Youth Program Officer

Update

In Gabon, the results of the general population census show that the Gabonese population is relatively young, the average age of the population is 26 years. Half of the population is under 22 years old. Young people represent 37.1% of the total population of the country in Gabon. This number in itself constitutes a challenge for the country in terms of rights and access to essential services and the development of their economic and social potential. Meeting these needs and rights requires significant investments to increase their capacity to participate fully and qualitatively in the country's social and economic development.

The 2012 Demographic and Health Survey (DHSG) shows that adolescent girls make up 21% of all women of childbearing age, and 28% of girls aged 15-19 have already started their reproductive life, 23% of them have already had at least one child and 5% are pregnant for the first time. The EDSG also highlights the precocity of sexual intercourse in Gabon and shows that 14% of young girls have given birth to a child.
According to the 2012 DHS, unmet needs for family planning remain high—approximately 27% overall and 41.4% among girls aged 15–19. The use of modern contraceptive methods increased from 14% in 2000 to 19.4% in 2012. Among 15–19-year-olds, however, contraceptive use remains below the national average (15.6% in 2012).
HIV/AIDS prevalence was 4.1% in 2012. Young women aged 15–24 are twice as likely to be infected as young men in the same age group. In 2015, HIV prevalence was estimated at 1.1% [0.8–1.7] among young women, compared to 0.5% [0.3–0.7] for young men.
Due to limited or no access to high-quality, confidential sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and information—including contraception—the immediate consequences of early, unprotected sexual activity among adolescents include unintended and early pregnancies, unsafe abortions, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and HIV/AIDS.
To address this situation, and in alignment with its Eighth Country Programme, UNFPA Gabon launched a youth-focused initiative known as QG Jeune. This digital and services-oriented initiative plays a crucial role in responding to the needs and aspirations of the country’s large youth population. It aims to improve access to entertainment, education, health services, employment opportunities, and civic engagement, while equipping young people with the skills necessary to meet today’s challenges, through the following components:

Mobile clinics:
o These mobile health units are intended to provide reproductive and sexual health services, especially in rural or remote areas where access to care is limited.
o Through partnerships, including support from Korea for the second mobile clinic unit, UNFPA Gabon has expanded its network of services to enable young people to access consultations, screenings, and essential information about their health.

Youth HQ:
o It is a digital platform focused on the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and young people to motivate this group to adopt safe and health-promoting behaviours. It is based on a system through which adolescents and young people will be connected to have free information, advice and support aimed at reducing unwanted pregnancies and HIV and STI infection as well as developing their capacities.
o also serves as a platform for raising awareness on issues of Gender based violence, rights, climate, addiction, capital access, and entrepreneurship.

Under the direct supervision of the Resident Representative Assistant, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:


Program Design
o Needs analysis: Identify the needs and expectations of young people within the community or organization.
o Project development: Design educational, cultural, sports, or social programs adapted to young people, taking into account the results of the needs analysis.
o Partnership development: Collaborate with other organizations, schools, local communities, and social actors to enrich programs.

Program Implementation
o Planning: Establish a detailed schedule of activities and define the necessary resources (human, material, financial).
o Group facilitation: Facilitate workshops, information sessions, or specific activities with young people, encouraging their active participation.
o Logistics management: Organize the practical aspects of the activities (reservation of venues, management of transport, supplies).

Monitoring and evaluation
o Evaluation of activities: Implement evaluation tools to measure the impact of programs on young people (questionnaires, interviews, observations).
o Feedback: Collect feedback from participants and partners to improve future initiatives.
o Reports: Write evaluation and activity reports for funders, partners, and decision-making bodies.
Communication and Outreach
o Promotion of programmes: Design and disseminate communication materials (posters, brochures, social networks) to inform young people and families about the activities offered.
o Awareness-raising: Organize awareness campaigns on themes important to young people (health, citizenship, environment).

Accompaniment and support
o Personalized follow-up: Offer individualized support to young people in difficulty, by directing them to appropriate resources (psychological, educational).
o Networking: Facilitating the connection of young people with mentors, professionals, or other young people to promote the exchange and sharing of experiences.

Training and professional development
o Continuing education: Participate in continuing education to stay informed about youth issues and new methods of facilitation.
o Sharing of best practices: Exchange with other professionals in the sector to enrich your skills and improve the effectiveness of the programs.

Administrative and budgetary management
o Budget Tracking: Manage the program budget, ensuring that financial constraints are met and expenditures are accounted for.
o Writing funding applications: Writing proposals and concept notes to obtain grants or funding from public or private institutions.

Building partnerships
Strategic with national government institutions, technical and financial partners, as well as civil society organizations