International consultant for the study on online risks and harms, digital safety and harms affecting children in Bhutan (Remote with possible travel)

Organizational Context

UNICEF operates in over 190 countries and territories, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them fulfill their potential from early childhood through adolescence. We are committed, passionate, and proud of our work, viewing the promotion of every child's rights not just as a job, but as a calling. UNICEF fosters a diverse and passionate culture with opportunities for professional and personal development.

Job Purpose

The purpose of this consultancy is to generate robust evidence on children's engagement with the digital environment in Bhutan, with a specific focus on online risks and digital safety, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This study will equip UNICEF and national stakeholders with a better understanding of the nature, prevalence, and impacts of online and AI-related risks affecting children. The findings will inform evidence-based policy, programming, and safeguarding responses, aiming to protect and empower children in an increasingly digital society. The overall objective is to design and implement a child-friendly, ethically sound research study that assesses children’s online experiences, risks, and use of AI-enabled technologies.

Responsibilities

The consultant will design and implement a child-friendly, ethically sound research study to assess children’s online experiences, risks, and use of AI-enabled technologies in Bhutan. This includes assessing children’s access to, use of, and engagement with digital technologies, social media, online services, and AI-powered tools. The study will examine children’s digital literacy and awareness regarding consent, privacy, data collection, profiling, personalized content, algorithm-driven systems, and risks associated with AI, such as grooming, exploitation, and technology-facilitated violence (cyberbullying, online harassment, abuse). The consultant will identify and analyze the prevalence and nature of technology-facilitated violence affecting children, establish a baseline on digital engagement and online risk exposure, and assess parents’, caregivers’, and teachers’ digital literacy and supervision practices. Furthermore, the consultant will identify gaps in existing policies, education systems, child protection mechanisms, and service responses related to online safety and AI, and develop practical, actionable recommendations for UNICEF and national stakeholders.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of proven experience in national-level research, large-scale surveys, or mixed-methods studies. Demonstrated expertise in child online protection, including knowledge of online risks and digital safety. Proven experience in designing and implementing mixed-methods research, including quantitative surveys and qualitative methods. Demonstrated capacity for ethical research involving children and managing field data collection teams.

Skills

Research Design, Mixed-Methods Research, Quantitative Analysis, Qualitative Analysis, Child Online Protection, Digital Safety, AI Risk Assessment, Ethical Research Practices, Data Collection Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Report Writing, Project Management

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