Mission and objectivesUNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children. UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and development of children are universal development imperatives that are integral to human progress. UNICEF mobilizes political will and material resources to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a \"first call for children\" and to build their capacity to form appropriate policies and deliver services for children and their families. UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children โ victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation, and those with disabilities. UNICEF responds in emergencies to protect the rights of children. In coordination with United Nations partners and humanitarian agencies, UNICEF makes its unique facilities for rapid response available to its partners to relieve the suffering of children and those who provide their care. UNICEF is non-partisan and its cooperation is free of discrimination. In everything it does, the most disadvantaged children and the countries in greatest need have priority. UNICEF aims, through its country programmes, to promote the equal rights of women and girls and to support their full participation in the political, social and economic development of their communities. UNICEF works with all its partners towards the attainment of the sustainable human development goals adopted by the world community and the realization of the vision of peace and social progress enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
ContextThe UNV assignment is part of UNICEFโs emergency response programme in Sri Lanka, focusing on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) to protect children and their families in flood and cyclone-affected areas. This emergency response is implemented in close collaboration with the Government of Sri Lanka, relevant line ministries, and other humanitarian partners, with a strong emphasis on providing immediate relief and supporting short- and medium-term recovery interventions. As the WASH Cluster lead, UNICEF coordinates emergency activities through regular WASH sector meetings with line ministries and partners to ensure effective information sharing, gap analysis, and alignment of interventions. The UN Volunteer will support UNICEFโs WASH section in implementing these activities, providing technical and coordination support to field teams, government counterparts, and implementing partners, while contributing to monitoring, reporting, and the documentation of emergency interventions.
Task DescriptionUnder the direct supervision of the assigned UNICEF Officer, the UNV Specialist - Emergency WASH will undertake the following tasks during the 3-month emergency assignment: Coordination โข Coordinate with relevant authorities to ascertain and assess WASH requirements and secure agreements and approvals. Including other sector representatives, line ministries, and government partners at national and sub-national level. โข Coordinate with implementing partners to ensure smooth execution of project activities and timely response to requests. โข Liaise with UNICEF field staff members and provide technical guidance when required to support program implementation. โข Liaise with supplies colleagues in facilitating the timely procurement of materials required for programmes and align resources and logistics with field requirements โข Coordinate between authorities, partners and respective agencies as required in the implementation of the programme Monitoring โข Monitor and record the procurement and delivery of all supplies โข Monitor ongoing activities and follow up on requests from project implementing partners to ensure compliance and timely delivery. โข Monitor beneficiary engagement and track funding utilization to ensure accountability and transparency. โข Follow up on government requests, monitor response progress, and support timely resolution of pending actions. โข Monitor the quality of work undertaken by implementing partners, โข Monitor the changes reflected on the 5W database and flag discrepancies. Reporting โข Conduct regular monitoring to review project activities and prepare project progress reports as required. โข Compile reports on materials ordered and supplied to beneficiaries on a regular basis. โข Compile reports on activities undertaken by respective partners for monitoring purposes Other โข Support communication efforts, including drafting case studies, success stories, and other relevant documentation for program visibility. โข Perform any other duties as may be required and assigned to ensure effective emergency response.
Competencies and valuesโข Builds and maintains partnerships: โข Demonstrated self-awareness and ethical awareness: โข Drive to achieve results for impact: โข Innovates and embraces change: โข Manages ambiguity and complexity: โข Thinks and acts strategically: โข Works collaboratively with others
Living conditions and remarksSri Lanka is an island nation located off the south coast of India. An estimated population of around 21 million people is sheltered in this multi-ethnic, multi- cultural and multi- religious country. Colombo is situated in the Western Province of Sri Lanka and is the commercial capital of the country. The city is located on the west coast of the island, adjacent to the administrative capital, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte. Bandaranaike International Airport is located 35km from Colombo and is served by the main international airlines. Sri Lanka is a tropical country with moderate temperature and high humidity all throughout the year. Average temperature in Colombo ranges between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius. The island experiences two main monsoon seasons, where heavy rainfalls occur, from May to August and October to January. Rice and curry comprise the main dishes. Sri Lankan cuisine tends to be quite spicy. There are hotels and other types of accommodation options available in Colombo. Supermarkets, banking, and medical facilities are present within the city. The support provided by the UN Volunteer supporting UNICEF under this initiative is a Special Programme Initiative (SPI) by UNV. SPIs respond to volunteer-specific needs of the United Nations system and donor entities. They are established by specific policy documents that address the desired programmatic aims and broader SDG outcomes in line with UNV guiding principles. UN Volunteers for serving under this SPI are governed by the particular conditions set out in their offers and contracts. In addition to the specific requirements set out above, candidates for these volunteer assignments will be subject to background checks, confirmation and clearance provided by the United Nations Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS). Candidates who do not pass this security clearance are prohibited from serving as a UN Volunteer for UNICEF in Sri Lanka.