Mission and objectivesUNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children. UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and development of children are universal development imperatives that are integral to human progress. UNICEF mobilizes political will and material resources to help countries, particularly developing countries, ensure a \"first call for children\" and to build their capacity to form appropriate policies and deliver services for children and their families. UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children โ victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation, and those with disabilities. UNICEF responds in emergencies to protect the rights of children. In coordination with United Nations partners and humanitarian agencies, UNICEF makes its unique facilities for rapid response available to its partners to relieve the suffering of children and those who provide their care. UNICEF is non-partisan and its cooperation is free of discrimination. In everything it does, the most disadvantaged children and the countries in greatest need have priority. UNICEF aims, through its country programmes, to promote the equal rights of women and girls and to support their full participation in the political, social and economic development of their communities. UNICEF works with all its partners towards the attainment of the sustainable human development goals adopted by the world community and the realization of the vision of peace and social progress enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
ContextCoxโs Bazar District currently hosts over 1.2m Rohingya refugees since August 2017. Over half of the refugee population is estimated to be under the age of 18. Since the most recent influx of refugees, the Bangladesh government and humanitarian actors have been working to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of both the Rohingya refugees and the affected local host population. Eight years into the response, as it evolves from a humanitarian disaster to a crisis of protracted displacement, significant ongoing challenges persist while new and pressing concerns arise; there is therefore a need to increase the visibility of the UNICEF humanitarian response both locally and internationally. The successful candidate will assist in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating an advocacy and communication strategy to get childrenโs and womenโs issues into the public domain, strengthen political will in support of UNICEF's mission and objectives in the country, and enhance the organizationโs credibility and brand. The position will play a key role in enhancing UNICEFโs visibility across platforms through the development of high-quality multimedia content. UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save childrenโs lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfil 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 โ 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. For every child, future The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does โ in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to childrenโs 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 favouritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life โ in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions โ her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a societyโs most disadvantaged citizens โ addressing inequity โ not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill 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. Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
Task DescriptionUNICEF Bangladesh, Coxโs Bazar Field Office, is seeking a dynamic Communications Officer to strengthen its strategic focus on advocating for and communicating UNICEFโs work to secure the well-being of children in Bangladesh. The position will play a key role in enhancing UNICEFโs visibility across platforms through the development of high-quality multimedia content. The ideal candidate will be a skilled communicator with the ability to craft compelling narratives, produce engaging content, and leverage multiple communication channels to influence stakeholders and mobilize support for childrenโs rights and development. The responsibilities as follows: Content Development & Multimedia Production: โข Conceptualize and create engaging content for social media, donors, and programmes. Pitch new approaches and angles for content. โข Ensure communication products and materials for the country office are executed on time and followed up to support the country officeโs communication priorities and campaigns, including resource mobilization. โข Produce and post-produce multimedia content (photo and video) for digital platforms. โข Develop high-quality creative work, provide quality control over concepts and projects, and contribute creative solutions and innovations that strengthen the UNICEF brand in the country. Digital & Social Media Management: Support the communication section to: โข Coordinate, monitor, and contribute to UNICEF Bangladeshโs Facebook, X (former Twitter), and Instagram channels. โข Support and contribute to the growth of UNICEF Bangladeshโs social media channels. Support programmes to map political, government, social media, and corporate influencers and advocates in Bangladesh to ensure targeted communications and have a greater impact for children. Media relations: โข Monitor current events, public opinion, and press, identify issues and trends, and advise on appropriate digital media response. โข Assist in developing and maintaining close collaboration with the media, as well as with groups and organizations whose support is essential to the achievement of advocacy and communication objectives. โข Write strong copy aligned with UNICEFโs style, for social media, and long form for web. Campaigns, Events & Missions: โข Support in preparing background communication and promotional materials for briefings and visits of media, Goodwill Ambassadors, donors, National Committee representatives and other special interest groups and high-level visits. โข The task includes preparing informational materials (e.g., press releases, programme summaries, country fact sheets, and media kits), and assisting in planning, logistics, and administrative arrangements. โข Work with programme sections and partners to organize communication and advocacy events and campaigns. โข Assist the communication section with additional communication and admin tasks as required, related to but not limited to media, web, social media, and admin support.
Competencies and valuesโข Accountability โข Adaptability and flexibility โข Creativity โข Judgement and decision-making โข Planning and organising โข Professionalism โข Self-management
Living conditions and remarksCox's Bazar is a category D family duty station. Educational facilities are limited, and international schools, ranging from primary to secondary school, are currently available in Dhaka only. Health services are limited in Cox's Bazar, but more reliable facilities are available in Dhaka. Malaria and dengue risks exist throughout the year. Vaccination against Japanese Encephalitis and diphtheria is recommended. Cox's Bazar is a major tourist destination in Bangladesh, primarily due to its location on the Bay of Bengal and its extensive coastline. Infrastructure and shopping options in Cox's Bazar, a small city of just 250,000 people, are very basic. International staff reside in privately rented apartments or serviced apartments, all of which provide basic standards. Cox`s Bazar is connected by several daily flights to Dhaka, albeit only during daylight hours. Banks/ATM machines are available in Cox's Bazar, and credit/debit cards are accepted. Foreign currency can be exchanged in banks and exchange houses. Staff who intend to be joined by family members, in particular young children, should contact HR for more information, as educational and medical facilities are not adequate. The security level system in Bangladesh is level 3, moderate. Although security is generally acceptable, given the current situation in the area, no movement on highways at night is allowed. Walking and jogging in the streets as earmarked is permitted. Crowded local markets should be avoided. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential. Bangladesh is a unique country and Cox's Bazar is a unique (humanitarian) operation. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.โ