Youth Engagement Volunteer

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.

UNICEF ROSA is working to embed systematic and meaningful participation of young people within its programmes and across regional and global advocacy and policy platforms. UNICEF ROSA regularly identifies and partners with young people to co-create and share their perspectives and recommendations and have in place a diverse network of young leaders who have made valuable contributions to UNICEF’s mandate. Given that several UNICEF Country Offices in the region have already formed youth advisory boards (i.e., Bangladesh, India, and Maldives, with member 16 and up), a regional Young People Action Team (YPAT) would also support cross-country learning, facilitate communication, and enhance collaboration between regional events and national advisory bodies. To this end, UNICEF ROSA will establish the South Asia Regional Young People Action Team (YPAT) to ensure consistent, meaningful participation and engagement of children and young people within its programmes and across regional and global forums.

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Adviser – Adolescent Participation, Skills and Employability, the UN Volunteer will undertake the dedicated coordination with the selected members of the South Asia Regional Young People Action Team (YPAT), with the following specific tasks:
• Assists the office in implementing the annual engagement plan of the YPAT initiative co-created with members.
• Supports in managing and facilitating the bi-weekly/monthly virtual meetings with the SAR YPAT members.
• Contributes to designing and facilitating networking and interaction opportunities for the SAR YPAT members, including assisting in identifying and arranging UNICEF experts for the virtual coffee talks/interaction sessions and facilitating participation.
• Document the engagement with the SAR YPAT Members and develop communication and visibility materials for internal and external visibility.
• Supports engaging YPAT members in other relevant initiatives, events, and activities for young people.