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 favouritism. 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, hygiene/sanitation and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfil 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

The purpose of this assignment is to engage Online Volunteers to support the design, development, adaptation, and contextualization of IEC materials on the prevention of child marriage in Mozambique, with particular focus on high-risk and conflict-affected provinces, including Cabo Delgado. Context Mozambique has one of the highest rates of child marriage globally, with about 48% of girls in Mozambique marrying before age 18. Child marriage is driven by multiple interconnected factors, including poverty, gender inequality, limited access to education, harmful social norms, adolescent pregnancy, and traditional practices that encourage early unions. The practice is more prevalent in rural areas and in the northern provinces of the country, where girls often face barriers to continuing education and accessing protection services. Despite the legal minimum age of marriage being 18 years, enforcement remains challenging due to weak institutional capacity, economic hardship, and deeply rooted cultural norms. Child marriage significantly increases risks of school dropout, early pregnancy, gender-based violence (GBV), health complications, and long-term socio-economic vulnerability for girls. In Cabo Delgado Province, the situation is further exacerbated by the ongoing armed conflict and humanitarian crisis that began in 2017. Conflict, displacement, insecurity, and loss of livelihoods have increased protection risks for children and adolescent girls, including child marriage, forced marriage, sexual exploitation, and GBV. Families affected by displacement and poverty may resort to early marriage as a coping mechanism or perceived form of protection for girls. School disruption, overcrowded displacement sites, and limited access to child protection and GBV services further heighten vulnerability. Humanitarian actors, including UNICEF, UNFPA, and protection partners, continue to prioritize prevention and response interventions focused on child protection, GBV risk mitigation, education, and community awareness in Cabo Delgado and other northern provinces.

Task Description

UNICEF seeks 2 Online Volunteers to support the development of prevention of child marriage related IEC materials for Mozambique. The volunteers are expected to do the following tasks: • Conduct desk review of existing child marriage prevention materials, strategies, and communication approaches in Mozambique. • Support development of key prevention messages aligned with national child protection, GBV, and adolescent empowerment frameworks. • Develop and adapt Child-friendly IEC materials including (Story books, poster, Community awareness materials, Radio messaging scripts) • Ensure materials are culturally sensitive, age-appropriate, gender-responsive, and conflict-sensitive. • Support translation and contextualization of materials into relevant local languages (Makonde, Makuwa/Makhuwa, Swahili etc.) where required. • Incorporate safeguarding, confidentiality, and protection principles into all communication materials. The average estimated workload is expected to include roughly reviewing 5-7 documents (these can include existing documents etc.) over the course of the assignment duration. The Online Volunteer (s) will have the opportunity to build connections with the Child Protection Specialist and learn about child-friendly and gender-sensitive messaging.

Competencies and values

Living conditions and remarks