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UNICEF WSM·Apr 22, 2026

Child Protection Officer

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Chief Field Office, the Child Protection Officer will: 1. Youth Sports Development & Engagement - Support planning and delivery of youth sports programmes, cli...

On-siteNationalAssociate UCoS from Apr202616. Peace, justice and strong institutions
On-site

Samoa

Apia

Duration

365 days

Extendable

Positions

1 Available

Deadline

May 6, 2026

6 days ago

🎯

Sustainable Development Goal

16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

General Information

Description of assignment title

Child Protection Officer

Assignment country

Samoa

Expected start date

May 1, 2026

Sustainable Development Goal

16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

Volunteer category

Associate UCoS from Apr2026

Host entity

UNICEF WSM

Type

onsite

Duration

365 days
(with possibility of extension)

Number of assignments

1

Duty stations

Apia

Assignment Details

Mission and Objectives

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, 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 favoritism. 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, 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. In the Pacific, UNICEF works in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

Context

All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations. Explore the different areas of our work in the link provided here www.unicef.org/pacificislands. UNICEF Pacific aims to protect children against all forms of violence, including neglect, abuse, exploitation, separation from parents and any form of harm to their well-being and development, through strengthening child protection systems. We are doing this by working in partnership with the governments, faith-based and civil society organizations to: - Include child protection laws and policies based on international standards. - Provide capacity building to each of the five sectors including social welfare, judiciary, police, health and education; and - Build commitment from partners to plan and implement actions to address violence against children. In Samoa, sport is one of strongest platforms for mobilizing, inspiring, and developing young people. UNICEF works with the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD), Ministry of Sports and Recreation, Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC), Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (SASNOC), Sporting Federations, youth networks, and civil society organisations to: - Strengthen youth participation in sport for development. - Integrate drug‑prevention messages into coaching materials and youth programmes. - Promote gender equality, respectful relationships, and positive masculinity. - Strengthen mental‑health literacy among adolescents. - Ensure safeguarding, PSEA, and child‑protection systems across sports environments. - Integrate life‑skills modules including "Seek the Ways" and "Laaha" into sports-based youth engagement.

Task Description

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Chief Field Office, the Child Protection Officer will: 1. Youth Sports Development & Engagement - Support planning and delivery of youth sports programmes, clinics, and life‑skills sessions. - Assist sports federations and ministries to integrate drug‑prevention and wellbeing messaging into coaching materials. - Facilitate youth participation and consultation processes linked to sports initiatives. 2. Communication, Training Materials & Drug‑Prevention Messaging - Develop youth-friendly multimedia content promoting drug‑prevention, healthy lifestyles, and positive decision‑making. - Produce videos, infographics, and social media content featuring sports role models. - Support dissemination of awareness materials through sports networks, schools, and communities. 3. Partnership Coordination & Stakeholder Engagement - Coordinate with government ministries, sports bodies, youth groups, and NGOs. - Support organization of youth forums, sports events, and community engagement programmes. - Contribute youth perspectives across sector discussions including education, sport, health, and child protection. 4. Safeguarding, PSEA & Child Protection - Support integration of child‑safe sport principles and PSEA standards across sports organisations. - Assist with training delivery on safeguarding, reporting pathways, and adult accountability. - Monitor child‑safety risks during youth sport activities and escalate concerns appropriately. 5. Positive Masculinity, Gender Equality & Mental Health - Promote gender equality, respectful relationships, and mental‑health awareness. - Integrate "Seek the Ways" and "Laaha" modules into sports‑based youth workshops. - Facilitate sessions on emotional wellbeing, self‑awareness, empathy, and conflict resolution. 6. Reporting, Documentation & Knowledge Sharing - Maintain databases of events, meetings, training, and youth consultations. - Document promising practices and generate reports, briefs, and recommendations. - Use digital tools and AI platforms to support documentation and communication. 7. Volunteerism & Youth Leadership - Promote volunteerism and youth leadership in sports and community development. - Support UNV knowledge‑sharing activities, including International Volunteer Day. 8. Results/expected outputs - Updated coaching materials including drug‑prevention, wellbeing, and life‑skills content. - Safeguarding and PSEA messaging are integrated into sports policies, training, and youth activities. - Delivery of youth engagement sessions using "Seek the Ways" and "Laaha" modules. - Production and dissemination of youth‑friendly communication materials across platforms. - High‑quality documentation of events, consultations, and programme outcomes. - Strengthened partnerships between ministries, federations, and youth organizations. - Promotion of positive masculinity, mental health, and gender‑equitable attitudes among young people.

Eligibility Criteria

Age

18 - 80

Required experience

1 years

Nationality

Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.

Assignment Requirements

Relevant experience

1 year

Language Requirements
EnglishRequired
Working knowledge
SamoanRequired
Fluent
Required education level

Bachelor's degree

Area(s) of expertise

Social work, Community development, Development programmes

Driving license

-

Competencies and values
• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNICEF; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNICEF procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented; • Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNICEF in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority. • Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues; • Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment. • Planning and organizing effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities. • Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups; • Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary. • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance, and commitment towards UNICEF’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.
Skills and experience
Required Experience: Track record of volunteer work or social activities preferrable. Required Qualifications, skills, experience: - Experience working with youth in community, education, or sports settings. - Self-motivated, dynamic, and cooperative personality. - Fluency in Samoan language and strong cultural competency in Samoan protocols. Desirable - Previous involvement in sports initiatives, coaching, or sport‑for‑development activities. - Experience designing and delivering youth training, workshops, or awareness sessions. - Experience creating media content or social campaigns for youth. - Experience contributing to drug‑prevention messaging and adolescent health initiatives. - Familiarity with gender equality, positive masculinity, or mental‑health programming. - Experience with "Seek the Ways" or "Laaha" life‑skills modules desirable. - Familiar with graphic design, photography, video editing, and other communication mediums and content creation is an advantage. - Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills.

Additional Information

Living conditions and remarks
As this is a national volunteer assignment, the UN volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and living essentials. Living and working in Pacific Island Countries provides for an interesting and enriching experience, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as patience and commitment to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to appreciate the new and unique culture and environment are essential.
Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity without distinction.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to vaccination requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19), in line with the applicable host entity policy.

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