Monitoring Officer NO-2 (Child Protection) Fixed Term Position, Antananarivo, Madagascar

## Monitoring Officer NO-2 (Child Protection) Fixed Term Position, Antananarivo, Madagascar - Organization:UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund - Office:UNICEF Madagascar Monitoring Officer, NO-2 (Child Protection), Fixed Term Position, Antananarivo, Madagascar, #00092569 Position type:Fixed Term Appointment Division/Equivalent:Nairobi Regn'l(ESARO) School/Unit:Madagascar Department/Office:Antananarivo, Madagascar Categories:Research, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation 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 UNICEF's mission is to uphold the rights of every child through its programmes, advocacy and operations. Guided by its equity strategy, UNICEF prioritizes the most disadvantaged and excluded children to ensure every child has an equal opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, free from discrimination. Recognizing that unequal opportunities violate children's rights, UNICEF focuses on addressing inequities, knowing that investments in the health, education and protection of the most vulnerable children contribute not only to individual well-being but also to sustainable national growth and stability. This commitment advances the rights of all children in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and supports more equitable societies. Violence against children remains widespread in Madagascar, with social and cultural norms continuing to favour violence as a form of discipline and child-rearing. According to MICS 2025, 9 in 10 children aged 1-14 experience violent discipline, while 8 in 10 experience psychological violence. Other protection risks, including violence against adolescent girls, child marriage and child labour, remain significant, with important geographic and socio-economic disparities, particularly affecting children and families in rural, remote and underserved communities. Child marriage is particularly prevalent, with 42% of women aged 20-24 married before age 18, while 25% of children aged 5-17 are engaged in child labour. These challenges are compounded by limited awareness of rights and services and unequal access to protection and response mechanisms. Madagascar's child protection system remains fragile, fragmented and unevenly operational. While a policy and legal framework is in place, services remain limited, underfunded and concentrated in a small number of locations. Capacity for comprehensive case management, including assessment, referral, follow-up and sustained support, remains limited, with responsibilities often falling to community volunteers or civil society organizations in the absence of professional social work positions within government. Weak multisectoral coordination and limited integration with health, education and justice services further constrain system effectiveness. Since 2024, UNICEF has therefore supported the Government to shift towards a systems-strengthening approach at national and subnational levels. Under the UNICEF Madagascar Country Programme 2024-2028, Child Protection focuses on strengthening a comprehensive, functional and resilient national and subnational child protection system. The programme encompasses: (1) strengthening the enabling environment; (2) preventing violence against children, including child marriage; and (3) strengthening quality response services, including social welfare, case management and justice services. UNICEF works closely with the Ministry of Population and Solidarities and other relevant government institutions, as well as international, national and local partners, to strengthen coordination, service delivery and monitoring of the child protection system. Based in the Child Protection (CP) Section, the Monitoring Officer leads and coordinates the Section's planning, monitoring and reporting requirements, ensuring that programme priorities, results and implementation progress are systematically tracked, analysed and documented. The position provides technical expertise on data collection, analysis, information management and reporting to support evidence-based programme planning, decision-making and implementation. The Monitoring Officer also contributes directly to programme implementation, with a particular focus on strengthening government and partner capacities in child protection data collection, analysis and information management systems, including systems for monitoring child protection risks, services and case management. The position supports the development and use of quality data and information at national and sub-national levels and works closely with government counterparts and partners to strengthen monitoring systems, data quality and the use of evidence to inform programme delivery and policy for child protection. The position contributes to cross-sectoral learning, knowledge sharing and harmonization of monitoring practices through participation in office-wide monitoring and evidence-generation mechanisms, including the Inter-Sectoral Programme Monitoring and Evaluation Group (GISEP). Summary of key functions/accountabilities: - Setting Standards for Programme performance planning and monitoring - Support to implementation of evaluations - Networking and partnership building - Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building - Protection Sector Information Management Function - National Child Protection Information Management System Strengthening If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: JD Monitoring Officer_Child Protection_NOB FT.pdf To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have... - Education: Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in Economics, Statistics, Social Science, Economics (Soc.Sci), Development Studies, International Development, Sociology, Psychology, Education, Demography, Public Policy, Population Studies and any other related fields is required. - Work Experience: At least 2 years of relevant work experience in Child Protection, Monitoring and Evaluation, Programme Management, Information Management, Data Analysis, Program Planning, Results Reporting, Capacity Building, Stakeholder Engagement, Sector Coordination, Information Systems Management and any other related fields is required. - Skills: Proven experience in Child Protection programming, supported by strong skills in Development Analysis, Programme Planning and Implementation, Monitoring & Evaluation, and the effective management of administrative arrangements in complex and evolving environments are required. - Language Requirements: Fluency in French and Malagasy are required. Intermediate English language knowledge is required. - Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. - Experience in data analysis, systems monitoring, programme evaluation, and programme planning, complemented by international experience and a demonstrated ability to lead effective sector coordination initiatives are considered an asset. - Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability