NUNV Social and Behaviour Change

Details

Mission and objectives

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Context

UNICEF is a leading organization dedicated to promoting the rights and well-being of children and adolescents worldwide. The Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Section at UNICEF plays a crucial role in developing and implementing strategies to empower communities, parents, young people and promote positive behavioral change. The SBC section of UNICEF and the country programme’s strategy for engaging with young people/youth are both cross cutting for all other sectors. SBC section also has outputs integrated within other sectors thus making it the only cross cutting sector that supports all the programmes. As SBC is identified as a change strategy, all sectors have some element of SBC activities and programming ongoing in their workplans in the current country cycle. The SBC section of Maharashtra has been engaging with various sectors especially health, WASH, child protection education in engaging with communities and adolescents on multiple issues like mental health, anaemia, ending child marriage and gender empowerment and transformation through schools and community engagement. To further streamline and strengthen these programming, the SBC section is looking for a National UN Volunteer who can strategize engagement with communities, involve them in various programs and support in the creation of change agents across Maharashtra for Social and Behaviour Change, starting with Mumbai.

Task description

• Engage with SBC specialist and other experts to understand the key behaviors of communities that each section is working towards addressing and identify strategies to influence and engage with them. • In discussion with the SBC Specialist, identify the internal programme areas for engagement with communities under different programme sectors. • Conduct a comprehensive review of existing programs and policies in the state that engage with communities and develop a report of effective strategies in action. • Develop concept notes on various engagement platforms in the state and means to strengthen them. • In discussion with SBC Specialist and other programme leads, develop and implement evidence-based strategies and interventions to promote behavior change of key population on identified health, education, protection, and participation issues. • Seek inputs from behavioral experts to bring in elements of behavioral insights into programs being designed to address and engage with adolescents and young people. • Collaborate with UNICEF teams and partners to design, adapt, and implement SBC driven youth and adolescent programs in line with UNICEF's mandate and global standards. • Conduct comprehensive assessments to identify the specific needs, challenges, and opportunities for youth and adolescents in the target areas. • Provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to partners in the field of Social and Behaviour Change. • Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure a coordinated approach to behaviour change programming with key audiences and stakeholders. • Forge and maintain partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, civil society organizations, and youth-led initiatives to advocate for SBC programming. • Establish robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track the progress and impact of youth and adolescent SBC initiatives. Regularly report on findings and adjust programs as needed. • Monitor the engagement of stakeholders/communities in SBC initiatives being undertaken by partners and various programmes and provide handholding support where required along with generating regular progress reports. • Contribute to knowledge sharing within UNICEF and with external partners by documenting best practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches in engaging stakeholders/communities for SBC.