Child Protection Specialist – Improvement of birth registration in the DRC – P3 – TA ( 364 days ) – Position # 00125968 – Kinshasa

Job no: 565018

Type position: Temporary Appointment

Rental: Democratic Republic of Congo Division / Equivalent: Dakar ( WCAR ), Senegal

School / Unit: Democratic Republic of Congo

Department / Office: Kinshasa, Dem. Rep. of Congo

Categories: Child Protection

UNICEF works in some of the most difficult places in the world to reach the most disadvantaged children in the world. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them realize their potential.

In 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for all.

And we never give up.

For each child, Development

The main obstacles to birth registration in the DRC are as follows: – Insufficient resources of the CRVS system ( insufficient registers, lack of staff and civil status offices ).

– Not all new birth registration mechanisms are fully operational in ( maternity and vaccination services ) health platforms, which reduces access to civil status.

Vaccination services ), which reduces access to civil registration services

– Existing constraints in the current legal framework for the registration of vital events, in particular with regard to the restrictive use of new technologies and legislation on the registration of vital events.

– The limited use of new technologies and the legal deadline for free birth registration.

In 2022, significant progress was made towards greater integration between the civil status and health sectors. This integration was achieved in particular thanks to the creation of civil status offices in the premises of ( or nearby ) health establishments and to the increasing use of the power of attorney delegated to staff to facilitate birth registration in hospitals or in the community. In order to leave no children aside and to set up an efficient birth registration system, UNICEF, through the development of a new strategy to strengthen civil status has encouraged increased collaboration between the civil status system and other sectors such as’education and social protection to identify unregistered children and provide them with birth certificates.

How can you tell the difference for UNICEF in the DRC ?

The ( ) child protection specialist will contribute to the acceleration of birth registration in the DRC by supporting the Government to :

•  Support the development of a strategy describing the circuit for the declaration, registration and issuance of birth certificates ;
•  Strengthen and operationalize the coordination mechanism of the civil status system ;
•  Develop and have signed memoranda of collaboration between civil status and health services in the targeted areas ;
•  Strengthen interoperability mechanisms between health and civil status services to facilitate the declaration and registration of births and the collection and collection of routine data on registered births.

Main tasks and responsibilities :

The/the specialist will be based ( e ) in Kinshasa with missions in the Provinces targeted by interventions on birth registration in order to diagnose civil status services and other services to feed the strategy of accelerating birth registration.

Under the supervision of the child protection section head, the ( the ) child protection specialist will be responsible for the following responsibilities :

•  In collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and its Divisions, the ( the ) child protection specialist, will finalize the strategy for birth registration in the DRC to which UNICEF contributes ;
•  The ( ) child protection specialist, will be responsible for two major projects on birth registration. He will supervise the implementation of interventions in the targeted intervention zones and will use the data thus collected to feed the analysis on the mechanism of interoperability between health and civil status services, and propose appropriate actions ;
•  The ( the ) child protection specialist will support the Ministry of the Interior for the establishment of a mechanism for coordinating the civil status system and its operationalization
•  The ( the ) child protection specialist will support the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice as well as other related sectors for the preparation and signing of memoranda of collaboration between the civil status and health services and courts in targeted areas ;
•  The ( ) child protection specialist will support the Ministry of the Interior for the operation of interoperability between health and civil status services in order to facilitate the declaration and registration of births as well as the collection and collection of routine data on registered births.
•  The ( ) child protection specialist will provide on behalf of UNICEF coordination functions for the United Nations Legal Identity Agenda.
•  The ( the ) child protection specialist will be responsible for monitoring legislative and political reforms linked to the Civil State ;

Main expected results

•  Implementation strategy describing the reporting circuit, registration and issuance of birth certificates is available with interoperability with the health sector and in collaboration with other sectors ;
•  A coordination mechanism for the civil status system is in place and operational ;
•  Memoranda of collaboration between civil status and health services are available in the targeted areas ;
•  Interoperability mechanisms between health and civil status services are put in place and its operational in order to facilitate the declaration and registration of births as well as the collection and recovery routine data on registered births.

