Background Information:

The Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend Project (SWEDD) is a regional project encompassing Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Benin, Cameroon and Guinea, and is funded by the World Bank’s regional IDA (International Development Association) resources. The project acts on the UN-World Bank commitment and partnership to address the Demographic Dividend in the Sahel. The overall goal of the project is to accelerate the demographic transition, to spur the demographic dividend, and to reduce gender inequality in the participating countries.

The project contributes to achieving the governments of the country member’s objective to increase women and adolescent girls’ empowerment and their access to quality reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health, and nutrition (RMNCHN) services in selected areas of the participating countries and to improve regional knowledge generation and sharing, as well as, regional capacity and coordination. The project is focused on mainstreaming the dividend demographic in the development agenda of the countries and the region.

The SWEDD Project interventions are structured around 3 primary components:

• Component (1) Generate demand for RMNCHN services by promoting social and behavioral change and the empowerment of women and adolescent girls;
• Component (2) Reinforce the regional availability of RMNCHN commodities and qualified health workers;
• Component (3) Reinforce advocacy and dialogue at high levels and promote policy development and the project’s implementation.

It is in this context, that the Communications & Media Specialist provides required co-leadership and support for Component 1. The objective of this component is to increase demand for RMNCHN services through (i) better awareness of the populations on these services, and (ii) supporting the empowerment of adolescent girls and women. This will be done by supporting regional initiatives and targeted cross-border activities with strong demonstrable effects and potential for scaling up regionally.

How You Can Make a Difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s new strategic plan (2018-2021), focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.  In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

The Position:

The Communication and Media Specialist will hold a central position within the SWEDD Regional Technical Secretariat, a team that ensures, in conjunction with national teams, high quality regional-level technical assistance and project coordination to nine countries in the region. Specifically, your role will focus on aspects related to traditional communication and social behavior change campaigns carried out at both regional and national level. You will work closely with communication staff in the regional office work. And will report directly to the SWEDD Regional Coordinator.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education: 

• Advanced university degree in communication, media, journalism, social sciences, and/or other related fields.

Knowledge and Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in designing  and implementing international communications and SBCC campaigns, strategies or programs.
• Familiarity with population issues and how this impacts sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and young people, and ability to address a range of issues related to topics of demographic dividend and women’s empowerment.
• A keen understanding of culture, history and political contexts of West and Central Africa, particularly the Sahel region.
• Fluent in the use of social media.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Adobe Design suite, Google drive, etc.
• A thorough understanding of the UN system in general, and especially the UNFPA mandate, policies and operations, is an asset.

Languages:

• Fluency in English and French is mandatory.
• Knowledge of additional UN languages is an asset.