Child Rights, Climate Resilience and Environmental Protection Associate

Host entity: UNICEF Vietnam

Volunteer type: International

Areas of expertise: Climate change, environment, Project management, programme development, strategy, Knowledge management, research, reporting

Application deadline: 16/08/2026

Mission and objectives

UNICEF Viet Nam is one of more than 190 offices of the United Nations Children’s Fund globally and part of the United Nations system in Viet Nam. Guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF has a universal mandate to promote and protect the rights of every child, especially children who are hardest to reach and most at risk.

UNICEF has worked in Viet Nam since 1975 as a trusted partner of the Government and other national and international partners. Viet Nam was the first country in Asia and the second globally to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Today, UNICEF supports national efforts to ensure that all 28 million children in Viet Nam are safe from climate and environmental threats, healthy, educated, protected, heard, and able to reach their full potential.

Under the UNICEF–Government of Viet Nam Country Programme 2027–2031, UNICEF places stronger emphasis on protecting children from climate, disaster and environmental risks. This is reflected in Result Area 3: Child-centred Climate, Disaster and Environmental Action, which aims to ensure that children, particularly those most exposed and marginalised, are better protected through disaster risks reduction, preparedness and response mechanisms, have more equitable access to climate-resilient essential services, clean air and water, and participate in related decision-making.

This focus responds to growing evidence that climate, disaster and environmental risks are no longer episodic events, but structural threats to children’s rights in Viet Nam. Climate-related disaster losses have increased sharply since 1990, costing an estimated 1–1.5 per cent of GDP annually and contributing to more than 16,000 deaths. Major recent shocks illustrate the scale of child impact: Typhoon Damrey in 2017 affected more than 4.3 million people, including at least 1 million children; the 2020 central region floods affected 7.7 million people, including 2.5 million children; Typhoon Yagi in 2024 affected an estimated 4 million children across 14 provinces; and widespread flooding in 2025 affected at least 1.5 million children.

Beyond disasters, children also face growing environmental health risks, including exposure to heatwaves, air pollution, pesticides, lead contamination, unsafe water and inadequate WASH services in schools. These risks directly affect children’s survival, health, learning, protection and wellbeing, especially among ethnic minority children, children with disabilities, children in remote and disaster-prone areas, and children from poor households. UNICEF’s work is therefore aligned with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, General Comment No. 26 on children’s rights and the environment, the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2026–2029, the National Adaptation Plan, the Nationally Determined Contribution, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and Viet Nam’s commitment to net zero by 2050.

Assignment context

Viet Nam’s rapid development and transition toward upper-middle-income status have improved children’s lives, but climate change, disasters and environmental degradation are now increasing risks to child rights, particularly for ethnic minority children, children with disabilities, children in remote and disaster-prone areas, and children from poor households.

Beyond disasters, children also face growing environmental health risks. An estimated 25.7 million children are highly exposed to PM2.5 air pollution, 3.2 million children are affected by lead exposure, 5.74 million children are highly exposed to heatwaves, only 58 per cent of the population has access to safely managed drinking water, and 7.7 million students lack adequate WASH services in schools. These risks disrupt education, health, nutrition, WASH, child protection and social protection services, and can deepen existing inequalities.

UNICEF Viet Nam is supporting the Government to advance child-centred climate, disaster and environmental action under the 2027–2031 Country Programme, particularly Result Area 3.

This includes strengthening child-sensitive climate and DRR policies, improving disaster preparedness and anticipatory action, integrating climate resilience into essential social services, reducing environmental health risks, and creating safe and meaningful opportunities for children and young people to participate in climate and environmental decision-making.
Working under the supervision of the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist, the UN Volunteer will contribute to evidence generation, knowledge management, programme support, monitoring, coordination and partnership engagement. The assignment offers a learning-oriented opportunity to support UNICEF’s collaboration with government counterparts, UN agencies, civil society, development partners and the private sector to protect children’s rights in the context of climate resilience and environmental protection.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
1. Support in Knowledge Management for Programme
• Support knowledge generation efforts, the collection, organisation and filing of key documents, reports, data and learning materials related to child rights, climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, environmental protection and climate-resilient social services.
• Assist in preparing knowledge products, including policy briefs, meeting notes, evidence summaries, presentations, short briefs and documentation of lessons learned initiatives.

