Child Marriage Expert

Organizational Context

UNFPA is the lead UN agency dedicated to delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Operating within Lao PDR's 7th Country Programme, UNFPA prioritizes upstream policy advocacy, strategic partnerships, and innovative initiatives. The agency aims to accelerate progress on ending preventable maternal deaths, unmet need for family planning, and gender-based violence and harmful practices, adapting to demographic changes through evidence-based policies.

Job Purpose

This role supports UNFPA's mandate in Lao PDR by contributing to policy dialogue and advocacy on adolescent and youth issues, including adolescent pregnancy and harmful practices like Child, Early and Forced Marriages (CEFM). The expert will provide substantive policy inputs to UN coordination processes and national development plans, enhancing UNFPA's leadership in adolescent and youth programming. The position also involves strengthening strategic partnerships with government counterparts, UN agencies, CSOs, and development partners, leading proposal development, and fostering innovative collaborations. The role is crucial for managing and coordinating the TUSIP CEFM programme, ensuring effective implementation, monitoring, and reporting, and contributing to the scale-up of Comprehensive Sexuality Education interventions.

Responsibilities

The Child Marriage Expert will engage in evidence-based policy dialogue with parliamentarians on adolescent and youth issues, including CEFM, and contribute policy inputs to UN coordination processes and inter-agency mechanisms. Responsibilities include enhancing UNFPA's visibility and leadership in adolescent and youth development and CEFM elimination. The role involves maintaining collaborative relationships with government counterparts and partners, participating in relevant working groups, and leading the preparation of donor reports and funding proposals for the adolescent and youth portfolio. Innovative partnerships with youth-led organizations, CSOs, and the private sector will be pursued. The expert will collect, analyze, and synthesize data on good practices, support evidence-based policy dialogues, and contribute to knowledge-sharing platforms. Management and coordination of the TUSIP CEFM programme, including oversight of work plans, budgets, and partner interventions, are key. The role requires ensuring robust monitoring, evaluation, and financial oversight, leading reporting, and identifying technical assistance needs. General support includes managing the AY-Programme team and performing other duties as required.

Work Experience

A minimum of 3 years of overall work experience is required, with 5 years of relevant experience. This includes managing adolescent and youth-focused programs in Southeast or South Asian countries, with a focus on Comprehensive Sexuality Education, AY-SRH, youth policy work, and capacity building. Experience with gender equality, GBV, and understanding social/gender norms related to harmful practices like CEFM is important. Strong communication, interpersonal, and analytical skills are essential, along with the ability to work effectively in a challenging, multicultural environment and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Skills

Values include integrity, commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, embracing cultural diversity, and embracing change. Functional competencies cover logistical support, data and document management, information workflow, planning, organizing, multitasking, financial processes, and job knowledge/technical expertise. Core competencies include achieving results, accountability, professional expertise, analytical and strategic thinking, teamwork, and effective communication. Expertise areas include communication, advocacy, public information, education, and general/specialized medicine.

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