About PLAN INTERNATIONAL

Founded in 1937, Plan International is one of the oldest and largest children’s rights and development organisations in the world. Currently, it is present in 75 countries. Plan International exists to advance children’s rights and equality for girls. Our global strategy, 100 Million Reasons, represents the first five years of a journey to accelerate achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to ensure no one is left behind. It will drive us forward with ambition, urgency and determination to ensure all children can enjoy their rights, especially by working towards gender equality and the rights of girls. To achieve this, we seek to empower boys and girls, young people, and communities to make vital changes that tackle the root causes of discrimination against girls, exclusion, and vulnerability. Girls and young women face countless challenges and have limited ability to influence the social norms and the political climate that govern their lives. Many are held back by family economics, with sons of poor families much likelier to be sent to school than daughters are. Social norms oftentimes prevent many girls and young women from attending school and participating in public life. Religious values may additionally undermine the importance and voices of girls and young women. Moreover, political and legal structures tend to protect the status quo, upholding the barriers girls and young women face. In the world today, girls continue to be the single most discriminated against and excluded group. Without more robust efforts from the international community, this is unlikely to change. One of the most effective ways to empower girls and young women is to enable them to have a voice. When they actively participate in social and political life, they become drivers for change in their own lives and in their communities. Early experiences in political participation build their confidence, allow them to take action on issues that matter to them, and empower them to stand up for their own rights. United Nations bodies and mechanisms present a unique opportunity for girls and young women to ensure their rights to political participation and empowerment. Moreover, they are a powerful tool – rooted in a strong legal framework - for girls and young women advocates around the world to advance their activism and advocacy campaigns at the national, regional and international level.

About the UN Liaison Offices

Plan International’s UN Liaison Offices (in Geneva and New York) are a voice for Plan International’s priorities at the UN. Influencing its policies, programs and actions has the potential to positively affect the lives of hundreds of millions of children and make lasting change especially for girls. Plan International’s UN Liaison Offices (also known as “hubs”) therefore contribute to achieving the organization’s global purpose by strategically and positively influencing the UN’s policies and processes in Geneva and New York in favor of children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan International’s Geneva and New York Hubs strive to strengthen the commitment of governments to children’s rights and equality for girls using the sustainable development, human rights and humanitarian processes by:

• Actively advocating for children’s rights and equality for girls to be included in key processes and policy debates taking place in Geneva and New York, including the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), UN General Assembly (UNGA), UN Security Council, UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), UN Commission on the Status of Women, Treaty Bodies, the Special Procedures and with relevant UN agencies and processes including UNHCR, WHO, ILO, OHCHR, UN Women, UN DESA, etc
• Striving to ensure that girls’ rights (gender equality and age) are positioned at the heart of the international agenda and that girls rights in international law and policy is strengthened and promoted
• Delivering technical assistance and capacity development to Plan International’s offices around the world to engage strategically with the United Nations by providing country and thematic specific information on the situation of children’s rights and gender equality for girls together with our Country and National Offices
• Training and accompanying girls and young women in their engagement with human rights mechanisms processes at all stages: youth-led reports drafting; advocacy strategy design at national and international level; and follow-up strategies.

Role Purpose

In December 2020, Plan International Netherlands in partnership with Defence for Children - ECPAT the Netherlands (DCI-ECPAT), African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), and Terre des Hommes the Netherlands (TdH) were awarded a 5-year strategic partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Called She Leads, this consortium brings together child rights organisations, feminist/women’s rights organisations, and girls and young women (GYW)-led groups and aims to increase sustained influence of GYW on decision-making and the transformation of gender norms in formal and informal institutions. The geographic focus of the programme is East Africa (Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya), West Africa (Ghana, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia) and the Middle East (Lebanon, Jordan). The consortium envisages to achieve this goal by working through three interrelated domains: Central to the She Leads programme is the enhancement of collective action of girls and young women in a gender-responsive civil society (civil society domain), support by increased acceptance of positive social gender norms (socio-cultural domain) and by enabling meaningful participation of girls and young women in decision-making by political institutions (institutional domain) To achieve the outcomes in these domains, 6 key strategies have been prioritised:

• Fund and resource girl-led/young feminist organising, collective action and activism
• Data-driven and evidence-based advocacy & research
• Catalyse the growth and strength of social movements and collective action for girls rights
• Media influencing & advocacy
• Advocate for girls access to international institutions and human rights mechanisms
• Capacity strengthening support and joint learning between civil society organisations (CSOs), girl-led groups and young feminist organisations.
• The She Leads consortium members will amplify the influencing initiatives of GYW-led partners and other CSO partners in the selected programme countries at international level. This will be done at three levels
• at Middle-East regional level (Arab league, regional civil society and networks)
• at Pan-African level (African Union [AU] and Regional Economic Communities [RECs])
• at global level (UN human rights bodies and development processes).

