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And we never give up.

For every child, hope.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment

The Czech Republic has made important progress in aligning its child protection policies with international standards, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and EU regulations. However, the system remains fragmented, with responsibilities spread across multiple ministries, leading to gaps in service delivery and limited focus on prevention and family support. Despite legislative and social service reforms, structural weaknesses persist, such as inconsistent practices and limited accountability. These challenges call for a comprehensive legal framework that unifies and strengthens child protection and family support systems to ensure effective governance and prioritize children’s best interests.

In response, the Government of the Czech Republic has initiated urgent reforms, with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) requesting technical support under the European Commission’s Technical Support Instrument. UNICEF’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO), together with the now-closing UNICEF Refugee Response Office in the Czech Republic, has been engaged to provide this support. Launched in November 2024, the project “Development of a Comprehensive Child Protection and Family Support Law in the Czech Republic” aims to finalize ongoing child protection programs, deliver technical assistance for the new law, and strengthen capacities for sustainable, child-centered legal and organizational reform.

Building on the government’s reform efforts, UNICEF, in partnership with SG REFORM of the European Commission, will provide critical technical support to draft a comprehensive child protection and family support law, accompanied by a detailed Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA). This process will ensure the draft technical inputs incorporate all essential components, aligning fully with international standards such as the UNCRC and EU regulations. The RIA will analyze the potential effects of the reforms on governance, service delivery, and financial sustainability, supported by a strategic communication and public engagement plan to foster broad understanding and acceptance among policymakers, social service providers, NGOs, and the public. UNICEF will work closely with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) to ground the legislation in robust fiscal analysis, identifying current and future funding needs to sustain the reforms.

To support the successful implementation of the EU-funded Action, UNICEF ECARO will engage an international consultant to provide technical child protection expertise and ensure that all deliverables are aligned with international standards and adapted to the specific context of the Czech Republic. The implementation of the project (Action) is led by the UNICEF ECARO Core Group (managed by UNICEF ECARO child protection specialist), that will serve as project manager and operational leader to oversee and guide technical implementation and ensure that the project activities are in line with UNICEF requirements for quality and effectiveness. This current ToR outlines the role of the international consultant, who will contribute international technical expertise and local insight to support the Action’s objectives.

The consultant will serve as a key child protection expert, offering context-sensitive advice and technical inputs throughout the legislative reform process. Drawing on strong knowledge of the Czech child protection landscape and international frameworks, including the UNCRC and relevant EU standards, the consultant will help ensure that proposals, draft materials, and technical deliverables are relevant, feasible, and aligned with national realities. The consultant will support UNICEF ECARO and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) by facilitating technical dialogue, participating in expert discussions, and reviewing materials through a system-strengthening lens. The consultant will also help interpret and adapt international good practices into actionable, locally grounded recommendations.

In addition to supporting the TSI legislative reform initiative, the consultant will contribute to the finalization of UNICEF’s Child Protection Programme in the Czech Republic. This includes providing expert input on the completion of programmatic deliverables, reviewing documentation of results, and advising on the closure of partnerships and ongoing activities. The consultant will support knowledge transfer and sustainability planning, ensuring that achievements are captured and relevant tools and approaches remain accessible to national partners beyond the conclusion of the programme.

This consultancy requires a solution-oriented, adaptable professional with a deep understanding of child protection systems, experience in working in both international level and in or with the Czech context, and strong communication and organizational skills. The consultant will play a critical role in aligning project activities with national needs and supporting the successful advancement of child protection reforms in the Czech Republic.

Scope of Work

The scope of work encompasses different areas of responsibility outlined here as per the main outputs of the Action. The specific tasks expected from this assignment will be discussed in more detail with the selected consultant. All TSI-related activities will be carried out in close collaboration with the beneficiary authorities, while the completion of child protection activities will be coordinated with the UNICEF Refugee Response Office in the Czech Republic.

