Senior Child Protection Technical Advisor

TERMS OF REFERENCE - SENIOR CHILD PROTECTION TECHNICAL ADVISOR

Ministry of Women Development and Family Affairs, Puntland

Background

Somalia, one of the world’s poorest countries, is also one of its least protective environments for children. Much of the country has been entrenched in civil conflict for over 20 years with children as young as nine forced to fight. Somali women and children have become increasingly vulnerable to all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation, much of it is practiced in a climate of total impunity. The internally displaced, children from minority groups, the very poor, orphans, children with special needs, working children, children living in the streets, militia children and children in conflict with the law, are all in special need of protection.

Moreover, young people have had little opportunity for education, or have had their education interrupted. They are frequently exposed to violence, risk of HIV and AIDS and drug abuse especially the use of khat. These challenges, coupled with unemployment, have worsened young people’s overall vulnerability to different forms of violence and exploitation, and increased their involvement in criminal activities, including piracy and armed conflict, in search of alternative livelihoods.

In addition, population displacement due to chronic conflict, recurrent droughts and famines has resulted in the separation of children from their families, which exposes them to exploitation, violence and abuse; children of Internally Displaced Peoples(IDPs) and minorities are particularly vulnerable. Societal acceptance of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) often stands between child victims and justice. Child protection is inadequate from the very start of life with only three per cent of births registered undermining children’s access to rights. Impunity is widespread resulting in grave child rights violations including the recruitment, arbitrary arrest and detention of children. Rape and sexual assault are widespread problems which, because of the strong stigma attached to rape in Somali culture, frequently go unreported. Prosecutions and convictions for rape and other forms of sexual violence are extremely rare, and there is a climate of impunity. 

About 1 in 10 Somali marriages occur before the girl is 15 years old, and about half before they are 18. Rates of child marriage tend to be high where poverty, birth and death rates are also high; where civil conflict is commonplace; and where there are lower overall levels of development, including schooling, healthcare and employment. Also, about 1 per cent of Somali children are ‘double orphans’and the incidence of children living in households without a biological parent has been rising over recent decades and is higher the older the child is. About half of Somali children aged between 5 and 14 engage in child labour. The rate is higher for rural than for urban children, and somewhat higher for girls than for boys.

Notwithstanding with the above, the ratification of the Convention on the Rights (CRC) of the Child in 2015 provides an opportunity to streamline existing child related legislation and mechanisms with international standards. It also paves the way for the framing of protective policies and legislation and the establishment of state owned mechanisms and structures that will enable service provision and protection of children from all forms of neglect, abuse, violence and exploitation.

Nonetheless, the UNICEF Child Protection Programme will focus on supporting the Government of Puntland to deliver on its commitments vis-a-vis child protection through changing social norms, strengthening the government’s fledgling child protection system including establishing relevant laws and policies and, finally, by ensuring children are protected in emergencies. In summary, the focus of the programme will be on four central areas:

1. Changing social norms including establishing effective community based protection mechanisms and eliminating the root causes of GBV (including FGM).
2. Establishing and enhancing child protection systems in Puntland (including birth registration and support to migrant children).
3. Ensuring children have access to justice including adoption of fair trial standards and protection of children in the administration of justice.
4. Protecting children affected by armed conflict, recurrent droughts and other disasters and in humanitarian need.

Key Assignments of the Senior Technical Advisor

Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Director General, the senior technical advisor will undertake the following tasks:

1. Take a lead role in the coordination, planning, implementation and monitoring of child protection programming with MOWDAFA specifically, the Community-based Child Protection, Children on the Move, Children Associated with Armed Forces and Groups, Community Care Programme and the Social Workforce Development Initiative.
2. Support MOWDAFA to ensure that all activities, especially but not limited to, those agreed to under the Child Protection Annual Work Plan, are implemented in an efficient and timely manner, and in compliance with relevant rules and standards.
3. Assist the implementation of child protection responses, with focus on strengthening the child protection capacities of relevant departments within MOWDAFA and provide technical support to the child protection sub-cluster and working groups, GBV working group and other existing coordination mechanisms.
4. Provide the ministry leadership with policy advice and strategic thinking; conduct policy briefings and contribute to the child protection related policy and legislative making processes; and promote consultative approach and flow of information to relevant stakeholders.
5. Identify capacity gaps and challenges and facilitate capacity building initiatives on child protection with implementing partners and maintain abreast information and retrievable data on training and capacity building interventions.
6. In collaboration with relevant departments and UNICEF, support mapping of child protection systems and capacities and assist in the operationalization of child protection related policy and legal frameworks and the up-scaling and roll-out of child protection systems and structures throughout Puntland.
7. Provide updated information on the protection situation of the children on the move and assist MOWDAFA in the establishment of systems to monitor trends relating to children on the move and implementation of a coordinated response for children on the move across all areas of priority protection interventions.
8. Technically backstop and oversee the implementation and rollout of the social workforce development programme, currently implemented in partnership with Puntland State University and East Africa University, and provide regular reporting on the progress and challenges to ministry leadership and UNICEF.
9. Assist in the identification, separation, documentation, rehabilitation and reunification of children associated with armed conflicts and provide technical hands-on in developing protective legislation and environment to prevent recruitment of children into armed forces and groups.
10. Systematically collect qualitative data for the sound and up-to-date assessment of the protection situation of children and women to provide the base-lines for result-based decisions on interventions and evaluations.
11. Undertake field visits to review jointly with the communities and implementing partners the progress of implementation and documenting achievements as well as constraints, recommending possible steps for addressing identified constraints in implementation.
12. Provide regular reporting on progress through weekly updates, monthly, quarterly and annual reports and help assist in timely submission of financial reports and other deliverables to ensure smooth implementation of activities.
13. Facilitate knowledge sharing and development of case studies and success stories that relate to child protection programming i.e. gender-based violence, children on the move and those associated with armed conflicts and ensure reflective learning in child protection.
14. Support the organization and commemoration of child protection related events and ensure wider visibility of child protection programme implementation and impact.
15. Take note of programmatic reviews, discussions and meetings and share with the relevant participants in timely fashion. Undertake any other assignment or task as requested.

Key Deliverables of the Senior Technical Advisor

1. Coordination and partnership mechanisms established and operational and abreast information and feedback provided to MOWDAFA leadership and UNICEF.
2. Development and submission of annual and quarterly implementation and monitoring work plans for child protection related activities.
3. Submission of weekly update, monthly, quarterly and annual reporting of progress, challenges, best practices and lessons learnt.

Essential Qualifications

• At least 7 years’ experience of working within a senior advisor / management Child Protection role
• Demonstrated ability to lead high quality project design including on Theory of Change, log frame, integrating cross-cutting issues;
• Education to Masters Level in Social Work, Human Rights, International Relations, Development Studies or similar, or equivalent field experience.
• Understanding of principles, practices and policy priorities related to child protection, including child protection system strengthening and/or alternative care.
• Knowledge of policy, research and evidence-based methodologies with regards to child protection, and other relevant child focused programming.
• Extensive experience in capacity building and in strengthening various duty bearers understanding of and response to child protection.
• Commitment to, thorough understanding of, and able to train staff in child protection, participation and accountability approaches
• Demonstrated ability to set up learning and development processes for a large team
• Proven ability of mentoring and coaching.
• Ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and project reports
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills
• Proven ability to influence change at an operational and strategic level.
• A high level of written and spoken English

Interested candidates are encouraged to send their updated CV, cover letter, and copy of their certificates to: [email protected]  not later than 17 July, 2023