids rush hours or choosing to less congested routes. The security situation in all locations is normal and have both road and air access. Moreover, all basic services/facilities are also available in all locations.

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Potential interview questions

Can you describe a time you advocated for gender equity?	This question assesses your advocacy experience and values regarding gender equity.	Outline your role in a specific advocacy initiative and its outcomes.
How would you approach building partnerships for gender programs?	This question evaluates your strategic thinking in partnership building.	Pro members can see the explanation.
What techniques would you use to adapt programs in response to changing humanitarian needs?	Pro members can see the explanation.	Pro members can see the explanation.
What experience do you have with monitoring and evaluating gender programs?	Pro members can see the explanation.	Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you incorporate local knowledge in your programs?	Pro members can see the explanation.	Pro members can see the explanation.