International Internship Section of Partnership, Advocacy, and Communication -Yaounde Cameroon Country Office.

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children’s rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

For every child, sustenance.

UNICEF has been working in Cameroon since 1975 to allow women and children to fully realize their rights to development without restriction, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF provides financial and technical support to Cameroon across seven areas to fully realize the rights of women and children. These areas include Health, HIV/AIDS, Water-sanitation-Hygiene, nutrition, education, child protection, and social inclusion. UNICEF focuses mainly on children and the most vulnerable and excluded families. Cameroon’s 2020 population is estimated at 26,545,863 people according to UN data. The population is young and generates strong socioeconomic demand. In rural areas, limited access to basic social services and the effects of climate changes lead to household impoverishment and severe child deprivations. The task is immense but not insurmountable; it requires the energy of all stakeholders in Cameroon and out of Cameroon: also, women, men, youth and children, government, technical and financial partners, donors, civil society,

the private sector, parliamentarians, communities. Everyone is invited to take part in the struggle to meet the challenges that lie ahead. Together, we will act for Cameroon, a country that summarizes the challenges and hopes of Africa.

To learn more about UNICEF Cameroon, use the below

link https://unicef.sharepoint.com/sites/CMR/SitePages/AboutUs.aspx

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Cameroon is looking for interns to support the section on Partnership, Advocacy, and Communication. The intern will support in promoting the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does in programs, advocacy, and in operations in alignment with the equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translating this commitment to children’s rights into action. Therefore, the focus on equity is so vital.

This may involve:

• Develop, maintain and update the country advocacy and communication strategy and associated work plan. Strategy and work plan includes an environmental and stakeholder assessment; objectives; target audiences, messages, and media mix; resources; specific actions, activities, and products; monitoring and evaluation of impact, success, and opportunity for improvement; ongoing refinement of the strategy.

• Ensure adequate and ongoing assessment of trends, social and political change, and public interest. Factor these environmental variables back into the communication strategy and refine its execution.
• Maintain close coordination with Regional Communication Advisers and HQ Communication Officers for effective overall collaboration in communication strategy.
• Promote a better understanding of, respect, and support for children’s and women’s rights and issues by carrying out media, information, and education activities in support of UNICEF-assisted development programmes or humanitarian efforts in the country.
• Develop, maintain and update the media relations contact list/database. Develop, maintain and grow partnerships with key media outlets/organizations for local and global use. Seek new ways to increase positive exposure and leverage that prominence for new opportunities for UNICEF.
• Establish, document, review, and refine the process of communicating with media contacts, including press conferences and events, issuing media materials, etc.
• Ensure rapid and accurate information dissemination to the media, National Committees, NGOs, the field, and other appropriate audiences.
• Identify, develop, distribute and evaluate a variety of media materials in multiple, appropriate formats. Ensure or enhance the quality, consistency, and appropriateness of country-specific communication materials, activities, processes, and messages transmitted to the press, partners, public and other audiences.
• Collaborate with mass media through activities such as organizing project site visits, facilitating photo coverage and TV footage, and utilizing both web-based and traditional media as appropriate.
• Plan and collaborate on monitoring and evaluation initiatives to establish benchmarks, performance indicators, and other UNICEF/UN system indicators, to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence, and delivery of concrete and sustainable results on education programmes.

•     Build and strengthen strategic partnerships through networking and advocacy with local and national governments, UN system agency partners, donors, internationally recognized institutions, NGOs, funding organizations, research institutes, and the private sector to reinforce cooperation and/or pursue opportunities, leverage funds, to promote goals and achieve sustainable and broad results on education programmes.

•Prepare communication strategies, implementation plans, and activities for maximum communication impact and outreach to promote awareness, establish partnerships for sustainable results, and support fundraising for UNICEF and Country Office programmes on education.

As an advocate for every child, you will have…

• Current enrolment in a degree university degree in Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, external relations, public affairs, or public relations, or corporate communications
• Fluency in French and English is required
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Knowledge of e-learning authoring tools is an asset
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Strong commitment and drive for results demonstrated
• Background and/or familiarity with emergency
• Eligible applicants must be Non-Cameroon Nationals
• The selected intern will be required to provide proof of enrolment in a health/accident plan prior to taking up the assignment.

Contract Duration and Terms

• This contract is for a 6-month duration, full-time.
• Intern is expected to work at Yaounde Cameroon Country Office
• The anticipated start date of this internship is 15 February 2023.
• This internship is paid with a stipend of net XAF 350,000 / Month
• Maximum 40 working hours per week are possible
• Individuals must have proof of medical insurance covering their time at the duty station
• Individuals are personally responsible for obtaining any required visa or residence permit, covering the entire period of their internship
• The office will cover a one-round travel trip,  for interns selected from outside of the commuting distance of the duty station.
• Interns may take up to 2.5 days per month off work for any reason, including for medical reasons. The stipend will be reduced for any absence beyond this quota

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (CRITA) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

To view our competency framework, please visit: https://uni.cf/Competencies

During the recruitment process, candidates may be tested following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: UNICEF’s Competency Framework here.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to A diverse and inclusive workforce to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates will be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID).