Mission and objectivesUNFPA 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. UNFPAโs new Strategic Plan (2022-2025), 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/volunteers, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction. UNFPA Cambodiaโs 6th Country Programme (CP) 2019 โ 2023 has three outcomes (i) sexual and reproductive health and rights; (ii) adolescents and youth; and (iii) population dynamics and data, with gender as a cross-cutting programmatic focus. The 6th UNFPA country programme signals a transition towards upstream policy support to the Royal Government of Cambodia and would therefore have more dedicated resources and capacities to provide strategic guidance and analysis in its respective outcome areas.
ContextUNFPA prioritizes communication to advance its mission of accelerating gender equality, reproductive health, and rights. The UNFPA Cambodiaโs 7th Country Programme (CP) 2024โ2028 addresses four key areas: sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender-based violence and harmful practices, adolescents and youth, and population change and data. Communication plays a vital role in showcasing the realities of these focus areas, demonstrating UNFPA's work, and driving positive change. Through its website and social media platforms, UNFPA strategically connects with target audiences, sparks conversations, inspires action, and ultimately promotes the rights and well-being of women, adolescents, and youth. In the context of Cambodia, communications are key to strengthening and connecting links with beneficiaries, policymakers, development partners, partner organizations, and civil society organizations; it is key to ensure synergies with UN agencies and that we speak with one voice; but it is also critical for relationship building with donors and partners as well as resource mobilization. Within this broader communication strategy, UNFPA is focusing on reducing gender-based violence (GBV) and shifting harmful social norms and practicesโone of UNFPAโs three key transformative results. Strategic communication helps amplify the urgency of addressing GBV, raise awareness, shape public discourse, and mobilize action by engaging diverse audiences through digital and traditional media, advocacy campaigns, and community outreach. Moreover, effective storytelling and data-driven messaging highlight the deep intersections between GBV, gender equality, and reproductive health and rights, reinforcing the need to tackle GBV as a critical step toward achieving the Programme of Action from the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). Communication also serves as a bridge between research, policy, and public engagement, ensuring that key messages resonate with policymakers, communities, and youth. By fostering dialogue and influencing perceptions, communication contributes to dismantling harmful social norms, promoting gender-equitable attitudes, and ultimately supporting the achievement of both ICPD commitments and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Task DescriptionThe national UN volunteer Communications Officer Gender & GBV will work under the technical guidance of the GBV team to develop communications materials in line with UNFPA and UN guidance on GBV communications protocols and standards. The Communications Officer will support events, media including social media, photography and documenting case studies and human-interest stories on the work that UNFPA is supporting on GBV. Furthermore, the Communications Officer will assist in the monitoring and evaluation of communication activities to measure impact and adapt strategies as necessary and to ensure visibility and productive engagement with donors. All actions will be conducted in strict adherence to the UNFPA rules and regulations, as well as our donors' requirements, and will follow ethical guidelines for communications on GBV, ensuring the protection of the dignity and privacy of affected individuals. All GBV communications materials will be developed under the direct supervision of the GBV Programme Specialist, with matrix technical support on communications from the Advocacy and Partnership Specialist. In all situations, all communications materials are reviewed and approved by the head of the unit and by the Representative or OIC. For this assignment, the National UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: 1. Graphic Design & Content Creation: Produce visually compelling graphic design materials (leaflets, brochures, factsheets, posters, social media cards, etc.) for the GBV Team in collaboration with the CO Advocacy and Partnership Specialist. 2. Support on GBV Outreach activities: Assist the GBV Team with outreach activities, including events, campaigns, and missions, to enhance CO/donor visibility and branding, while crafting key messages and stories for communications including document success stories, human interest stories and case studies with producing photography, videography, collecting information/data and interviews. 3. Social Media Engagement & Content Development: Collaborate with the GBV Team, Implementing Partners (IPs), and Communications Team to develop and produce engaging GBV-specific content for CO social media platforms. Ensure consistent and active engagement across platforms, incorporating donor visibility. 4. Social Media Strategy & Planning: Develop and implement a weekly GBV social media plan, including crafting impactful messages, stories, photos, social media cards, quizzes, Q&A sessions, contests, audio, video, and infographics. This will be done under the guidance of the Advocacy and Partnerships Specialist. 5. Social Media Management & Reporting: Maintain a weekly updated social media calendar and content plans aligned with specific GBV campaigns. Provide monthly social media analytics and reports to track performance and impact. 6. UNFPA Event Support (Online & Offline): Assist with UNFPA's international celebrations related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), GBV, and Adolescent and Youth (AY). Develop and design social media packages for online campaigns (posters, photos, short videos, blog pieces, etc.). Provide video and photography support at offline events. 7. Communications Team Support: Provide support to the Communications Team for other key activities, events, and outreach campaigns as needed. Furthermore, Communications Officer is required to as a UN Volunteer: โ Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities (for instance, in events that mark International Volunteer Day). โ Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country. โ Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities. โ Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc. โ Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UN Volunteers. โ Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible. The above job description contains the main duties and responsibilities for this position. However, in a small team such as UNFPA in Cambodia, staff members are expected to show flexibility in their approach to work and be willing to undertake other tasks and missions that are reasonably allocated to them, but which are not part of their regular job description. Where any task becomes a regular part of an employee's responsibilities, the job description will be changed in consultation with the employee. and the Representative. Results/expected outputs: As an active UNFPA Cambodia CO team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly, and high-quality support is rendered to UNFPA and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions. This assignment is expected to contribute to effective communications related to UNFPA Cambodia CO GBV programme interventions, including the development of dedicated communication/outreach activities, while advocating and informing the public, donors, and other stakeholders about UNFPAโs efforts to achieve zero gender-based violence and harmful practicesโone of its three transformative results.
Competencies and valuesโ Adaptability and Flexibility: Flexibility and willingness to try different things and to change direction as needed. โ Commitment and Motivation: Self-motivated, ability to work independently on assigned tasks โ ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines โ Communication: Positive and effective Communication skills - Ability to raise and communicate issues to programme leads/management as needed. Good communication skills and ability to work effectively under pressure and in a multicultural environment. โ Ethics and values: Principled - Demonstrates the ability to apply key values and principles to their work, including equality and non-discrimination, transparency, and good governance. Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels. โ Working in Teams: Ability to work in a team โ share tasks โ Problem solving: Ability to problem solve and be solutions focused. Positive attitude and willingness towards learning and sharing.
Living conditions and remarksEntitlements of National UN Volunteer include Entry Lump Sum Allowance (USD400), Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) for National UN Volunteer Specialist in Phnom Penh, Cambodia at USD 731.41*, Insurance Coverage (Comprehensive health, life, and malicious acts insurance); Annual Leave of 2.5 days per month; Access to UNVโs learning and career development resources; and Exit Lump Sum Allowance (1-month VLA/12 months) payable upon successful completion of the assignment. For further information on the full entitlements, please refer to the Unified Conditions of Service for UN Volunteers (COS) at app.unv.org/explore *Equivalent to USD731.41 paid in local currency as per UN exchange rate as of January 2025. VLA will be specified when the Offer of UN Volunteer assignment is issued.