2. Support in Programme Development
• Support in drafting or preparing programme concept note, proposal, work plans as required.
• Support the development and implementation of UNICEF Viet Nam's climate resilience and climate-smart social services portfolio through data collection, situation analyses, vulnerability assessments, particularly on the aspects relating to child rights.
• Support supervisor to integrate child-rights and equity considerations into climate-related programme initiatives.

3. National and Local implementation
• Support the planning and delivery of capacity-building initiatives for government counterparts, service providers, communities, and young people on climate resilience, child rights, and climate-smart social services.
• Provide support in planning and organising training programmes aimed at capacity building and ensuring programme sustainability. Research and identify international training opportunities and recommend relevant global training programmes to enhance local expertise and practices.

4. Partnership, Emergency Coordination and Collaboration.
• Support partnership and collaboration with internal and external counterparts, including those of the One UN and national partners, to improve the ability to collect and disseminate development data and information, exchange information on pro-gramme/project status and implementation.
• Liaise with relevant development partners, NGOs, private sector and the Viet Nam Disaster and Dike Management Authority (VDDMA) to strengthen strategic cooperation, facilitate information exchange, and support ongoing and potential areas of collaboration to advance climate-smart social services and child-focused climate action.
• Support emergency preparedness and response coordination by helping to compile situation updates, partner inputs, meeting records and follow-up actions during climate- and disaster-related emergencies, ensuring that child rights, protection, WASH, health, education and social protection considerations are reflected in coordination materials.

5. Support child and youth participation and advocacy
• Support the planning, implementation and documentation of safe, inclusive and meaningful engagement with children and young people on climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, environmental protection and climate-resilient social services, including consultations, workshops and child-friendly communication materials.
• Assist in capturing and summarising children’s views, priorities and recommendations, and support their integration into programme documents, advocacy materials, partner discussions and relevant policy processes such as climate, DRR and environmental action.

During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with his/her direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon work plan. The work plan should outline key objectives and activities and include regular check ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance feedback.

Skills and experience

Demonstrated interest or experience in:
• Climate change adaptation, resilience, and disaster risk reduction.
• Climate impacts on children and vulnerable populations, child rights in Climate.
• Climate-smart social services
• Child rights related to climate resilience and environmental protection

Skills in:
• Ability to synthesise complex information into clear and concise reports.
• Proficiency in data visualisation (charts, graphs, infographics) to present findings
• Excellent in writing

Competencies and values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Building Trust
• Commitment and Motivation
• Communication
• Ethics and Values
• Integrity
• Knowledge Sharing
• Leadership
• Planning and Organizing
• Respect for Diversity
• Self-Management
• Working in Teams

Living conditions

General Information:
The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam is a vibrant and diverse country with a rich cultural heritage and a rapidly advancing economy. Over the past four decades, Viet Nam has undergone a profound transformation, emerging from a challenging past to become a dynamic, middle-income nation. Through the visionary Đổi Mới (Renovation) reforms initiated in 1986, Viet Nam has achieved remarkable economic progress and social development, positioning itself as a key player in the global market.

Today, Viet Nam enjoys strong diplomatic ties with 189 nations and upholds a foreign policy of friendship and partnership, committed to fostering global peace, mutual respect, and sustainable development. The country is well-recognized for its commitment to growth, innovation, and international cooperation, making it a trusted and reliable partner on the global stage.

Security:
Viet Nam is a stable and safe country with a minimum of security threats. The Government (GoV) maintains tight control over the security environment. Armed conflict has not been present in 50 years. There are no terrorist groups, domestic or international, currently known to be organized or operating in Viet Nam. Road Traffic Accidents and climate-induced disasters are the most important threats that UN personnel should be aware of.

Housing:
There are plenty of choices in Hanoi at different prices depending on the demand and budget. The UN Volunteer can choose to locate near the office to walk to work or choose to settle down far away from the office, in a more popular neighborhood.

Schools & Childcare:
Most of the international staff’s children attend international schools with an academic system that is widely recognised abroad. International schools often include kindergarten and pre-school classes (sometimes even a nursery) for younger kids.

The school year in Viet Nam starts in August/ September every year and ends in May the next year, so kids can be admitted at the beginning of the Autumn (August) or Spring (January) semester. There are various schooling options available in major cities of Viet Nam.

Work for spouses & partners:
Work opportunities are available for spouses and partners. However, if hired by any organization, a work permit must be applied for through the same hiring organisation.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.