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 (FSM), 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. UNICEF Pacific programme is implemented by the Pacific Multi Country Office (PMCO) in Fiji and 5 Field Offices based in Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Vanuatu, FSM, and Samoa, that are at the frontline of impacting the lives of children.
Context
UNICEF works to help the children of Solomon Islands reach their full potential. We assist our partners to monitor and measure progress against these rights via the child-focused Sustainable Development Goals, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable children. Our programme interventions are rights-based, cut across different sectors, respond to the specific needs of girls and boys and address the vulnerabilities and strengths of children in their first and second decades of life. UNICEF has a strong on-the-ground presence in Solomon Islands, with a few ongoing projects in nearly all provinces. These are primarily in areas with the greatest disparities and service gaps. They complement our high-level policy and programme advice with practical support for planning, financing and service delivery, especially to advocate for quality, equity and sustainability. UNICEF's presence in the country means we have the potential to impact more than 400,000 children. We take this responsibility seriously and are committed to ensuring that children and adolescents, the building blocks of Solomon Islands’s future have an equal chance in life.
Task Description
Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of WASH Specialist or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer WASH Officer will:
National Level Systems Strengthening
- Assist the WASH Specialist in the planning, implementation and monitoring, of WASH in Schools programme.
- Contribute to strengthening advocacy, coordination and technical working group and capacity building on WASH in schools
- Support the finalization of WASH in schools costed plan
- Oversee budget and UNICEF supported project implementation activities on WASH in schools planning and hygiene promotion
- Supporting SEMIS to integrate routine monitoring and reporting of WASH in schools
Provincial Capacity Building
- Train provincial staff, including teachers and school children on WASH in schools planning, implementation, and monitoring
- Build and maintain relationships with provincial government partners and stakeholders to promote and scale up WASH in schools
Facilitate school Level Training and WASH in school Improvement Planning
- Deliver targeted training sessions to school staff and students, promoting WASH practices and awareness at the school level.
- Support schools in developing and implementing improvement plans focused on WASH infrastructure and behavior change.
- Monitor and evaluate school-level activities to track progress and outcomes.
Knowledge Management
•Develop social media content and communication products to share WASH program successes, human interest stories, best practices, and educational messages and support public diplomacy efforts of partners.
- Support knowledge management by documenting lessons learned and developing materials that can be used for advocacy and awareness campaigns.
- Ensure that communication materials are tailored for different audiences (public diplomacy, resource partners national, provincial, school) to maximize impact.