Senior Child Participation Officer At World Vision

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian, development and advocacy organisation devoted to improving the lives of children, families and their communities around the world. Our 34,000+ staff members in nearly 100 countries are united in helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life.

Through our work, every 60 seconds… a family gets water… a hungry child is fed… a family receives the tools to overcome poverty.

Here’s where you come in:

As the Senior Child Participation Officer, you will support initiatives on child participation and rights in order to put child participation at the centre of the African Union Commission’s (AUC) work. You will provide operational direction and technical expertise to ensure that child participation is in alignment with AU policy frameworks. You will assist in developing strategies to empower children as strategic drivers in implementing the AUC Harmful Practices Unit Roadmap to end child marriage and FGM and to place them as equitable partners to pursue justice from decision-makers, prioritising the inclusion of the most vulnerable children.

To achieve this, you will translate technical aspects of child participation into programmes and policies and will develop strategies and guidelines for adequate inclusion and participation of children and young people across different sectors and levels of the AU. You will build and maintain critical high-level cooperation and coordination with the African Union Commission and other key internal and external stakeholders at all levels in order to enhance regional and national understanding of child participation through partnerships with child-focused agencies, academia, UN agencies and other stakeholders.

Therefore, this position has a representation role in public forums in order to maintain a regional presence for credibility and legitimacy and to enable the African Union Commission to bring the voices of children all the way up from the grassroots level to decision-makers in the member states and AUC.

Requirements include:

• Significant prior experience in working in AU on children and young people’s participation, children’s rights, advocacy and development, is essential;
• Experience in CSO, UN Agency or other international institution is welcome. Extensive knowledge in policy analysis on children’s rights particularly AU policies and programs on children’s rights and health, international human rights and child participation theory and practice.
• Ability to network at high levels including lobbying and policy development with decision-makers.
• Strong research skills and ability to produce reports/policy papers
• Excellent communications and negotiation skills in English is important, any other relevant knowledge of AU languages is an advantage but not a must.
• Travel 30% of the time, but only mission critical events otherwise participate virtually.