The consultant will provide expert technical support to UNICEF ECARO and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA) in the development of a comprehensive Child Protection and Family Support Law that aligns with international standards and reflects the specific context and needs of the Czech Republic. Serving as a key liaison, the consultant will facilitate the implementation of the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) by supporting communication between UNICEF, MoLSA, and national experts, and by ensuring the contextual relevance and coherence of technical inputs.

In addition, the consultant will contribute to the final phase of UNICEF’s Child Protection programme in the Czech Republic by advising on the completion of key child protection program deliverables, supporting documentation of results, and facilitating knowledge transfer to promote sustainability and integration of key approaches into national systems.

Specific objectives include:

1. Facilitation: Enhance communication and cooperation between UNICEF ECARO, national experts, and the Czech beneficiary authority, helping to ensure shared understanding and smooth technical collaboration.
2. Support: Provide targeted technical, logistical, and operational support to UNICEF and national stakeholders to assist with the planning and implementation of project activities under TSI.
3. Local insight and cultural sensitivity: Offer informed insights on the Czech child protection system and broader cultural context, while also advising on how to align technical content with international child protection frameworks. The consultant will help bridge local and international perspectives to strengthen the relevance, feasibility, and acceptance of proposed reforms.

>>> Click here to view the Key Responsibilities under “Output 1: Expert advisory on Technical Support Instrument (TSI) implementation” and  “Output 2: Support to Child Protection Programme completion and transition”:  TOR - CP Consultant on TSI Technical Support and Transition.pdf <<<

This consultancy is based in Prague, Czech Republic. The consultant is expected to maintain regular contact with MoLSA, other relevant Ministries and agencies, organizations and national experts, participate in all key meetings and workshops, and be available for in-person engagements as needed.

The consultant will work in close coordination with UNICEF ECARO, including regular check-ins to review progress, challenges, and next steps. Any engagement with third-party service providers will require prior approval from UNICEF.

Work Assignment Overview

Estimated Duration of the Contract

215 working days between September 2025 and November 2026

Consultant's Work Place and Official Travel

The Consultant will be remote/home-based.

As part of this assignment, some travels are foreseen. The consultant will arrange her/his travel as and when they take place, and related costs will be reimbursed per UNICEF travel policy.

Travel Clause

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The consultant must be fit to travel, be in a possession of the valid UN BSAFE certificate, obligatory inoculation(s) and have a valid own travel/medical insurance and an immunization/vaccination card.

Estimated Cost of the Consultancy & Payment Schedule

Payment will be made on submission of an invoice and satisfactory completion of the above-mentioned deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs are incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines. All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

Please submit a professional fee (in USD) based on 215 working days to undertake this assignment, without travel fees as these will be reimbursed as and when they take place.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Master's in Law, International Law, International Relations, Public Policy, Human Rights, Child Protection, Social Sciences, or other related fields.
• At least 7 years of professional experience in child protection, including programme management, technical support, and coordination with government and non-government actors. Experience with UNICEF or a similar international organization is an asset.
• Good understanding of the Czech child protection system or similar EU country contexts, particularly in the areas such as system strengthening, legislative or policy reform, and service coordination.
• Experience contributing to child protection law, policy, or strategy development, aligned with international standards.
• Experience in coordinating multidisciplinary teams and managing complex programme components, including oversight of technical inputs and deliverables. Prior experience in EU-funded or similarly structured programmes is an advantage.
• Familiarity with UNICEF’s child protection priorities and programming approaches, including work with refugee and migrant populations, transition planning, and sustainability strategies, is desirable.
• Proven ability to manage programme closure or transition phases, including handover planning, stakeholder coordination, and ensuring continuity of key interventions.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English required; basic knowledge of Czech is an advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most marginalized children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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

Remarks:

Please submit a full CV, a Cover Letter, and a financial proposal (in USD) in your application. Applications submitted without a professional fee will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.