Associate National Project Officer (Prevention of School Related Gender Based Violence)

OVERVIEW

Position Number: 6ZAED 0021PA

Grade: NO-A

Parent Sector: Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: Johannesburg

Job Family: Education

Contract Type: Project Appointment

Duration of contract: 1 year

Recruitment open to: Internal and external candidates

Application deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 13/03/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
This position is open to South African nationals only.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

UNESCO’s Education for Health and Well-being Strategy provides the overarching framework for UNESCO’s coordinated action with Member States and partners to advance learning outcomes through healthier, safer, and more supportive education systems. The strategy is grounded in the principle that children and adolescents who are healthy, well-nourished, and protected from violence and harm are better able to learn, participate, and thrive. As countries increasingly recognize the interdependence between education and health, UNESCO promotes the education sector as a critical platform for advancing health and well-being outcomes, including learner safety and protection.

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains a profound and persistent challenge in South Africa, with significant impacts on children’s safety, well-being, and educational outcomes. Schools, while intended to be protective environments, are often sites where learners experience or witness violence, including physical, sexual, emotional, and technology-facilitated forms of abuse. National data indicate high levels of violence against children, including school-related GBV, bullying, sexual harassment, and cyber-violence, with girls disproportionately affected. UNESCO, in partnership with UNICEF and the Department of Basic Education (DBE), will implement an EU-funded 36-month action titled “Preventing Gender-Based Violence, Building a Fairer &