Re-advertisement: Individual Contractor (Full-time, 11.5 months) – Support for UNICEF’s Child Rights and Business in the Digital Environment agenda, Child Rights and Business Unit, PFP, Gene

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, hope

The Children’s Rights and Business (CRB) Unit within the Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP) Division is responsible for developing guidance for companies, governments, and civil society to address business impacts on children’s rights.

Over 175,000 children go online for the first time every day. Around the world, children increasingly rely on digital services for essential daily tasks, from accessing learning opportunities to simply having fun. Simultaneously, the COVID-19 pandemic is reinforcing the extraordinary significance of online tools, systems, and platforms in multiple ways important to the lives of children.

Aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Children’s Rights and Business Principles, UNICEF recognizes that companies developing or deploying digital technologies create both positive and negative impacts on children’s rights through their activities. Therefore, UNICEF now works with all stakeholders – companies, government, and civil society – to promote responsible business conduct in the digital environment and create an enabling environment where businesses can respect and support children’s rights and well-being online and offline.

In recent years, UNICEF has developed research, tools, and guidance with various partners, focusing on the responsibilities of technology companies in respecting and supporting children’s rights in the digital environment. In 2022, the Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children project was launched to investigate the relationship between digital technology, play, and child well-being. This role will play a leading role in engaging with a wide range of stakeholders – from industry to policymakers and academics – to champion the integration of child well-being in the design of digital experiences for children.

How can you make a difference?

As the boundary between children’s ‘online’ and ‘offline’ lives grows increasingly faint, there is an urgent need to ensure that online systems and tools are designed with respect for children’s rights and well-being built in from their inception. UNICEF is seeking a consultant to support the children’s rights and business team’s work in the technology sector (with a focus on video games) with research, guidance development, knowledge management, communication, and outreach activities. Working closely with the Child Rights and the Business team at PFP, the consultant will provide research, advocacy, policy, and coordination support in advancing key deliverables as defined in the 2022-23 workplan.

MAIN TASKS & DELIVERABLES

1: Responsible business conduct in relation to children’s rights and well-being in the digital age

• Lead on the team’s advocacy agenda on CRB and child well-being in the digital age, in close collaboration with internal and external partners e.g. devising advocacy strategy, maintaining communications with key stakeholders, and producing written advocacy briefs and articles as necessary. This will include leading on the creation of a practical guide for business on child well-being in design of digital play experiences in coordination with academic partners and others. The role will involve providing hands-on technical support to national committees, country offices, or regional offices with related advocacy activities complementing this global agenda.
• Support the development and independently manage the finalization of key deliverables (e.g. reports, videos) related to child rights and business in the digital environment by liaising with internal stakeholders (e.g. Regional Offices, Country Offices, National Committees) in addition to external service providers (e.g. editing, design) as required.
• Support the organization of (and participation in) virtual events at global, regional and country levels through research, content development and organizational support.
• Undertake background research and draft concept notes, project briefings and funding proposals for existing and emerging topic areas.

2: Communications, knowledge management, and technical support on child rights and business in the digital environment

• In coordination with key internal stakeholders, support communication and knowledge management activities on child rights and business in the digital environment. This includes documenting case studies of national-level action and maintaining internal and external websites.
• Provide technical support to country offices, national committees, and regional offices on queries relating to child rights impacts of the technology sector, with a focus on video games and designing for child well-being.
• Support monthly coordination calls with UNICEF National Committees and global child rights and business team.

DELIVERABLES

• Child rights and business advocacy strategy on child well-being in the digital age (Q3 2022)
• Continuously participate and represent CRB in meetings and coordination events relating to designing for child well-being (on-going)
• Support the design and implementation national-level advocacy activities related to child well-being in the digital age (from Q3 2022)
• Lead on the development and dissemination of a practical guide for business on designing for child well-being (from Q3 2022)

• Support the finalization of internal UNICEF resources and practical guidance on child rights and business in the digital environment (on-going)

• Maintain and regularly updating knowledge communities relating to the technology sector e.g. SharePoint, Intranet, external website (on-going)

• Supporting organization of virtual events and webinars with key internal and external stakeholders (on-going)
• Active participation in team discussions and initiatives to advance priority objectives around child rights and business in the digital environment (on-going)

ESTIMATED DURATION OF THE CONTRACT AND PROPOSAL

11.5 months full-time

REPORTING TO

Corporate Alliances Specialist, the Children’s Rights and Business (CRB) Unit

WORKPLACE

Home-based.

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

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Business, Business Administration, Corporate Social Responsibility, Game Design, Social Science, or another relevant technical field is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s), in combination with 2 additional qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 3 years of work experience with one of the following is required: business and human rights, children’s rights in the digital environment, video game design, child online protection, or related area.
• Experience working in the technology sector, particularly within the video games industry, will be highly valued.

• Experience working in an international environment on topics related to technology companies and human rights or children’s rights and well-being in the digital environment will be highly valued.

• Strong research background is highly valued.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required. In addition, applicants must have a proven record of excellent writing and analytical skills in English.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Remarks: Please indicate your ability, availability, and gross daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable). Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered. Also, please mention the earliest date you can start.

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. 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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. The candidate may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).

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.