UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, the right to protection
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.
In Bangladesh, UNICEF is working to reduce violence against children, which is currently 89% according to MICS 2019. In the new country programme of UNICEF Bangladesh (2022-2026), the Child Protection Programme will support the relevant Ministries of the Bangladesh government to reduce VAC by ensuring implementation of related laws and policies, and prevention of VAC by adopting mass campaigns and community-led activism.
Strategic Office context:
The Child Protection Officer is to be based in Dhaka and support UNICEF Child Protection Programme all over the country with relevant government offices and UNICEF field offices. The Child Protection Officer reports to the Child Protection Manager who is at Level 4.
How can you make a difference?
Purpose for the job:
The Child Protection Officer will provide technical, operational, and administrative support to the Child Protection Manager overseeing UNICEF’s portfolio on Ending Violence Against Children and Women (EVACW) and harmful practices, including child marriage and child labour. The Officer will support the design, coordination, and implementation of integrated, gender-transformative strategies to prevent and respond to violence—ensuring alignment with national priorities, legal frameworks, and UNICEF’s Global Child Protection Strategy.
The Officer will contribute to system strengthening and social norms change efforts, including the scale-up of community-based protection mechanisms, adolescent empowerment initiatives, and positive parenting programmes. A key aspect of the role is supporting cross-sectoral integration—particularly with education, health, and social and behaviour change (SBC)—to ensure child protection is mainstreamed across development and humanitarian responses.
The Officer will also play a critical role in supporting the Child Protection Manager and Chief of Section in coordinating the Global Programme to End Child Marriage (GPECM), both within the Child Protection Section and across UNICEF Bangladesh. This includes joint work planning, monitoring, donor reporting, and engagement with UNFPA, government ministries, and civil society partners.
The Officer will promote accountability to affected populations by facilitating child and adolescent participation, feedback mechanisms, and ethical programme design. Working across the full programme cycle, the Officer will help drive progress towards national targets to eliminate violence, ensure protective services for vulnerable children and women, and promote a safer, more equitable society.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
- Support to programme development and planning
- Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
- Technical and operational support to programme implementation
- Networking and partnership building
- Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
Child Protection Officer, VACW HPP, NOB, Dhaka, #BGD26009.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education:
- A university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) is required in one of the following fields: international development, human rights, psychology, sociology, international law, or another relevant social science field.
Work Experience:
- A minimum of two years of professional experience in social development planning and management in child protection related areas is required
- Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
- Relevant experience in programme development in child protection related areas, especially community-based system development related to preventing violence against women and children and child marriage, in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
- Experience in programming related to social norms change, adolescent empowerment, or community-based violence prevention is highly desirable.
- Experience working in or with coordination platforms for ending child marriage or GBV is an asset.
- Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
The 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
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. 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 may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.
Remarks:
- These positions are open to Bangladeshi Nationals only.
- Internal candidates on abolished posts, performing at the level of the post or a level higher in the relevant functional area, or an internal candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, will be given first consideration.
- Per the UNICEF Staff Selection Procedure, alternate recommended candidate(s) from this selection process may be placed in the Talent Group which may be used to fill similar positions in the future. Therefore, all eligible candidates are encouraged to apply.
- As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
- UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited / recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.
- As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
- UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
- Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
- UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.
- Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
- Visa residence requirements: i.e.: UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.]
- All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.
- Verbal Feedback shall be provided to unsuccessful internal candidates upon the completion of the recruitment process.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
