International Consultant – Gender Consultant to Support Implementation of Gender Responsive Actions in Health and Education Emergency Projects

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, help!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbkJiMmvKqk

How can you make a difference? 

1. Background and Context

1.1 Health Sector Context

The WB-funded Health Emergency Response Project (HER AF2) and the ADB-funded Strengthening Access to Essential Food Security and Health services project (SAFE) project aim to maintain life-saving primary health care and nutrition services, particularly for women, adolescents and children. Recently, UNICEF has been in discussion with Gates to bolster health services in four provinces in the South, with a focus on BPHS and routine immunization, and the grant is anticipated to start in January 2026.

1.2 Education Sector Context

In the education sector, UNICEF implements two major donor-funded programmes, the World Bank-funded Emergency Education Response for Afghanistan (EERA), and the ADB-funded Sustaining Human Capital Project (NFA 2.5). These projects aim to sustain education for children and adolescents — especially girls who have lost access to public schooling — through community-based, home-based, and alternative learning pathways.

2. Objectives of the Assignment

1. To support implementation of the Gender Action Plans under WB and ADB-funded (and upcoming Gates health project) Health and Education projects by providing hands-on technical and operational support to IPs/SPs.
2. To ensure project compliance with ECA criteria, ESF standards, SEA/SH safeguards, and ADB gender and social inclusion requirements at implementation level.
3. To enhance the quality and frequency of gender monitoring and reporting at the field level.
4. To monitor and report on the impact of decrees/restrictions, safety risks and other issues that affect women and girls’ access to health/education services and women’s participation in the workforce that impact project outcomes.
5. To generate evidence, insights, and human-interest stories/case studies that explain gender-related results for donors.

Minimum requirements:

Education: 

• University degree (Masters or higher) in the social sciences or international development, or in an area relevant to UNICEF’s sectoral work (e.g. Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection, Social Inclusion, HIV/AIDs, etc.
• Academic credentials in gender are a strong asse.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Work Experience:

• Minimum five years of progressively responsible professional experience and demonstrated track record of having undertaken and led substantive programming on gender and development in key issue areas that are the focus of UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and managing gender equality initiatives within projects funded/supported by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank is essential.
• Experience of working on gender equality and GBV risk mitigation in areas of UNICEF programming such as Health, Nutrition, Education or WASH, including developing and utilizing context specific gender and adolescent girls programming tools and guidance is essential.
• Prior experience of working in Afghanistan or in an emergency context, particularly on gender and health issues, is required.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Desirables:

• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

How to apply:

• Interested applicants are required to submit a financial proposal with an all-inclusive fee.  Please see the financial proposal template here: Consultancy Financial Offer template.docx
• Applications without a financial proposal will not be considered.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility jobs-near-me.org UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.]

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.