The She Leads global programme component, implemented in both Geneva and New York, will support and facilitate GYW-led organisations and feminist activists’ access to influential decision makers and influencers on regional and global level. The issues flagged and the initiatives started by GYW-led organisations in She Leads countries will be amplified at relevant global decision-making spaces and fora. Apart from international advocacy with and by GYW-led organisations, the She Leads consortium members will strengthen the connections between GYW-led organisations at global level and will amplify their media messages and campaigns towards a broader (cross-country) public, engaging a variety of media, influencers and role models. With She Leads’ support and advocacy, and stooled on data as evidence base and the partnership of the Dutch Ministry, GYW-led organisations across She Leads countries will be able to gain more (sustained) influence and push for policies and processes benefitting their human rights. In line with its work under the She Leads programme, the UN Strategy has spelled out three overarching objectives under its Youth Advocacy, Activism and Participation:

1. Change Agents: Girls and young women actively and independently engage with UN processes to advance their own agendas at national and global levels.

2. Changing the UN: The UN system becomes more inclusive of and responsive to the voice of girls and young women.

3. Changing policy: International policy on meaningful participation of young people is strong, progressive and inclusive.

Dimensions of the Role

The present role will deliver the She Leads activities for Plan International within the global level programme. This includes facilitating opportunities for GYW-led groups to engage at the Geneva level (under the “Change Agents” objective of the UN Strategy) and advocating for girls’ and young women’s participation to be included in relevant policy documents (under the “Changing Policy”. Specifically, this role is responsible for the smooth running of the She Leads UN Youth Cohort. The role will also work with other functions within the UN Team, to integrate key She Leads programme activities into the work and priorities of the team, supporting colleagues in identifying opportunities to further GYW-led advocacy as part of the broader work of the UN Team. Furthermore, the role will work together with key internal teams (GH Policy Advocacy Campaigns Engagement (PACE), LEAD Network, among others). The role will contribute to monitoring and evaluation requirements for the She Leads project, as well as monitor expenses related to the cohort.

Accountabilities

1. Develops resources, guidance and tools for both internal and external use on girls’ and young women’s participation in decision-making (Lead, She Leads, Girls Get Equal Campaign, etc.) by conducting research, developing positions and briefs.

2. Facilitates access for young people, especially girls and young women, to key decision-making spaces within the UN, including within the Human Rights Council, identifying and creating opportunities for them to meaningfully engage and ensure that they have the knowledge and the skills to do so. This includes running the She Leads UN Youth Cohort, and potentially identifying opportunities for alumni of this group to continue engaging.

3. Strengthens the enabling environment for girls’ and young women’s participation by influencing relevant policy processes/documents from international human rights bodies, including Human Rights Council, Special Procedures Mandates, etc., with gender-transformative and age-responsive language, in order to promote and protect the civil and political rights of children and young people, particularly girls and young women.

4. Ensures coordination between She Leads work and the Geneva work around LEAD, and Plan international’s global work on the LEAD and the Campaigns Team.

5. Effectively monitors expenses for the running of the She Leads cohort.

6. Support Senior Youth Advocacy Advisor on other areas of work related to youth participation.

7. Ensure timely internal and external communication about area of work.

8. Undertakes any other tasks as requested from time to time by the Employer and in line with the Employee’s formation and skills.

9. Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

Key relationships

INTERNAL

• Global Hub: Policy and Advocacy Lead for LEAD, Youth Networks Officer, Head of Youth Movements
• NOs: NLNO, GNO, SNO, ANO
• LEAD network
• LOs: NY Office, EU and AU offices
• COs: Ghana, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Lebanon, Jord
• EXTERNAL
• She Leads partners: DCI, TdH, ECPAT, Femnet, as well as country programmes
• Child Rights Connect and its members
• UN Agencies/International Organisations: OHCHR Child and Youth Rights Unit, OHCHR Special Procedures Unit, IPU Gender and Youth Unit
• Member State
• Technical expertise, skills and knowledge Essential
• Good understanding of the UN system and its human rights mechanisms in particular, including how these can advance national level advocacy
• Knowledge of gender equality, women’s, children’s and girls’ rights, feminist principles, and familiarity with the Sustainable Development Agenda
• Previous experience with conducting multilateral advocacy, especially in Geneva
• Able to influence human rights system through strengthening language and use of mechanisms
• Knowledge of current political trends and events affecting children’s and girls’ rights
• Ability to communicate complex issues in an accessible and simple manner
• Excellent writing skills – especially for policy-related documents
• Good understanding of youth activism, advocacy and young feminist organizing
• Excellent level of oral and written English
• Good organisational, and project and time management skills
• Skilled and confident user of Microsoft Office applications (including Excel)
• Completion of a Master’s degree programme in human rights, political science, gender studies, international law, international development or any other specific field relevant to Plan International’s work

Desirable

• Experience in conducting workshops and trainings
• Previous experience working directly with young people
• Good oral and written French
• Competent with office software packages, including PowerPoint, adobe suite, excel, basic design software

PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE

We are open and accountable

10. Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.

11. Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.

12. Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.

13. Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.

14. Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

15. Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.

16. Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.

17. Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.

18. Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

19. Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.

20. Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.

21. Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.

22. Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

23. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential

24. We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace

25. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives.

Physical Environment: Typical office environment.

Level of contact with children Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children

Duration: From April to September 2025