Programme Officer (Child Protection)
Organizational Context
UNICEF works in over 190 countries to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. In Ecuador, our 2023-2026 Cooperation Programme focuses on creating equitable opportunities for children and adolescents, addressing challenges like poverty, violence, and malnutrition through five programmatic areas.
Job Purpose
The Child Protection Officer will provide technical, operational, and programmatic assistance to strengthen child protection systems and prevent/respond to violence, abuse, exploitation, and harmful practices. This role specifically focuses on juvenile justice, child-sensitive justice, normative and policy analysis, and enhancing the justice system's capacity to protect children in contact with the law, including victims, witnesses, and those alleged to have infringed criminal law. The officer will contribute to UNICEF's mission by ensuring children's rights are upheld and their potential is realized, aligning with the Ecuador Cooperation Programme's objectives.
Responsibilities
Develop and strengthen child protection programmes and systems, aligning with UNICEF's mandate and the Ecuador Cooperation Programme. Conduct normative, legal, and policy analysis to identify gaps and risks affecting children's rights, ensuring compliance with international standards. Manage, monitor, and deliver child protection programmes, ensuring results-based management and effective use of data. Provide technical assistance to enhance juvenile justice and the broader justice system's capacity to protect children. Mainstream gender considerations into programming and address gender-based violence. Coordinate at the central level, building partnerships with government and civil society. Foster knowledge management, advocacy, and capacity development within the child protection sector. Support the development of child-friendly procedures and promote restorative approaches and alternatives to detention for children in contact with the law. Utilize disaggregated data for monitoring, assessment, and corrective action. Facilitate coordination among central government, justice, child protection, and gender institutions.
Work Experience
A minimum of one year of relevant professional experience in child protection programme planning, implementation, monitoring, or systems strengthening is required. Demonstrated experience in juvenile justice, child-sensitive justice, justice-sector reform, and/or legal/policy analysis related to children's rights is also required.
Skills
Child protection programme development, Systems strengthening, Normative, legal and policy analysis, Programme management and monitoring, Juvenile justice expertise, Child-sensitive justice, Gender mainstreaming, Partnership building, Knowledge management, Data analysis, Advocacy, Capacity development