National Consultant - Child Protection, Monrovia, Liberia, Onsite, 6 months

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling. UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

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For every child, *the right to child protection!!*

UNICEF's core mission is to advance the rights of every child worldwide, embedding this commitment across all programs, advocacy efforts, and operational activities, particularly in challenging contexts like Liberia. Central to this is the equity strategy, which prioritizes the most marginalized and excluded children and families, translating the promise of children's rights into actionable outcomes. Equity ensures that every child can survive, thrive, and reach their full potential without discrimination, bias, or favoritism, even in a post-conflict nation where rural-urban disparities, climate vulnerabilities, and fragile infrastructure present significant hurdles. When any child faces unequal opportunities across social, political, economic, civic, or cultural dimensions compounded by historical conflict and entrenched social norms, their fundamental rights are violated.

How can you make a difference?

I: Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Child Protection, the consultant will provide technical leadership and implementation support to operationalize and scale up meaningful participation of adolescent girls in Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Gbarpolu and Grand Gedeh. The consultant will focus on strengthening and institutionalizing participatory mechanisms, including Adolescent Girls Advisory Platforms and Buddy Clubs, to ensure structured, safe, and sustained engagement. This will include embedding adolescent girls’ voices within sectoral coordination, policy dialogue, and programme planning processes, thereby strengthening their agency and influence in decision-making at community, county, and national levels.

In addition, the consultant will provide technical guidance to UNICEF and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to develop a clear, actionable roadmap for government oversight, management, and eventual takeover of the two adolescent resource centers located in West Point and New Kru Town, ensuring continuity, ownership, and long‑term sustainability.

II. Scope of Work:

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Child Protection, the consultant will support the MGCSP Adolescent Girls Division to:

• Establish and operationalize Adolescent Girls Advisory Platforms (AGAPs) Support transparent recruitment, onboarding, and formalization of AGAPs in Montserrado, Rivercess, Grand Gedeh, Gbarpulu, and Grand Bassa ensuring inclusive representation and safeguarding standards.
• Strengthen governance and institutional linkages of AGAPs. Operationalize the Terms of Reference, AGAP Workplans, coordination mechanisms, and structured engagement pathways with other Adolescent platforms and line Ministries (Gender, Child Protection, Education, Health, Youth).
• Strengthen and scale up Buddy Clubs as peer-to-peer support mechanisms in Schools. Support revitalization/expansion of Buddy Clubs, strengthen mentorship structures, and link them functionally to AGAPs, Health Clubs to ensure grassroots-to-policy feedback loops.
• Build the capacity of adolescent girls and duty bearers Deliver structured training for AGAP and Buddy Club members (leadership, advocacy, policy engagement, safeguarding) and for government/partners on rights-based adolescent engagement.
• Support and monitor the implementation of the UNICEF /MGCSP (Adolescent Division) workplan, including Dakar Commitments. Track progress, document results and lessons learned.
• Provide technical guidance to UNICEF and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) for the development of a roadmap for government oversight, management, and eventual takeover of the adolescent resource centers in West Point and New Kru Town.
• Support the Ministry of Health, National Identity Registry and Ministry of Education in the operationalization of interoperability between birth registration, immunization, Identity from birth and education enrolment, as well as monitoring the implementation of birth registration activities.