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 strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

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:

The purpose of hiring an Individual Consultant “PSEAH Coordination Analyst, Kandahar” is to strengthen safeguarding from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PSEAH) across southern Afghanistan, which has been identified as one of the three high-risk regions in the country. The Analyst will support the UNFPA Sub-Office to embed PSEAH into programmes by helping mainstream safeguarding systems, while also accompanying implementing partners and their frontline workers to build capacity and strengthen practice. 

The Analyst will report directly to the PSEAH Specialist and Network Coordinator for strategic direction and operational oversight, while also receiving daily administrative guidance from the relevant Head of Sub-Office/Provincial Coordinator, as appropriate. 

As a field-based position, the Analyst will work with colleagues in the Kandahar Sub-Office to ensure safeguarding is systematically integrated into projects and initiatives. This includes supporting staff to apply policies and procedures, helping to establish safe and confidential reporting and referral pathways, and promoting awareness of victim-centred approaches to PSEAH. The role also involves working with the Sub-Office to mainstream PSEAH across humanitarian and BHN interventions, and to strengthen staff knowledge and systems for consistent safeguarding practice across all thematic areas/units. 

In relation to implementing partners, the Analyst will provide targeted support to both established and new partners in the field to meet safeguarding requirements and build sustainable systems. This will include conducting capacity assessments; supporting the development and follow-up of action plans; and providing mentoring and technical guidance. A strong emphasis will be placed on the safety, wellbeing, and capacity-building of frontline female staff engaged by implementing partners, and on ensuring that programme participants (especially women, girls, youth, and other at-risk groups) are informed of their rights, know how to report concerns, and have safe access to support and services. Community engagement and data collection will be central to this work, ensuring that interventions are evidence-based and responsive to the realities faced by programme participants and frontline workers. 

The Analyst will also support strengthen inter-agency collaboration by supporting the Southern Region PSEA Working Group, which is one of the strongest regional safeguarding mechanisms in the country. This includes convening meetings, ensuring follow-up, contributing to joint awareness campaigns, and promoting collective prevention and response initiatives. The inter-agency role will involve close coordination with the GBV AoR and Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) mechanisms to identify synergies and complementarity between PSEAH, Gender, and GBV, particularly on referrals, outreach, and risk analysis. It will further require engagement with the new regional and provincial coordination structures (established under the humanitarian aid architecture review) and with the Border Consortium, I order to ensure PSEAH and safeguarding are embedded in humanitarian, returnee, and cross-border response as well.

Based in Kandahar with regular travel across southern provinces and border locations, the Analyst will serve as the operational link between UNFPA’s national safeguarding commitments and field-level realities. The aim is to ensure that PSEAH standards are consistently translated into practical protection measures for frontline staff and programme participants, with a particular focus on gender-sensitive prevention, safe reporting, survivor-centred response, and the inclusion of returnee and border populations.

You would be responsible for:

Under the overall supervision of the PSEAH Specialist and Network Coordinator for strategic direction and operational oversight, and with daily administrative guidance from the Kandahar Sub-Office (Head of Sub-Office or Provincial Coordinator), the PSEAH Coordination Analyst will work in close collaboration with UNFPA units, implementing partners, and inter-agency counterparts to strengthen PSEAH and safeguarding commitments in southern Afghanistan. He/She will perform the following tasks:

UNFPA Sub-Office

• Support colleagues in the Kandahar Sub-Office to mainstream PSEAH across projects and initiatives, including humanitarian and basic human needs interventions in the South.
• Assist in establishing systems and tools to ensure consistent safeguarding practice, and in applying policies and procedures at the field level. 
• Help strengthen safe and confidential reporting and referral pathways and promote awareness of victim-centred approaches to PSEAH among UNFPA staff. 
• Organize and deliver training and workshops to build staff knowledge and confidence on PSEAH, ensuring it is systematically embedded into field operations. 
• Support sub-office activities, monitoring, and programme activities, as requested by Head of Sub-Office/Provincial Coordinator.

