WASH in Schools and Healthcare Facilities Volunteer

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, 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, education, hygiene/sanitation 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.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) aim at ensuring access to water and sanitation for all. Despite efforts made in the past decades, current water and sanitation coverage in Mozambique is amongst the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa with only 63% having access to safe water and 42% to adequate sanitation (JMP, 2022). In the case of Schools, it is estimated that 48% have drinking water, 26% have access to basic sanitation and 6% have basic hygiene services. In rural Healthcare Facilities, coverage for water (basic level of service) is estimated in 52% and for sanitation in 2% (JMP, 2022).

In Cabo Delgado, this situation is compounded by insecurity and displacement resulting from armed conflict since 2017. By August 2024, over 1.3 million people in the Northern provinces had been displaced, with approximately 570,000 returnees and 670,000 internally displaced persons, including 417,310 children (OCHA, 2024). Schools in these areas face overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to inclusive and gender-sensitive latrines and safe drinking water. Many healthcare facilities which have already limitations in providing quality healthcare services and lack adequate WASH services, are also severely affected by insurgent attacks.
In addition, extreme climate events have also hindered progress in the province, where it is estimated that 2.2 million people will be at risk of urban/rural floods, drought, tropical cyclones and strong winds in the 2024-2025 rainy season (OCHA, 2024)

Under its 2022-2026 Country Programme, UNICEF Mozambique has a dedicated water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) Program, supporting the Government of Mozambique to increase access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education through a range of interventions, including both development and humanitarian contexts across rural and small towns settlements. Specific activities include technical support and advocacy for policy and strategy formulation at national level, decentralized support to Government for planning and implementation of water sources, water supply systems and sanitation infrastructure.

Over the past years, UNICEF WASH portfolio has increased in scope through the incorporation and scale up of local based interventions including water supply systems in small towns, multi-use / solar powered water supply systems in rural communities, WASH in Health Care Facilities and WASH in Schools.

Together with its supporting role for field implementation, UNICEF also plays a pivotal role into evidence generation to inform WASH sector policy and strategy and in capacity development and training to increase sector’s abilities for WASH programme planning, implementation, and monitoring.

Under the direct supervision of the WASH Specialist based in Cabo Delgado and in coordination with the other members of the WASH team in Maputo, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Support monitoring of field implementation on WASH related interventions (water supply, sanitation, and hygiene activities with a particular focus on WASH in schools (WinS) and WASH in Health Care Facilities (WinHCF); in rural and small towns), including liaison and coordination with implementing partners, undertaking field monitoring and reporting of WASH related interventions implemented with UNICEF support. Assist in the monitoring and management of implementation agreements (project cooperation agreements, contracts, etc.)
• Support and provide technical assistance in procurement and contract management: Preparation of bid documents and BoQs for new construction packages, final verification of final works certificates, final supervision reports and contracts closure.
• Support field work and analysis of information related to operation, maintenance, and management of WASH systems in schools and healthcare facilities as per the various UNICEF interventions, including the WASH Facilities Improvement Tool roll-out.
• Contribute to the development of WASH in institutions related reports and other monitoring and reporting documentation as required, including the 5W and WASH section database alimentation and update.
• Support the utilization of previously produced and validated capacity building and training materials; and provide inputs for development of new ones as needed. Database update and training of supervision consultants (fiscais).
• Support the documentation of good practices and development of technical notes for WASH in schools and WASH in HCF interventions conducted by UNICEF and partners. Support the review of existing designs.
• Support communication activities and liaise with UNICEF communications department for dissemination of UNICEF WASH interventions over mass and social media.