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.

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For every child, every right!

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified human rights treaty, recognizing that children are rights-holders and placing obligations on States to respect, protect, and fulfil those rights. It encompasses four key dimensions of rights: survival, development, protection, and participation. The CRC requires governments to establish monitoring systems to assess progress and ensure accountability, and in its article 45 details the interaction of the Committee on the Rights of the Child  with other bodies and the UN General Assembly,  establishing that the Committee may request reports from specialized agencies and UNICEF on the implementation of the Convention, transmit States' requests for advice to these bodies, recommend that the General Assembly conduct studies on specific issues, and make general recommendations based on information received.

Child Rights Monitoring (CRM) is the mechanism through which States and their partners, including UNICEF as a child-rights based organization, systematically collect, analyze, and use evidence to assess the extent to which children’s rights are realized in practice.

CRM is central to UNICEF’s mandate under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and a responsibility shared by everyone at UNICEF, ensuring that children’s rights are not only enshrined in law but realized in practice.

UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office define CRM as: “Coordinated efforts and systems established by the State Party to systematically monitor the implementation of CRC and to objectively assess the extent to which all children enjoy all the rights enshrined in the CRC.”

CRM extends beyond mere statistical analysis to encompass a multifaceted approach to understanding and promoting child rights by not only generating evidence but also systematizing accountabilities for their monitoring across institutions and duty-bearers. It integrates quantitative data derived from surveys and administrative systems, alongside qualitative insights obtained through consultations with children, impact assessments, evaluations and a variety of other knowledge products to inform evidence-informed policies, programmes, and child rights coordination and accountability mechanisms.

Furthermore, CRM incorporates mechanisms of independent oversight, including scrutiny by parliaments, ombudspersons, and civil society actors. Complementing these measures are public accountability processes, such as reporting to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and the dissemination of comprehensive child rights reports. Collectively, these components underscore CRM as a comprehensive framework for ensuring the effective realization and monitoring of children’s rights.

As emphasized in General Comment No. 5 of the CRC Committee, CRM is a core obligation of States under Article 4 of the Convention. It requires disaggregated data, child impact assessments, and continuous monitoring to ensure that children’s best interests remain a primary consideration.

Without robust CRM, children’s rights violations remain invisible, and inequalities persist unchallenged, undermining efforts to advance the realisation of child rights. UNICEF’s programmatic work in CRM, especially in Europe and Central Asia (ECA), emphasizes embedding monitoring approaches and systems within broader child rights governance structures, ensuring evidence is systematically linked to policymaking and accountability.

UNICEF’s comprehensive approach to CRM integrates five mutually reinforcing lines of work:

1. National child rights monitoring – strengthening national statistical and administrative data systems, NHRIs, parliaments, and civil society to collect and use child-rights indicators.
2. International child rights monitoring – maintaining globally comparable databases and contributing to the progressive reduction of inequalities between groups of children.
3. Child rights monitoring mechanisms – supporting UN treaty bodies and human-rights mechanisms such as the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Human Rights Council, and the Universal Periodic Review.
4. Child-rights-based programme monitoring – monitoring UNICEF-supported programmes through rights-based, gender-responsive, and equity-focused approaches.
5. Safeguarding monitoring – ensuring that no one, including children, is harmed by contact with UNICEF’s work, in line with the Do No Harm principle.

CRM remains highly relevant in all contexts, including in HICs, such as Romania. Wealth and development alone do not guarantee equity, nor sufficiently child-sensitive national governance systems or fulfilment of children rights. CRM ensures independent monitoring systems and highlights emerging areas and provides a critical lens for uncovering these inequities and holding governments accountable to CRC and SDG commitments. While these contexts benefit from relatively strong social systems, persistent disparities mean that vulnerable children often remain invisible in national agendas, statistics and underprioritized in policy and programming. Yet, implementation is unequal. While Romania has integrated CRM into the child rights strategy and co-financed initiatives with the European Union, there is a limited institutional readiness or technical capacity to sustain comprehensive child-sensitive monitoring systems.

The UNICEF Strategic Plan 2025–2029 underscores the organization’s commitment to producing high-quality research, foresight, data, analytics, evaluations, and other evidence outputs, and to actively promoting their use for policy decision-making, the creation of global public goods, and the strengthening of programming, advocacy, partnerships, resource mobilization, and financing. Furthermore, UNICEF collaborates with governments, the United Nations System, and a wide range of stakeholders to reinforce national data and evidence ecosystems, develop institutional national capacities for data generation and evaluation, and advance Sustainable Development Goal data collection and monitoring.

The specific tasks outlined in this consultancy require specialized expertise on child rights monitoring this function being not available in Romania Country Office starting with 1^st January 2026 The involvement of external consultants will ensure a responsive modus operandi that requires to produce deliverables within the specified timelines, with the necessary focus and expertise, without compromising the quality or progress of the processes in place.  

UNICEF is looking for technical expertise from consultants in the following areas:

1/ Evidence generation, data analysis and knowledge products

2/ Child rights monitoring

3/ Capacity building on child rights

The selected consultants, when there is the need to deliver specific deliverables, will work closely with UNICEF Romania’s Deputy Representative. When necessary, a close collaboration and interaction with state authorities and CSOs will be required. Collaboration with state authorities may imply working together with line ministries, governmental agencies, National Institute of Statistics, Ombudsperson Institution, academia, civil society, as well as the county and local governments. The consultants may also be requested to work closely with development partners and humanitarian agencies, including the World Bank, United Nations agencies and other international/regional organizations.

