Youth Analyst

The Position:

Under the overall guidance of the Country Representative, and with direct supervision from the National Programme Officer for Reproductive Health, the Youth Programme Analyst supports the delivery of UNFPA’s 8^th Country Programme (2019-2023), in particular, the cluster related to Youth in partnership with in-country implementers. Primary focus is placed on leading youth issues in the Philippines such as Adolescent Pregnancy, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and harmful practices, HIV prevention, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), and Youth, Peace & Security (YPS). The Youth Analyst assesses relevant sexual and reproductive health (SRH), political, social, cultural, economic and humanitarian factors affecting the Filipino youth and provides analysis, formulates and manages interventions, and assists in monitoring and evaluation of the programme. S/he establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with counterparts in government, non-government, civil society and development partners, including multilateral and bilateral donor agencies.

There is an urgency to filling-in this post at this stage of the pandemic. Vulnerable and marginalized youth are at particular risk of COVID-19 and its impact. Young migrants and refugees, youth living in rural areas, adolescent girls and young women, indigenous and ethnic minority youth, young persons with disabilities, young people living with HIV/AIDS, young people of different sexual orientations and gender identities, and homeless youth already experience challenges in accessing healthcare services and social protection. Many Filipino youths are now at risk of being left behind in education, employment, health and well-being. In addition, although the COVID-19 crisis is, in the first instance, a physical health crisis, it has the seeds of a major mental health crisis as well, if action is not taken. The mental health and wellbeing of whole societies have been severely impacted by this crisis and are a priority to be addressed urgently.  The Youth Analyst shall also serve as the MHPSS Focal Point of the Country Office.

The Youth Analyst shall be based in the UNFPA Philippines Country Office in Metro Manila.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Our mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  In 2019 UNFPA marked its 50th anniversary.  Since the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994, UNFPA has been assisting countries in implementing the ICPD Programme of Action to put sexual and reproductive health and rights and population dynamism as the foundation of sustainable development. UNFPA globally is promoting commitments to achieving three transformational goals by 2030 - ending preventable maternal deaths, ending unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and other harmful practices against women and girls including child marriage.

In the Philippines, UNFPA is implementing its 8th Country Programme 2019-2023, in the same cycle as the UN-wide Partnership Framework for Sustainable Development (PFSD) with the Philippine Government.  UNFPA’s 8th CP is tightly aligned with the mid- and long-term development goals of the Philippines, as detailed in the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 towards the achievement of Ambisyon Natin 2040 and the global Agenda 2030 including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  The COVID-19 response is among UNFPA’s current priorities, in addition to addressing the triple nexus of humanitarian-development- peacebuilding in the Philippines, including through the prevention and response to gender-based violence.

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.

Job Purpose:

UNFPA expands the possibilities for young people to lead healthy, safe, empowered and productive lives. We support countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reach the three transformative goals: Zero Maternal Deaths, Zero Family Planning (FP) Unmet Needs and Zero Gender-Based Violence (GBV).  UNFPA puts young people—their talents, hopes, perspectives and unique needs—at the very centre of sustainable development. In doing so, it supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, anchored on the commitments to sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, which is embodied in the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development and its Programme of Action. These commitments are crucial for adolescents and youth.

Young people realizing their rights to make informed choices about their own bodies, their own lives and the world they live in is a matter of justice and a driver of a lifetime of returns.

The Filipino Youth is currently besieged by high rates of adolescent pregnancy, GBV, HIV infections and Mental Health issues. These concerning high rates are interplayed with various social, cultural and economic determinants. In addition, the Philippines ranks 3^rd globally among countries with the highest disaster risks, further complicated by the peace and security issues in the island of Mindanao. Another reality that the youth are facing is the Covid-19 pandemic, the post-Covid-19 scenarios and the so-called “new normal”.  The world is facing an unprecedented global health, social and economic emergency with the COVID-19 pandemic. It is very critical for the Country Office to be able to learn and adapt on how to best address the pandemic issues of the youth during this unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

The Youth Analyst shall assist the Philippines Country office in supporting relevant data generation and analysis, development and implementation of evidence-based policies and programmes, and monitoring and evaluating the CO Youth programmes using UNFPA Results-Based Management approaches. 

Strategic Programming in the areas of Adolescent Pregnancy, GBV, HIV, YPS and MHPSS in COVID-19 emergency response and beyond.

• Generate innovative ideas and solutions based on evidence to promote and achieve the Youth Objectives of the UNFPA Philippines 8th Country Programme Document (CPD).
• Support the strengthening of government capacities to fully implement policies and programme and improve accountability mechanisms.
• Mobilize a broad array of stakeholders to improve young people's access to critical youth information and services and to address social, cultural and economic determinants of poor SRHR outcomes.
• Repositioning the CO's Youth strategic approaches to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic, the post-Covid-19 scenarios, and the “new normal”.

Enhance Programme Effectiveness by Improving Quality Assurance, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

• Oversee development and implementation of Annual Work Plans to address Adolescent Pregnancy, GBV, HIV, YPS and MHPSS issues.
• Conduct regular monitoring of programme and budget deliverables through various mechanisms such as regular meetings, documents review, and observational monitoring visits.
• Ensure timely submission of quarterly programme and budget monitoring tools, review of submissions and generation of action steps as a result of the quarterly performance review
• Track donor report timelines and ensure technical correctness and completeness of reports.
• Contribute to the regular review of the UNFPA CO 8^th CP Action Plan 2019 to 2023.

Mobilizing multi-stakeholder support to address Youth issues through partnerships, resource mobilization and communication

• Develop new and strengthen existing partnerships with youth-focused government and non-government stakeholders, to include youth organizations.
• Contribute in resource mobilization by proposing possible thematic areas for funding, by reviewing and providing inputs on proposals to donors, and by assisting in networking initiatives with potential donors.
• Work with UN Colleagues and government counterparts in joint UN initiatives. Serve as UNFPA liaison with UNCT/HCT regarding adolescent/youth and MHPSS matters, including at UNCT PFSD Thematic Group on Youth, Health Cluster Mental Health Sub-Cluster.
• Promote young people's issues through UNFPA's communication platforms.

Qualifications and Experience

Education: 

Advanced degree in health, population, demography, psychology and/or other related social science discipline.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Up to two years professional experience in Youth programming.  Background and previous work experience on adolescent pregnancy, GBV, HIV, YPS and MHPSS is an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with and providing technical assistance to national and local government units and other non-government counterparts
• Working knowledge of youth SRH, protection and mental health issues preferred.

Languages:

Fluency in oral and written English essential.

Required Competencies