Education Specialist

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health including nutrition, early childhood development, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Rwanda is implementing its new Country Programme (2025–2029), which is closely aligned with national priorities outlined in Rwanda’s Vision 2050 and the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2, 2024–2029). The programme places strong emphasis on inclusive education and skills development, particularly for adolescents and youth, including those with disabilities and from marginalized communities. Youth (aged 16–30) represent a significant demographic in Rwanda—accounting for over a quarter of the population—yet they continue to face substantial barriers in the transition from school to work. Many young people lack market-relevant skills and face limited access to decent employment or entrepreneurial opportunities. This is reflected in the high proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET), especially among girls, who are disproportionately affected. To address these challenges, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is partnering with the Government of Rwanda (GoR), particularly the Ministry of Youth and the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, to support innovative programmes that equip youth with skills and link them to livelihood opportunities. One of the flagship initiatives includes the Ingazi digital platform (www.ingazi.rw), which offers accessible, demand-driven upskilling opportunities and employment connections to youth nationwide, with a focus on equity and inclusion.

The UN Volunteer will contribute to the design, implementation, and monitoring of such education and skills development interventions under the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s adolescent and youth empowerment portfolio. Working closely with government and civil society partners, the UNV Education Specialist will help ensure that programmes are inclusive, gender-responsive, and aligned with national education and employment goals. This assignment offers a unique opportunity to support transformative change in the lives of Rwandan youth and contribute to long-term national development

Under the supervision of the Chief Education at UNICEF, the UN Volunteer/Education Specialist will undertake the following tasks:
• Support planning, implementation, and monitoring of programmes aimed at enhancing the school-to-work transition for youth.
• Support situation analysis and development of implementation plans, including activities related to monitoring and evaluation in the Education sector.
• Assess existing monitoring arrangements in youth programming to identify gaps and areas for improvement.
• Support monitoring and evaluation data collection and analysis to inform the implementation of adolescents and youth projects and programmes.
• Contribute to the development or adaptation of M&E tools and support their use by project implementing partners and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) staff.
• Monitor regularly programme activities, outputs, and outcomes, and prepare progress reports documenting achievements, challenges and lessons learned.
• Support progress reviews by analyzing period programme implementation reports from partners and identifying risks and issues in the projects or programmes.
• Support in the preparation of quarterly and annual reports on project/programme progress based on agreed activities and performance indicators.
• Contribute to the development of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) annual work plans and support in conducting project/programme mid-term reviews as well as impact evaluations