Scope of Work:

1/ Evidence generation, data analysis and knowledge products

• provide technical assistance for harmonization of sectoral Management Information Systems and interconnectivity of sectoral databases
• provide technical advice for the development of integrated data dashboards and digital tools that consolidate data from multiple sectors
• update of the situation analysis of children and adolescents in Romania
• conduct data gaps assessments
• technical assistance in monitoring the implementation of the SDG and the progress in reaching the national targets (global, EU and national indicators) including availability of child-sensitive SDG data
• technical assistance for the evidence-based advocacy for child rights policies, services and leveraging policies, financing and partnerships for children based on sectoral/cross-sectoral administrative data and the evidence generated
• draft knowledge products: data and/or trend analyses, factsheets in different child-related areas, policy briefs
• technical assistance for the annual TransMonEE (Transformative Monitoring for Enhanced Equity) and UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) exercises, Country Reporting and Validation Exercise (CRAVE) and Country Consultation for Selected Child-related Global Indicators (SDGs) surveys

2/ Child rights monitoring

• development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks (including sets of indicators) for policies/strategies, action/operational plans with relevant indicators development, including baselines
• technical assistance for the CRC and optional protocols reporting process, including elaboration/coordination of confidential reports
• technical assistance for the systematic monitoring of the CRC implementation and tracking of the progress in the implementation of the CRC Concluding Observations, including development of action plans
• technical assistance for the independent child rights monitoring (e.g. Ombudsperson institution, civil society)
• mainstreaming child participation into the international conventions reporting processes (e.g. CRC, CRPD, UPR) and monitoring of the CRC implementation

3/ Capacity building on child rights

• technical assistance and capacity building on child rights (capacity building programmes and tools to support the government, other counterparts, ombudsperson institution, CSOs and children)
• organize and facilitate interactive, participatory sessions to build capacities of national counterparts, local authorities, ombudsperson institution, partners, CSOs, and children on child rights

The details of the specific deliverables will be outlined in a separate ToR at the time of contracting for the given assignment.

Applicants are invited to:

1. Identify the area of work and specific functional work candidates would like to be considered for (e.g. 1/Evidence generation, data analysis and knowledge products, 2/ Child rights monitoring, 3/ capacity building on child rights, 4/ all areas of work)
2. Specify the availability (e.g. immediate, within 2 weeks or more).

The selected consultants should use their own equipment unless specified otherwise. They may be required to travel across the country, and they are expected to make their own arrangements for travel and accommodation. This will be specified in the Terms of Reference (TOR) for every assignment and consultants will have to include all travel expenses (considering the expected travels) in their quotations.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree (master) in child rights, social sciences, political science, public policy, statistics, education, or other relevant technical areas, with advanced knowledge and experience on child rights monitoring, data, evidence generation, etc.

• Work Experience: A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in international development, child rights, programming, planning, monitoring and evaluation. A good understanding of child rights monitoring, including national data ecosystems, policy and evidence interface is also required. Other key aspects relevant for this assignment are expertise in:
  • Providing technical assistance in child rights monitoring at national and/or local levels.
  • Managing research/studies, knowledge management, data collection and analyses on child rights.
  • Engaging with central and local governments in Romania, international organizations, and civil society entities.
• Key requirements:
  • Experience in drafting knowledge products such as research papers, analytical documents based on data, policy papers, briefings and notes, factsheets, baseline studies, desk reviews, comparative studies, project and programme documents, etc.
  • Knowledge of child rights international framework.
  • Work experience on child rights, data analytics, and evaluations.
  • Familiarity with child rights and equity issues
  • Familiarity with UN & EU agendas, norms and systems.
  • Relevant experience in similar activities with UNICEF or other UN organizations/agencies will be considered an asset

• Language Requirements: Fluency in Romanian language and Proficiency in English language, including spoken language, strong report writing and presentation skills are mandatory.

Key requirements

• Experience in drafting knowledge products such as research papers, analytical documents based on data, policy papers, briefings and notes, factsheets, baseline studies, desk reviews, comparative studies, project and programme documents, etc.
• Knowledge of child rights international framework.
• Work experience on child rights, data analytics, and evaluations.
• Familiarity with child rights and equity issues.
• Familiarity with UN & EU agendas, norms and systems.
• Relevant experience in similar activities with UNICEF or other UN organizations/agencies will be considered an asset.
• Fluency in Romanian language and Proficiency in English language, including spoken language, strong report writing and presentation skills are mandatory.

 Additional requirements related to work experience and skills

• Analytical thinking, conceptual ability and strategic planning skills, ability to facilitate, consult and negotiate with a broad range of government and non-government partners, including children.
• Strong writing and synthesis skills for diverse audiences (technical, public, and child-friendly).
• Computer skills, including various office applications and tools for presentation.
• Availability to work within the proposed timeframe.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s mandate and programme

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:  

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates from all religions, academic background, nationalities, etc. are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.