Implementing partners 

• Provide strong hands-on support to both established and new UNFPA implementing partners to help them meet safeguarding requirements and build safe, sustainable systems in the field.
• Support the rollout of the UN Implementing Partner PSEA Capacity Assessment and assist with the development and monitoring of action plans. 
• Offer technical guidance and mentoring to strengthen safeguarding practice, with particular attention to the safety, wellbeing, and capacity of frontline female staff. 
• Work with partners to ensure programme participants (especially women, girls, youth, and other groups at risk) are informed of PSEA, their rights, aware of reporting options, and able to access safe, survivor-centred services. 
• Support partner-led community engagement and awareness activities, while contributing to data collection and analysis to ensure interventions are evidence-based and responsive to realities on the ground. 

Inter-agency coordination 

• Coordinate the Southern Region PSEA Working Group, one of the strongest regional safeguarding mechanisms in Afghanistan, by convening meetings, ensuring follow-up, and contributing to joint prevention and response initiatives. 
• Participate in inter-agency missions, collective monitoring visits, and awareness campaigns in southern provinces and border locations. 
• Collaborate closely with the GBV AoR and the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) mechanisms to build synergies and complementarity between PSEAH, GBV, and gender-focused activities, particularly on referrals, outreach, and risk analysis.
• Coordinate with the new regional and provincial structures (established under the Humanitarian Aid Architecture Review) to ensure safeguarding is integrated into humanitarian response. 
• Liaise with the Border Consortium to ensure PSEAH commitments are embedded in returnee and cross-border interventions. 

Support 

• Provide logistical, administrative, and translation support for PSEAH-related activities in Kandahar and across southern provinces.
• Assist with the organization of workshops, trainings, and meetings.
• Support the rollout of the SEARO risk index and contribute to reporting/documentation, including inputs to inter-agency updates, internal reports, and briefing notes. 

Across these responsibilities, the Analyst will remain actively engaged with UNFPA colleagues, implementing partners, communities, and inter-agency counterparts. Frequent travel across southern provinces and to border areas will be required to provide hands-on support and ensure that safeguarding standards are consistently implemented in field operations.

Education:  

Master’s degree in social science, gender, international relations, risk management, or a related field; OR a Bachelor’s degree in the same fields with two additional years of relevant professional experience
 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• At least 2 years of professional experience in humanitarian or basic human needs coordination or programming, ideally in areas relevant to UNFPA’s mandate.
• Experience in protection from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, community engagement, accountability to affected populations, and/or disability inclusion is desirable, with an understanding of how these intersect with UNFPA’s programme areas. 
• Familiarity with the UN Partner Portal (UNPP) and experience in conducting the UN Implementing Partner Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Capacity Assessment is a strong advantage. 
• Previous experience working with UNFPA, another UN agency, or an international organization is an asset
• Strong oral and written communication skills, with proven ability in drafting, reporting, and producing programme-related documentation. 
• High level of accuracy and professionalism in document production. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work inclusively and collaboratively.
• Ability to adapt and work effectively in challenging environments. 
• Commitment to UNFPA’s mandate and values, including advancing reproductive health and rights, gender equality, protection, and youth empowerment.

Functional Competencies: 

• Technical expertise in safeguarding, PSEAH, conduct, and accountability. 
• Strong capacity-building, facilitation, and mentoring skills. 
• Ability to analyse information and produce high-quality reports.

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity and accountability. 
• Commitment to UNFPA’s mandate, including gender equality and human rights.

Language Requirements: 

Excellent command of written and spoken English. Dari and/or Pashto are necessary, as the working languages in Afghanistan.
 

Inputs/services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g, support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

 Office space, travel support, and equipment will be provided to enable the PSEAH Coordination Analyst to perform the duties outlined in this Terms of Reference.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

 Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.

UNFPA will only accept properly completed job application forms in Quantum before the closing date & will not consider late submissions after the closing date. Any information provided on the Quantum job application form will be considered binding.

To Apply Click Here