Policy Expert (Child Protection and Migration), ECARO outposted to Rome, Italy, 11.5 months (Remote)

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, results

In March 2021 the European Commission issued two milestone documents regarding the protection, inclusion and participation of children in Europe, with a focus on the most vulnerable groups. The EU strategy on children’s rights provides the framework for EU action to better promote and protect children’s rights , while the Child Guarantee is the dedicated programme to combat the child poverty and social exclusion of the most vulnerable children, to ensure they have access to free healthcare, free education, free childcare, decent housing and adequate nutrition. UNICEF is cooperating with the European Commission and the National Authorities to pilot the Phase 3 of the Child Guarantee, including the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of alternative care models for children transiting to adulthood.

Children with migration background form one of the most vulnerable groups identified, and it is expected that relevant efforts of the authorities will be reflected in the upcoming Child Guarantee National Action Plan.

Between 1 January 2021 and 16 November 2021, 59,260 migrants and refugees arrived in Italy by sea , which is a 73, 5% increase compared to the same period in 2020. Among those, there are 14.5% UASC. Child migrants face a high risk are of being exploited, trafficked, and exposed to different types of violence in their own Country, along the route and even once arrived in Europe.

UNICEF is committed to enhance national capacity to protect child and young migrants and to strengthen the system to make sure their needs are addressed. As part of the national response in Italy, UNICEF is working in the areas of alternative care, mental health and psycho-social support, gender-based violence. The organisation operates in the border areas – both in southern and northern Italy – as well as in key locations of transit. Key elements of the Programme are composed by capacity building for frontline workers and practitioners, evidence generation and advocacy – also in cooperation with the Italian National Committee for UNICEF.

The Consultant will support the UNICEF child protection team to develop evidence-based migration policy-related research and analysis, including data analysis to support programmes and advocacy efforts to include migrant children in the main and relevant policies

How can you make a difference?

The consultant will support the child protection team in enhance capacity to influence relevant policy processes, through an evidence-based approach and in line with programmatic priorities. A focus on Mental Health and Psycho- Social Support (MPHSS) is required, as UNICEF global priority reflected in the Italy response through programmatic activities and evidence generation streams of work. A focus on GBV and gender will also be prioritized.

The consultant will:

• Support the development of a national UNICEF strategy on MHPSS, providing technical support in relation to child migration;
• Disseminate the outcomes of the upcoming mapping of MHPSS promising/good practices for UASC and young migrants and refugees financed by DG Health;
• Build and maintain the MHPSS community of practices, promoting sharing of experiences, technical discussions and evidence generation;
• Provide technical support to ensure UNICEF positioning is reflected in the existing and future institutional working groups and documents related to MHPSS and GBV, with a specific focus on child migration (e.g. Technical working group on mental health under the Ministry of Health, Vulnerability working group with MoI);
• Support engagement of relevant authorities on GBV and gender related issues in line with new and upcoming national strategies relevant to migration in close collaboration with the gender-based violence programme specialist;
• Support UNICEF initiatives around the Global Mental Health Summit in Rome in October 2022;
• Participate in existing and future relevant institutional fora on migration and provide technical inputs in coordination with the child protection specialist and the gender-based violence programme specialist;
• Conduct regular meeting with stakeholders in Rome;
• Support UNICEF in the monitoring of implementation of current and future key and strategic national action plans and ensure alignment with programme priorities when it comes to child migration
• Support analysis of data coming both from institutional channels and UNICEF programmes and researches;
• Provide technical support to ensure child migration is mainstreamed in wider policy documents and process (e.g. Child Guarantee deep dive analysis and action plan, ecc);
• Provide technical support in elaborating UNICEF positioning or policy papers.

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

Evidence-based policy work on MHPSS

Technical support for the design of a national UNICF MHPSS strategy

Months 1-4

Dissemination of the MHPSS mapping

Month 1-6

Build and maintain MHPSS community of practices

ongoing

Technical support within the technical working group on Mental Health (MoH)

ongoing

Support in the preparation of UNICF event within the frame of the Global Mental Health Summit in Rome

ongoing

Provide technical support to influence key policy dialogues

Participation and technical inputs provided in the frame of the working group on people with specific needs

ongoing

Technical inputs provided upon request for the drafting and monitoring of implementation of key national plans related to migration to mainstream child protection and gender-based violence

ongoing

Drafting of UNICEF policy and positioning papers

ongoing

Wide support to UNICEF National Response in Italy

Analysis of data from programme and research

ongoing

Support in organizing UNICEF relevant events

ongoing

Regular meetings/calls with other UN Agencies and civil society

ongoing

Final report

Month 11

Contractual modalities:

• Duration: The consultant will be expected to work full-time for 11.5 months between mid-January 2022 and end December 2022.
• Duty Station and travel: The consultant will be home-based in Rome but will be expected to travel throughout Italy, depending on COVID-19 travel restrictions. There will be 2 trips per quarter to the regions within the mapping exercise (Latium, Lombardia, Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, Apulia, Sicily). The Consultant will be responsible for organizing their travel. All travel expenses (tickets, accommodation, public transport, meals) will be reimbursed.
• Payment: The consultant will be paid monthly upon timely and satisfactory submission of deliverables as per the table above.

• Travel:

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants/ Individual Contractors apply.

• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant is responsible for his/her for travel arrangements. The most economic and direct route is authorized.
• The maximum amount for travel will be EUR 1,500 overall.
• Travel costs will be reimbursed after the completion of mission upon submission of the invoice together with the supporting documentation.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSafe certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Social Sciences, Political Science, Law;
• At least 8 years of professional experience with refugees and migrants or vulnerable children along with extensive experience in the field of protection is required;
• Deep Knowledge of European and National context of migration, including legal and policy frameworks, international and national actors;
• Ability to work through networking and partnership;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships;
• Fluency in Italian and English is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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 to become a part of the organization.

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.

To apply:

Applicants are invited to:

• Complete their UNICEF profile FULLY;
• Attach CV and Cover Letter
• Indicate a monthly fee, bearing in mind that the maximum allowed monhtly fee for this consultancy is EUR 3,800. Applications without fees will not be accepted.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.