Programme Officer for Child Marriage

Our Mandate

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is the UN's reproductive health agency dealing with population issues and it is responsible for expanding the possibilities for women and young people to lead a healthy sexual and reproductive life. UNFPA works to accelerate universal access to sexual and reproductive health, including voluntary family planning and safe motherhood; and seeks the realization of rights and opportunities for young people.

UNFPA is present in more than 150 countries, improving people's lives as a catalyst for action and advocacy of their issues. Acting through alliances and partnerships with governments, other UN agencies, civil society and the private sector, UNFPA makes a positive difference for billions of people, especially those most in need.

UNFPA also helps countries use population data to anticipate future challenges; offers technical assistance that strengthens and empowers its partners; supports policy formulation and national capacity-building, ensuring that reproductive health and the rights of women and young people remain central issues in the development agenda.

UNFPA is making progress - fewer women are dying during childbirth, more unwanted pregnancies are being avoided, and younger women are having their opportunities expanded. But it is necessary to expand these efforts so that we can reach a healthy and fair world.

UNFPA - Creating a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

Assignment context:
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2026), focuses on three transformative results: I) to end preventable maternal deaths; II) end unmet need for family planning; and III) end gender-based violence and harmful practices. In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction. UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
This UNV post and assignment is part of the UNFPA Country Programme (2022–2026) objective to support the implementation and coordination at the provincial and district level of the Global Programme to End Child Marriage (GPECM) Phase III (2024-2030).

Task description:

Under close guidance from the primary and secondary supervisors, coordinate the implementation of GPECM activities at the provincial level. This includes working closely with UNFPA and UNICEF implementing partners to support the Global Programme to End Child Marriage (GPECM), maintaining regular communication, organizing joint coordination meetings (and bilateral meetings when needed), preparing meeting minutes, and ensuring strong linkages between partners and UNFPA offices at both provincial and central levels.

● Provide support for the implementation and reporting of GPECM activities. In coordination with the UNFPA Gender and Youth Team (at both provincial and Maputo levels), monitor activities such as community dialogues, economic empowerment initiatives, and mentorship programmes. Strengthen connections with related programmes like Rapariga Biz (RB) and Safeguard Young People (SYP) to enhance coordination and integration.

● Maintain regular and close collaboration with CECAP members (civil society organizations working on child marriage) at the provincial level.

● Support UNFPA’s internal efforts to align and integrate child marriage and adolescent empowerment initiatives.

● Participate in coordination meetings related to GPECM and assist in organizing field visits and missions from Maputo and regional offices to the province.

● Promote active participation of implementing partners in multisectoral coordination platforms such as GTCOV, NUMCOV, PGB, and reference group meetings at both provincial and district levels.

● In collaboration with UNFPA communication experts, collect and document human interest stories and testimonials from programme beneficiaries involved in community dialogues, male mentorship, and economic empowerment activities.

● Under the guidance of supervisors, engage in relevant learning opportunities and familiarize yourself with key research and policy documents related to child marriage (CM), violence against children (VAC), and gender-based violence (GBV).

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
●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;
●Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
●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.