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Under the authority of the Director and Representative of UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, and the direct supervision the Regional Advisor for Communication and Information for Africa, the Consultant will work towards the achievement of UNESCO’s objective to address issues related to freedom of expression, media and elections, and the safety of journalists, along the UNESCO’s  Communication and Information (CI) Programme and Budget, related Expected Results and Performance Indicators.

In particular, the Consultant shall:

1- Contribute to the project on media and elections to guarantee free, plural and fair elections in times of disinformation in Africa, notably by:

• Supporting fact-checking initiatives and networks at national and regional levels, in the context of the UNESCO’s work on elections and media;

• Supporting training for journalists on countering disinformation online and supporting ethical and professional reporting in the context of elections;

• Coordinating project activities with UN agencies, electoral management bodies, audiovisual regulatory bodies, press councils, internet platforms, electoral observers and practitioners, media and civil society organizations.  

2- Contribute to the training security forces on freedom of expression in the context of elections in Africa, specifically by:

• Coordinate the implementation of a regional on-the-ground training workshops, including logistical issues, particularly focusing on the component of sensitizing law enforcement officers to journalists’ safety issues, and maintaining public order in electoral periods, while respecting human rights and freedom of expression;

• Contribute to the dissemination of tools and resources on training security forces and law enforcement officers on freedom of expression, access to information and the safety of journalists, particularly women journalists;

• Contribute to the establishment of partnerships with police academies in Africa to strengthen capacities of police and law enforcement officers on those standards.

3- Contribute to strengthening the role of judicial actors in Africa on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists, notably by:

• Coordinating the implementation of on-the-ground trainings and workshops on international and regional standards on freedom of expression, access to information, and the safety of journalists, notably in partnership with judicial training institutes;

• Contribute to the dissemination of tools and resources on training judges and members of judiciary on freedom of expression, access to information and the safety of journalists, particularly women journalists;

• Contribute to the establishment of partnerships with judicial training institutes in Eastern Africa to strengthen capacities of judicial actors on those standards.

4- Provide additional support to CI Unit in Nairobi, in particular for the celebration of the international days such as World Press Freedom Day, Universal Access to Information Day and International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists;

5- Provide additional programme support to CI/Nairobi, in particular by developing concept notes and project documents on various funding opportunities as may be required.

Education: Advanced university degree in communication, information, journalism, media studies, law, political science, international relations or a related field. 

Work experience: At least 2 years of relevant professional experience in project management in the field of communication and information, in particular in medias, elections and the rule of law. Previous work experience in a UN organization and knowledge of African countries are desirable. 

Competencies:

• Excellent (oral and written) communication skills, including the ability to draft and produce a variety of written material in a clear and concise manner;
• Ability to manage projects and deliver quality results;
• Excellent research and analytical skills on complex issues, which require identification and the in-depth examination of technical factors;
• Proven ability to mobilize support and partnerships;
• Ability to propose solutions to technical problems and formulate proposals;
• Excellent interpersonal skills with good team work spirit in a multicultural environment;
• Good IT skills;
• Ability to work under pressure and flexibility to adjust work schedules and priorities. 
• High sensitivity to the UN’s principles regarding inclusiveness, neutrality and gender equality.

Languages: Excellent written and spoken English. Good knowledge of French is an asset.

As the United Nations agency with a specific mandate to promote “the free flow of ideas by word and image” and to “maintain, increase and diffuse knowledge”, UNESCO implements a specific programme on Communication and Information. In Eastern Africa, the CI programme is designed to fostering freedom of expression, supporting media development, building capacity for inclusive digital transformation and AI, as well as protecting and promoting documentary heritage, as provided in the . 

Under the RSS, CI has two Priority Programmes: (i)  that aims at addressing the challenges of sustainable development by strengthening the role of media to contribute to information as a public good, and (ii)  that aims at documenting, preserving and digitizing World Heritage Sites associated archives in Eastern Africa in a way that they become accessible and engaging for virtual interactions. 

For more information, please visit the UNESCO website and social media channels: 

- UNESCO Nairobi webpage

- UNESCO CI webpage

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All interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit:

• A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience make you suitable for the assignment (maximum one page)

• A full resume stating details of educational qualifications and working experience, telephone number, three (3) references and email address 

• Proposed fee expressed as rate per month

By email to: m.ito@unesco.org

An assessment exercise may be used in the evaluation of candidates. 

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted