Description de l'offre

JOB ADVERTISEMENT : Child Friendly Municipalities Coordinator -  UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund

Description of assignment (DoA) details

Child Friendly Municipalities Coordinator
Cameroon
12 months
Onsite
National
Specialist UCoS from Apr2026
Full-time
On UN premises
Long-term
Apply
3
assignment(s)

Competitive recruitment

Advertisement end date:22/06/2026

General
Description of assignment title
Child Friendly Municipalities Coordinator

Assignment country
Cameroon

Duty stations
Buea, Maroua, Yaounde

Work location
On UN premises

Expected start date
13/07/2026

Duration
12 months
(with possibility of extension)

Long-term benefits and allowances

Sustainable Development Goal
11. Sustainable cities and communities

Host entity
UNICEF

Modality
Onsite

Type
National

Volunteer category
Specialist UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule
Full-time

Number of Assignments
3

Details
Mission and objectives
L'UNICEF est une agence humanitaire internationale pour les enfants créée par la chart des Nations Unies en 1946. L'organiisation est présente dans plus de 192 pays et travail dans le domaine de la santé, de l'éducation, de l'eau et de l'assainissement, de la protection de l'enfance, du VIH et du Sida, de la nutrition, de la politique et de la protection sociale. L'UNICEF opère a la fois dans les contextes humanitaire et de development en répondant aux besoins des enfants et des femmes en particulier des filles et des plus vulnérables.

La présence de l'UNICEF au Cameroun remonte à 1975. L'organisation intervient dans dans les domaines de l'éducation, de l'eau et de l'assainissement, de la protection de l'enfance, du VIH et du Sida. Tandi que ses efforts en amont se concentrent sur le plaidoyer et le lobbying pour des conditions budgétaires favorables aux enfants et aux femmes et a la formulation de politiques pour la promotion de leur croissance et de leur developement . Sur le plan opérationnel UNICEF Cameroun se concentre sur le renforcement des capacité des partie prenantes la prestation de service et la création de partenariats pour l'amélioration des aux enfants et aux femmes.

Le Programme Protection de l'Enfant vise globalement a garantir que les enfants en particulier les filles adolescentes dan sles zones vulnérables sont mieux protégés contre la violence, l'exploitation et les pratiques néfastes y compris dans le contexte d'urgence humanitaire. Le programme contribue ainsi au renforcement des systèmes gouvernementaux et communautaires de protection de l'enfance, afin d'identifier et de combattre plus efficacement les violations des droits de l'enfant. Une attention particulière est portée a l'enregistrement. des naissances la préventions et la réponses aux violences physiques et sexuelles ainsi qu'a l'élimination du mariage des enfants en s'apppuyant sur les évidneces.

Context
The Child Friendly Municipalities Initiative is a citizen advocacy and collective engagement approach designed to make children's rights a central priority for decentralized territorial authorities (CTDs) and a central priority.

Through this Initiative, local elected officials commit to implementing local public policies that guarantee the full realization of the rights of children and adolescents within their territory. Therefore, making a municipality "child-friendly" means to:
- Recognize the importance of investing in the well-being and in the best interests of children and adolescents;
- Ensure that children's rights are promoted, developed and respected there;
- Make the well-being and interests of children the center of all local decisions;
- Emphasize on the specific interests and needs of girls, boys and children living with a disability.

The Child-Friendly Municipalities (CFM) initiative thus represents an opportunity to address the challenges of child wellbeing in the context of decentralization. It is a response to this need, aiming to strengthen the capacities of local authorities, their roles as duty-bearers , by providing them with the tools to better integrate children's rights into municipal management structure, planning, budgeting, the provision of quality services, and increasing demand for these services through citizen participation and social accountability.

The objectives of the initiative are:

i. To accelerate the fulfilment of children’s rights at the community through decentralization.
ii. to consolidate and sustain local interventions, particularly during the first 1000 days and the second decade and beyond.
This national initiative aims to permanently embed children's rights in the local public policies of Cameroon's 360 municipalities. The current decentralization policy offers a unique opportunity to bring basic services closer to the populations and strengthen local governance. However, despite this framework, municipalities struggle to translate children's rights into concrete actions due to limited resources, weak technical capacity, and a lack of appropriate regulatory tools. Institutionalizing the Child-Friendly Municipalities Initiative would fill this gap by providing an operational framework that allows municipalities to better plan, budget, and monitor initiatives for children. This would ensure that municipal priorities are aligned with national and international priorities and commitments, while strengthening their capacity to address children's specific needs in key areas such as health, education, nutrition, and protection.


Task description
Currently, seven municipalities are officially engaged in the Child Friendly Municipality (CFM) initiative through memoranda of understanding signed with UNICEF. These municipalities are Lagdo (North), Mandjou and Garoua Boulai (East), Djohong (Adamawa), Bikok (Centre), Mokolo (Far North), and Bana (West).

Plans are underway to expand the initiative to six additional municipalities of strategic interest: Ngoura and Batouri (East), Ngaoundéré III (Adamawa), Garoua II (North), Moutourwa (Far North), and Limbé II (South West).

A guide to promoting children's rights in municipalities has been developed for multi-sectoral stakeholders. It is currently being updated in light of recent developments in decentralization. Since the 2022 fiscal year, UNICEF has invested financial, material, and human resources in the aforementioned municipalities. The initiative has also benefited from investments made by the municipalities themselves and by FEICOM. The impact on children's human development resulting from these capital flows will be evaluated through specific interventions.

UNICEF's participation in the JEICOM (International Economic Days of Municipalities) from June 2nd to 4th, 2025, was a crucial moment for sharing the achievements of the Initiative and launching its scaling-up. To date, approximately 198 out of 360 municipalities, or 55%, have expressed interest in joining the project.

This underscores the importance of recruiting 03 UN Volunteer to coordinate the implementation and monitoring and evaluation of the process at the local level. These volunteers will base at :
• 01 (Buea)
• 01 (Maroua)
• 01 (Yaounde)


Under the supervision and line management of the Chief Field Office, Social Policy Officer, Social Policy
Specialist, depending of the case, the volunteer's work will consist of:
o Develop a directory of municipalities pre-enrolled and enrolled in the Community Friendly Municipalities Initiative Children (CAE);
o Disseminate tools for framing and implementing interventions;
o Prepare, organize, and assist with capacity-building sessions for municipalities;
o Monitor the implementation of interventions in municipalities using appropriate tools;
o Relay community feedback to UNICEF focal points;
o Coordinate technical support to municipalities;
o Participate in the establishment of municipal monitoring and evaluation mechanisms;
o Facilitate the collection of data and information for the development of tools and for monitoring and assessment
o Develop an Excel spreadsheet to track process and performance indicators for all the municipalities enrolled.
o UNV assigned to the UNICEF Buea Office is required to collaborate closely with NASLA institute in Buea and will collaborate with the PAC/Resource Mobilization Unit to coordinate and provide support for fundraising activities targeting the private sector, with particular emphasis on Douala, where many private entities have a significant presence.
Expected results:
o The participating municipalities have adopted the tools and are implementing them;
o A results framework for each municipality allows for the monitoring of process indicators and performance;
o Support is provided to municipalities facing challenges during implementation;
o Municipalities have strengthened capacities in children's rights and in the areas of the initiative CFM;
o Data and information are available to reward deserving municipalities; • Monitoring and implementation reports are regularly sent.

Eligibility criteria
Age
18 - 80

Required experience
3 years

Nationality
Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements
Relevant experience
3 years

Languages
French, Level: Fluent, Required
English, Level: Working knowledge, Required

Required education level
Bachelor's degree in Economics, Statistics, Sociology, Demography, or related specializations

Competencies and values
• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability
• Sustainability

Competencies
 Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
 Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
 Works Collaboratively with others (2)
 Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
 Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
 Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
 Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
 Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Skills and experience
• Very good knowledge of common computer applications and office software, and especially those related to database management and analysis.
• Perfect command of French, English, and local languages;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and a proactive approach;
• Proven analytical and synthesis skills to report results;
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multicultural environment
• Ability to meet deadlines and aptitude for working in the field with communities;
• Ability to listen, engage in dialogue and design practical solutions to problems faced by the municipal administration regarding procedures and regulations for managing municipal and community affairs;
• Experience/internship in an association setting and/or short-term training, particularly in local development and decentralization, would be an asset.

Area(s) of expertise
Community development, Education, Health

Driving license
-

HOW TO APPLY ? 

 All applications must be submitted ONLINE at :  https://app.unv.org/opportunities/1784888021269624 

Deadline: 22 Jun 2026 W. Central Africa Standard Time