Nutrition Youth Engagement and Advocacy Officer

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to protect the rights and well-being of children and adolescents. In Zimbabwe, UNICEF supports the Government in implementing programmes that improve child survival, development, nutrition, education, protection and social inclusion.

This United Nations Volunteer (UNV) assignment is part of UNICEF Zimbabwe's Nutrition and Child Development Programme and specifically supports the implementation of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Programme. The program recognises that NCDs are not only an adult or clinical agenda, but that the risk, and the rights, begin in childhood.

UNICEF and Government acknowledge that most NCD risks and nutrition-related exposures emerge and accumulate during childhood and adolescence, and that NCDs and unhealthy food environments undermine children's rights to health, adequate nutrition, education, and play. Therefore, as part of timely prevention and continuous care, efforts are geared towards integrating prevention and care across pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence. These prevention and care interventions are delivered through a multisectoral approach spanning food environments, marketing, schools, fiscal policy, and administrative structures at district, area, and ward levels.

To deliver these multisectoral prevention and care interventions, UNICEF supports the Government to integrate obesity prevention, early detection, and chronic care for childhood NCDs into existing platforms that children already access, including well-child clinics, schools, and communities. At the policy level, UNICEF supports the Government through evidence generation, youth advocacy, Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) initiatives, routine monitoring, and efforts to promote healthier food environments.

The programme works closely with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE), the Food and Nutrition Council (FNC), civil society organizations, youth networks, development partners, and communities to address non-communicable diseases and obesity prevention, while strengthening healthy food environments for children.

Under the direct supervision of the Nutrition Specialist and with oversight from the Chief of Nutrition and Child Development, this assignment provides an opportunity for a Youth Engagement and Advocacy Volunteer to support young people in shaping their own health outcomes. This includes building demand for healthy behaviours, promoting healthy habits, and addressing stigma and discrimination associated with childhood NCDs.

Establish young people /youth nutrition and advocacy networks
• Adapt UNICEF youth advocacy toolkits, to orient/ capacitate children, adolescents and young people on childhood NCDs, overweight and obesity and the associated food environment and lifestyle issues. Including, to co-create NCDs, overweight and obesity prevention campaigns with children, adolescents and young people (e.g., UNICEF Zimbabwe Adolescents and Youth Advisory Committee, U-Report champions).
• These trained young people should then do nutrition activities within their communities and schools. For instance, integrating nutrient messages and activities in School Health Clubs. Or, led by young people, organize school and community nutrition dialogues.
• Disseminate polls on Overweight and obesity prevention through IOGT and U-Report.
• Facilitate participation of children, adolescents and young people in nutrition programming, advocacy and dialogue platforms
• Support the design and implementation of youth-led nutrition campaigns and awareness initiatives for NCDs, overweight, and obesity prevention.
• Develop nutrition messages and content for social media, community engagement and communication campaigns.
• Support collection of children, adolescent and youth perspectives, experiences and recommendations related to nutrition and food systems.
Work with parliamentarians
• Facilitate inter-generational parliamentary dialogues on NCDs, overweight and obesity prevention through improved child nutrition and healthy food environments.
· Engage Junior Parliamentarians, Junior councilors and Zimbabwe Olympic Committee as NCDs, overweight and obesity prevention nutrition champions.

Other cross-cutting tasks
• Assist with documenting success stories, lessons learned, human-interest stories and programme results.
• Support monitoring, reporting, and knowledge management related to youth engagement activities.
• Contribute to preparation of presentations, briefing notes, reports and communication materials.
• Promote digital and innovative approaches that enhance youth participation and nutrition awareness.
• Perform any other programme-related duties assigned by the supervisor.