Consultancy - Youth, Peace and Security Consultant, Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch (Home-Based)

Consultancy - Youth, Peace and Security Consultant, Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch (SRHB), Technical Division (TD)

Organization: United Nations Population fund (UNFPA)

Level: Consultant

Contract Type: Consultancy

Closing date: 31 Aug 2023 11:59 PM (America/New York)

Duty station: Remote

The Position:

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist on Youth, Peace and Security within the Adolescents and Youth team of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch, Technical Division the Consultant will support UNFPA’s contribution towards the forthcoming Secretary-General Report on Youth, Peace and Security (YPS). The Consultant will contribute to research, documentation, data consolidation, partner collaboration, proofreading, editing, and other related tasks.

A comprehensive work-plan for the assignment will be agreed with the supervisor. This plan will outline key milestones and periodic progress meetings to ensure alignment and track achievements.

Duration of the assignment: 

4 months (September - December)

About UNFPA and How You Can Make a Difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments to accelerating progress towards realizing the International Conference on Population and Development (ICDP) Programme of Action (ICPD-PoA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. 

The mandate of UNFPA and the core aims of the ICPD Programme of Action are relevant before, during and after conflict. The Strategic Plan for 2022-2025 underscores UNFPA’s emphasis on women and youth as pivotal agents of change across all aspects of its work, including women and young people’s leadership and meaningful participation in peacebuilding. This commitment resonates with UNFPA’s central role in the UN system’s work on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS). 

As part of the Adolescent and Youth team in SRHB, and under the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist on Youth, Peace and Security, the consultant is responsible for providing substantive technical support to UNFPA in the formulation of the upcoming Secretary-General’s Report to the Security Council concerning the Implementation of the Youth, Peace and Security agenda. 

You would be responsible for:

Supporting the UNFPA Adolescents and Youth team working on Youth, Peace and Security with research, documentation, data consolidation, partner collaboration, proofreading, editing, and other related tasks.

Specific tasks include:

1. Research and documentation:

• Conduct research on UNFPA's programmatic experience in peacebuilding, identifying emerging and recurring approaches and good practices.
• Conduct research on UNFPA's support towards YPS implementation at country and regional levels, identifying examples of support provided to YPS coordination mechanisms and national and/or regional YPS policy frameworks.
• Conduct research on emerging trends and priority issues within the Youth, Peace and Security sector. 

2.                   Data collection, consolidation and analysis:

• Coordinate the collection, consolidation and analysis of data regarding UNFPA’s work on YPS, liaising with country and regional offices, as well as relevant divisions within HQ.
• Gather, organize, consolidate and analyze stakeholder inputs submitted for the third Secretary-General Report on YPS.
• Review and analyze independent thematic papers on YPS, extracting relevant data for incorporation into the SG report on YPS.

3.                   Content development and report preparation:

• Assist in consolidating and preparing UNFPA’s entity-wide submission for the third Secretary-General Report on YPS. 
• Collaborate with the inter-agency drafting team on the preparation of the Secretary-General Report on YPS, including drafting assigned sections and contributing to data verification. 
• Engage in meticulous proofreading, editing, and quality assurance of content consolidated into the draft report to ensure accuracy, coherence, and adherence to established standards.
• Assist in preparation of knowledge resources and communication products for internal and external use regarding the SG report on YPS, including presentations, thematic fact sheets, background notes, talking points, etc.

4.                   Coordination:

• Support UNFPA’s effective collaboration with the other report penholders (DPPA and UNYO) throughout the process.
• Participate in various meetings with UNFPA, partners, and other stakeholders and prepare notes/meeting minutes.
• Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor. 

Deliverables:

1. Mapping of UNFPA projects funded by the Peacebuilding Fund and UNFPA initiatives to support the development of YPS national and regional frameworks (Action Plans, Policies, Strategies, etc). [Electronically delivered by 10 October]
2. Consolidation of the UNFPA’s official inputs to the third SG report on YPS. [Electronically delivered by 31 October]
3. Draft thematic paper: UNFPA’s contribution to YPS through the implementation of the ICPD mandate. [Electronically delivered by 31 November]
4. First consolidated draft of the third SG report on YPS. [Electronically delivered by 31 December]

Qualifications:  To excel in this role, you should have the following qualifications:

Education: 

Advanced degree in social sciences, or related field (e.g.: peace studies, international development, public health, law, sociology, youth or gender studies, population and development, conflict resolution, etc.). Experience may be considered in liue of the Master’s degree. 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience at national and international level;
• Demonstrated experience working with peacebuilding, development or humanitarian organizations is required. 
• Experience within the United Nations is considered an asset. 
• Demonstrated strong analysis and excellent report writing and editing skills. Experience working on research is desirable. 
• Demonstrate written and spoken proficiency in English is mandatory. Proficiency in French or Spanish is desirable); and
• Computer literacy including high level of comfort using Microsoft Office software, G Suite and Internet based collaboration and research tools.

Other eligibility requirements:

• Excellent inter-personal and communications skills and ability to participate effectively in a team-based, information sharing environment.
• Demonstrate ability to adapt to new environments and to establish and maintain good working relations with individuals of different cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to plan, organize and multi-task;
• Ability to manage information (documents, correspondence, reports) and work flow; 
• Must have knowledge of the institutions of the UN system.

How to Apply

Please send your application (should include your CV, a short letter of motivation, and a financial proposal) by email with "Youth, Peace and Security Consultant" in the subject to scarpelini@unfpa.org by 31 August 2023.

Due to the volume of applications received, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.