HireLiberia

National Child Protection Consultant, Monrovia, Liberia | HireLiberia

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

Skills and requirements

About this role

National Child Protection Consultant (Office based with possible travel), 6 months, Monrovia Job no: 594350 Position type: Consultant Location: Liberia Division/Equivalent: Dakar (WCAR), Senegal School/Unit: Liberia Department/Office: Monrovia, Liberia Categories: Child Protection Contract Duration: 6 Months Working arrangement: Office Based with possible travel UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job - it is a calling. UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package. Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF. TERMS OF REFERENCE The purpose of this assignment is to strengthen the integration of child protection and GBV prevention and response within WASH Sectors in Liberia, ensuring that WASH policies, programmes, and investments contribute to safer environments and reduced violence risks for children, adolescents, and women. The above purpose of the assignment is aligned with the fact that the African Union's designation of 2026 as the Year of Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation positions WASH as a cornerstone of dignity, equity, and protection under Agenda 2063, not merely as infrastructure. This framing creates a critical policy window to embed child protection and GBV risk mitigation within national and continental WASH systems, particularly for women and children amid climate shocks, displacement, and urbanization. In Liberia, persistent WASH gaps, especially in rural areas, informal settlements, schools, and health facilities, intersect with widespread GBV and child protection concerns, including sexual violence, early marriage, school dropout, and exploitation. These risks are further amplified by the country's acute climate vulnerability. Ranked among the world's most climate‑vulnerable countries, Liberia experiences recurrent flooding affecting an estimated 44 per cent of the population (approximately 2.2 million people). With over 70 per cent of the population lacking basic sanitation and 35 per cent practicing open defecation, particularly in coastal, riverine, and informal settlements, climate shocks routinely overwhelm already fragile WASH systems. National projections indicate that flood‑affected populations will increase by more than 35 per cent by 2050, with extreme rainfall expected to rise by 10-40 per cent by 2064, driving recurrent inundation of sanitation and drainage infrastructure. Evidence consistently shows that in flood‑affected and informal communities, breakdowns in WASH access coincide with sharp increases in GBV and child protection risks, especially for girls and children accessing unsafe water points and sanitation facilities. Despite parallel progress in WASH and Protection sectors, protection‑sensitive design and GBV risk mitigation remain insufficiently institutionalized within WASH policies and programmes. Aligned with UNICEF Liberia's Country Programme and AU‑led initiatives, strengthening the integration of GBV and child protection considerations within WASH is both timely and necessary. Dedicated technical support on GBV-WASH integration will ensure that WASH investments not only expand access but actively reduce protection risks, embedding protection‑sensitive, climate‑resilient WASH as a core safeguard for the safety, dignity, and rights of women, adolescents, and children in Liberia. The National Child Protection Consultant will provide technical leadership to embed safety, dignity, and protection considerations into WASH programming across humanitarian-development settings, with particular attention to schools, health facilities, and community water and sanitation systems. The assignment will support UNICEF Liberia's contribution to national priorities and regional policy momentum around safe and inclusive WASH, while advancing CPD results on protection from violence and gender inequality. If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Child Protection Consultant.pdf Minimum requirements: Education: Masters of Child Protection, Gender Studies, Social Work, Public Health, International Development, or a related field. Work Experience: Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in child protection and/or GBV programming, with demonstrated experience in cross-sectoral work. Proven experience integrating GBV risk mitigation and child protection considerations into non-protection sectors, preferably WASH, education, health, or social services. Practical experience applying GBV risk mitigation guidelines (e.g., IASC GBV Guidelines) in programme design, implementation, and monitoring. Experience working with government counterparts, UN agencies, NGOs, and community-based organizations in low-income or fragile settings; experience in West Africa or Liberia is an advantage. Demonstrated experience supporting system strengthening, policy engagement, or institutional capacity-building related to protection or gender equality. Experience in humanitarian-development nexus contexts and familiarity with climate, displacement, or urban vulnerability issues is an asset. Knowledge/Expertise/Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills Willingness to travel and work in field environments Candidate must be a Liberian national Interested applicants must submit a cover letter together with their CV Language Requirements: Fluency in Eng

Original posting: UNjobs

Open on HireLiberia →