Disability Inclusion and Engagement Officer

Disability Inclusion and Engagement Officer

Assignment country: Nepal
Expected start date: 15/04/2024
Sustainable Development Goal: 16. Peace, justice and strong institutions
Volunteer category: National UN Volunteer Specialist
DoA reserved for persons with disabilities: Yes
Accessibility measures in place: –
Host entity: UNICEF
Type: Onsite
Duration: 12 months (with possibility of extension)
Number of assignments: 1
Duty stations: Kathmandu
Reasonable accommodation: Yes
Additional accessibility info: –

Details
Mission and objectives

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

In all of its work, UNICEF takes a life-cycle based approach, recognizing the particular importance of early childhood development and adolescence. UNICEF programmes focus on the most disadvantaged children, including those living in fragile contexts, those with disabilities, those who are affected by rapid urbanization and those affected by environmental degradation.

UNICEF was created with a distinct purpose in mind: to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future.

We promote girls’ education – ensuring that they complete primary education as a minimum – because it benefits all children, both girls and boys. Girls who are educated grow up to become better thinkers, better citizens, and better parents to their own children. We act so that all children are immunized against common childhood diseases, and are well nourished: no child should suffer or die from a preventable illness. We work to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people because it is right to keep them from harm and enable them to protect others. We help children and families affected by HIV/AIDS to live their lives with dignity.

We are UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Context

South Asia has the largest population of young people in the world; 48 per cent of its population is below the age of 24. At the same time, the regional estimates also suggest that 64.4 million children (aged 0 to 17 years) in South Asia have one or more functional difficulties. In other words, 1 in 11 children in this region have a disability.

Across ROSA, our programs for adolescents and youth have been known for two things: 1) supporting the learning to earning transition for vulnerable youth; and 2) systematizing young people’s engagement to become more active in their communities through meaningful civic engagement and participation, with a focus on the most vulnerable.

Our evidence indicates that there is a growing importance of an enabling environment for the participation and rights fulfilment of those with disabilities rather than a focus on the disabilities themselves. It requires a focused (participation) approach on children/adolescents with disabilities and more efforts to improve their capacity to promote their agency and participation.

As part of a team, this National UN Volunteer will support the Regional Office for South Asia in mainstreaming adolescent and youth engagement from perspectives of global mandates on disability inclusion agenda in the programmes across sections at the regional and country offices. The position is a cross-sectoral role, which requires working closely with the Adolescent Participation, Skills and Employability section and Education section, and is accountable for supporting the implementation of UNICEF’s Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy (DIPAS) 2022-2030 and the regional action plan, focusing on promoting the inclusion and participation agenda of young people with disabilities and inclusive education as one of the priorities identified in the action plan.

Task description

The National UN Volunteer will support to strengthening meaningful youth and adolescent engagement, participation, skills, inclusive education, and employability related priorities of persons with disabilities in the South Asia Region.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Technical and capacity building support

• Participate in cross-sectoral collaboration and coordination on key programmatic results on disability inclusion, young people’s participation, skills, and inclusive education.
• Provide technical support and guidance on aspects of young people’s participation, skills, disability inclusion and inclusive education related programming and to ensure incorporation of relevant indicators and measures in programmes/projects, policy initiatives, proposals, and M&E systems.
• Provide technical support and assistance in implementing UNICEF’s Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy (DIPAS) 2022-2030 and the South Asia Regional Action Plan, providing support to COs with capacity development and monitoring.

2. Support to programme development and planning

• Participate and support in evidence-based programme/project planning, including development of project proposals on disability inclusion, young people’s participation, skills, and inclusive education.
• Provide technical support on integration of inclusion into programme component strategy notes and institutional strengthening components related to disability and young people’s participation, skills, and inclusive education.
• In collaboration with sectors at the regional and country offices, identify the areas of focus for disability inclusion, skills, and inclusive education related programming/projects with the greatest potential for impact and scale.

3. Advocacy and partnership building

• Liaise and consult with sections to support convergence and develop and reinforce partnerships in disability inclusion and engagement programming.
• Support building and maintenance of strategic alliances for gender equality and disability inclusion with various partners, including institutional links with UN agencies and other relevant entities.
• Support mapping of potential new partnerships and leverage existing partnerships to accelerate relevant results at the country level in determined priority areas.
• Build the internal capacity of the Adolescent team (ROSA and COs) and partners in promoting the participation of young people with disabilities in their collectives, clubs, and organisations and in promoting their voices and issues.

4. Innovation and knowledge management

• Improved digital accessibility to ensure improved participation and conscious efforts to improve representation of young people with disabilities in the Young People’s Action Team (YPAT), country consultative groups etc.
• Support documentation and sharing of the country-level experience in disability inclusion and engagement programming and lessons learned, which will be shared with internal network and external partners.
• Bring best practices in disability programming and measurement to the attention of senior management and sectoral colleagues.
• Improved data and evidence e.g., investment cases for disability rights and increased opportunities to document and share the model cases on inclusive skills building programme.
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• 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.

Eligibility criteria
Age: 27 – 80
Nationality: Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.

Requirements
Required experience

• 3 years of experience in having undertaken and led programming and/or research on youth development and disability inclusion.
• Academic credentials in youth development and disability inclusion are a strong asset.
• Experience in designing, implementing, managing, and delivering results-based programmes/projects on disability and youth engagement programming.
• Fluency in English is required; Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills.
• Sound knowledge in community development, education, elections and governance and social work

Area(s) of expertise: Social work, Economics and finance
Driving license: –

Languages

English, Level: Fluent, Required
Nepalese, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level

Bachelor degree or equivalent in social sciences (i.e., sociology, political science, social policy, or economics), public health, public policy, public administration, international development

Competencies and values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Other information
Living conditions and remarks

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is designated under Phase 1 of the UN Security classification but is subject to change depending on the evolving context of the security situation. Living conditions in Kathmandu are good. Comfortable, inexpensive flats (furnished and unfurnished) are available in Kathmandu. Both imported and local foods and clothing are abundantly available. There is a short supply of water, and it is also not safe to drink water that has not undergone treatment. Public transport, such as taxis, is easily available and generally reliable though traffic congestion is extremely high. Kathmandu has a temperate climate with the coldest temperatures reaching just above zero at the night during the winter and mild but humid conditions during the monsoon period, mid-June to end September. Volunteer initiative in Nepal is a unique operation that mobilizes the power of community in tackling pressing issues in Nepal and helps expand UNICEF’s mission reaching the most vulnerable people. The role will provide for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness and compassion to work closely with community members as well as flexibility. Therefore, the ability and willingness to understand and accommodate different stakeholders with varying needs are essential.

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Reasonable accommodation

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.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

In addition to duty station-specific vaccine requirements, appointments are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the appointment. It does not apply to UN Volunteers who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts.

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