Mission and objectives

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges. UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among others things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilisers, communities and families, and of course the children and adolescents themselves. In particular, UNICEF will work so that: Every child survives and thrives -- being in good health, immunised, protected from polio and accessing nutritious food. Every child learns. Every child is protected from violence and exploitation, and registered at birth. Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

Context

This United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment is part of UNICEF Pakistan’s education programme, which supports the Government of Pakistan in achieving equitable, inclusive, and quality education for all children. UNICEF, established in 1946, has a global mandate to promote and protect the rights and well-being of every child, with education as a central pillar of its work. In Pakistan, UNICEF partners with federal and provincial education departments, ministries, and development partners to strengthen education systems and improve learning outcomes. The programme focuses on early childhood education (ECE), foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN), out-of-school children, and education in emergencies. It also works to enhance sector planning, monitoring, and coordination, as well as evidence-based decision-making through assessments and evaluations. Key stakeholders include the Government of Pakistan (federal and provincial), the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the European Union, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the National Education Development Partners Group (NEDPG), and Local Education Groups (LEGs). Outcomes include strengthened education systems, improved access and retention, enhanced quality of pre-primary and primary education, and increased resilience of education systems to climate and humanitarian shocks. More information on UNICEF’s education work in Pakistan can be found here: https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/education

Task Description

1. Coordination and Follow-ups - Track and follow up on action points from meetings with ministries, provincial departments, National Education Emergency Taskforce, National Education Development Partners Group (NEDPG), Local Education Groups (LEGs), Joint Education Sector Review (JESRs), and development partners. - Liaise with government counterparts and partner organizations for scheduling, reminders, and progress updates. - Support communication between different UNICEF sections (e.g., education, child protection, health, gender, emergencies). 2. Programme Support - Assist in monitoring the implementation progress of Output 1 and Output 2 Global Partnership for Education (GPE), European Union-and other donor supported programmes in provinces by consolidating relevant field updates. - Help compile updates on action points agreed in the Technical Working Groups for Output 1 and 2 interventions across provinces. - Support the Education Specialist (Systems Strengthening) in research for policy briefs or discussion papers. - Help collect and organize information on Early Childhood Development (ECD) and foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) programmes, including teacher trainings and classroom activities, to support regular progress updates. - Support teams working on Accelerated Learning Programmes (ALPs) for out-of-school children by helping gather information, follow up on activities, and track progress of children returning to learning. - Support in the review of refinement of PD processes and frameworks, ensuing alignment with programme objectives and quality standards. - Facilitate coordination on cross-cutting priorities, including PSEA, gender equality, and child safeguarding within Output 2 interventions. - Assist in coordinating and consolidating quarterly progress updates from provincial and field offices. 3. Documentation and Reporting - Draft meeting notes, briefs, and summary reports from technical discussions, sector reviews, and coordination meetings. - Maintain a tracker of all commitments, deadlines, and deliverables (government, UNICEF, partners). - Compile partner inputs and prepare first drafts of situation updates, fact sheets, and donor progress reports. 4. Knowledge and Data Management - Assist in compiling latest education data from the Pakistan Education Statistics (PES) and NAT and provincial assessments into infographics at national and provincial level. - Maintain databases of sector studies, evaluations, and evidence generated for easy reference. - Support in preparing presentations, background notes, and briefing packs for meetings with government and partners, including checking for latest data. 5. Administrative and Logistical Support - Support in organizing workshops and review meetings (venue booking, invitations, materials). - Maintain calendars for major events (LEG meetings, Joint Education Sector Review, donor reviews, provincial planning cycles). - Ensure documentation is systematically prepared and shared across team members. 6. Communication and Visibility - Draft internal communication notes and partner updates on progress or upcoming activities. - Support development of infographics, briefs, and short updates for advocacy and knowledge sharing. - Track media, research, and partner publications relevant to education system strengthening and primary education.

Competencies and values

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Living conditions and remarks

As this is a national UNV assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. UNV Field Unit will help you open a Pak rupee bank account with Standard Chartered Bank or any other local bank at your duty station. Assignment remarks: This is a national UNV assignment, and a Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) of PKR 105,097 is provided monthly to cover housing, utilities and normal cost of living expenses. Life health and permanent disability insurance are included (health insurance for up to 3 dependents), as well as final repatriation (if applicable) and resettlement allowance for satisfactory service.