To qualify as a champion for each child, you must have :

•  A higher university degree in one of the following fields is required: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law or any other relevant field of social sciences would be an asset ;
•  A minimum of 5 years of professional experience at international or national level in the implementation of activities on birth registration is required.
•  Work experience in a developing country is considered an asset.
•  Relevant experience in developing programs in areas related to child protection in an agency or organization of the United Nations system is considered an asset ;
•  Experience in development and humanitarian contexts is an additional asset
•  Being able to work in a multisectoral environment ;
•  Mastering French and English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language of the duty station is considered an asset ;
•  Good knowledge of the issue of Child Protection and birth registration ;
•  Good control of the IT tool ( Word, Excel, Powerpoint ) ;
•  Good capacity for coherence analysis of strategic documents ;

For each child, you will have to demonstrate…

For each child, you demonstrate the values of UNICEF : Benevolence, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Responsibility and Durability.

Our Basic Skills are : Cultivate self-awareness and demonstrate a sense of ethics; Work collaboratively; Establish and maintain partnerships; Innovate and embrace change ; Think and act strategically; Work to achieve tangible results; Manage ambiguity and complexity; Accompany, direct and supervise staff.

To consult our skills reference system, go ICI. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion among its staff, and encourages all applicants, regardless of gender, nationality, religion and ethnicity, including people living with a disability, to apply to be part of the organization.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero tolerance policy for behavior incompatible with the goals and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict principles of child protection. All selected candidates must adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore be subject to a rigorous verification of their references and their background. Background verification will include verification of academic qualifications and work history. Selected applicants may need to provide additional information in order to carry out a background check.

Notes :

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is essential to achieve the best results for children. For this position, eligible and qualified women candidates are encouraged to apply.

Appointments to UNICEF are subject to medical authorization. The issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP posts. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation requirements ( vaccination ), in particular against SARS-CoV-2 ( Covid ). Government employees who are considered to be employed with UNICEF should normally resign from their government before accepting a mission with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw a job offer, without compensation, if a visa or medical authorization is not obtained ( e ), or if the vaccination requirements are not met within a reasonable time for any reason.

Advertised: Aug 16 2023 W. Central Africa Standard Time

Close application: Sep 30 2023 W. Central Africa Standard Time

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•  Close Sep 30 2023Child Protection Specialist – Improvement of birth registration in the DRC – P3 – TA ( 364 days ) – Position # 00125968 – Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of Congo

  In the DRC, around 6 out of 10 children are not registered at birth ( MICS 2018 ). Significant disparities persist between the country’s 26 provinces, ranging from 5% of children registered for the lowest rate to 72% in the provinces with the highest rates. There is also a significant gap between rural and urban areas ( only 29% of children under the age of 5 are registered in rural areas compared to 57% in urban areas ). In the DRC, disparities in birth registration are mainly due to the place of residence, the level of education of the mother and the economic status of households. However, significant progress has been made in recent years and the percentage of children under the age of 5 registered has increased from 25% to 40% today, thanks to ( i ) l’gradual integration with health services of birth registration in a country where 82% of women give birth in a health establishment, ( ii ) to the decentralization of services to the most remote areas, ( iii ) to improve the quality of health services in the most remote places thanks to community approaches and the use of power of attorney. ( Iv ) the progressive digitization of civil status registers and vital statistics ( CRVS ). These proven approaches and efforts must be intensified so that no child is left behind through universal and free birth registration. birth registration in a country where 82% of women give birth in a health facility, ( ii ) to decentralization of services to the most remote areas, ( iii ) to improve the quality of health services in the most remote places thanks to community approaches and the use of power of attorney. ( Iv ) the progressive digitization of civil status registers and vital statistics ( CRVS ). These proven approaches and efforts must be intensified so that no child is left behind through universal and free birth registration. birth registration in a country where 82% of women give birth in a health facility, ( ii ) to decentralization of services to the most remote areas, ( iii ) to improve the quality of health services in the most remote places thanks to community approaches and the use of power of attorney. ( Iv ) the progressive digitization of civil status registers and vital statistics ( CRVS ). These proven approaches and efforts must be intensified so that no child is left behind through universal and free birth registration. improving the quality of health services in the most remote places through community approaches and the use of power of attorney. ( Iv ) the progressive digitization of civil status registers and vital statistics ( CRVS ). These proven approaches and efforts must be intensified so that no child is left behind through universal and free birth registration. improving the quality of health services in the most remote locations through community approaches and the use of power of attorney. ( Iv ) the progressive digitization of civil status registers and vital statistics ( CRVS ). These proven approaches and efforts must be intensified so that no child is left behind through universal and free birth registration.

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