Consultant for documentation and analysis of digital determinants of adolescent SRHR and promising digital CSE models

Backgroud:

UNFPA works across the Asia-Pacific region to ensure adolescents and youth have access to age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education in and out-of-school settings. Doing so equips young people with essential information and skills to have healthy relationships, promote gender-equitable social norms (including positive masculinity), and make informed decisions about their body and rights.

Young people increasingly turn to online spaces, social media, digital technologies and other platforms for information about sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, and other issues. Their knowledge, attitudes, and norms are increasingly influenced or ‘made’ in these digital spaces that were not originally designed to provide comprehensive health information. However, current digital SRHR work is often narrow, focusing primarily on informational websites, mHealth apps, or referrals to service delivery. Furthermore, the rise of generative AI – also increasingly used by youth for health information and emotional companionship—presents an urgent, unstudied area with direct implications for how young people form attitudes around intimacy, consent, and sexuality.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff who embody these international norms and standards and will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates who transform, inspire, and deliver high-impact sustained results, ensuring effective external relations, communications, partnership-building and resource mobilization in a rapidly changing development and funding landscape. We need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them, and who commit to delivering excellence in programme results

Purpose of Consultancy:

The purpose of this international consultancy is to document, compile, curate promising digital CSE models relevant in the Asia Pacific region, and the factors influencing adolescents’ use of these platforms. The documentation process will give particular focus to gender equality, healthy and respectful relationships, informed and affirmative consent, online safety, TfGBV, and CSE-ASRH linkages).

The curation and documentation process will also entail a rapid landscape analysis to map the factors surrounding young people’s access, habits, and use of digital technologies that impact their SRHR.

Scope of work:

The consultant will be responsible for conducting a landscape analysis of promising digital CSE models with potential for adaptation and scaling in the Asia Pacific region. The curation and documentation process will entail a rapid landscape analysis to map the factors and digital determinants for adolescent SRHR in the region. To scope and curate the most promising CSE models, the consultant will identify the common pathways through which digital ecosystems impact adolescent knowledge, attitudes, norms, practices and online safety.

Key components will include:

• Conceptual framework mapping the digital ecosystem factors (e.g., social media feeds, online communities and peer influences, etc.) affecting adolescent SRHR (on and off-line)
• State of Evidence and Scoping Review to map the field of digital ASRHR and CSE models, with a focus on countries in the Asia Pacific region
• Analysis of ‘digital determinants’, including digital information ecosystems most frequently used by young people (ranging from e-modules, social media platforms, digital online communities, conversational AI/chatbots, generative AI platforms, and others) and how this affects their knowledge, attitudes and skills
• Scoping and documentation of promising digital CSE models, especially those for sub-regions in the Asia Pacific that are youth-led, scalable, and/or demonstrate strong potential as sustainable digital CSE initiatives.
• Identify potential pathways that facilitate CSE-ASRH linkages, eg., how digital CSE or other digital technologies and platforms can facilitate youth toward offline (in-person) SRH counselling, services and commodities.

The documentation process will include a desk review (e.g., project documentation, user engagement metrics from models, etc.); regional consultations (e.g.,with CSOs, youth advocates, and practitioners on digital CSE and SRH topics; and validation of these models and how they address digital determinants (e.g, algorithmic biases or online peer norms). It will also consider the impact of generative AI and need for digital literacy for youth SRHR.

With these factors and digital models mapped out, UNFPA and partners can have a better understanding on how to promote, leverage and scale efforts that support adolescent health and well-being, especially in digital spaces.

Duration and working schedule:

The total duration of the consultancy will be from July to December 2026.

Place where services are to be delivered: This consultancy is home-based.

Delivery dates:

Deliverable 1: Inception report, including workplan and outline for the scoping review and documentation of models

Timeline: 15 August 2026 (indicative)

Deliverable 2: Draft conceptual framework and landscape analysis of digital determinants of adolescent SRHR

Timeline: 15 September 2026 (indicative)

Deliverable 3: Main report (20-40 pages) with conceptual framework, analysis of digital determinants of adolescent SRHR, and documentation of CSE models

Timeline: 31 October 2026 (indicative)

Deliverable 4: Series of Insight Briefs on 2-3 specific topics to be determined in consultation with youth-led entities and other stakeholders

Timeline: 31 December 2026 (indicative)

Remark: Fee payment will be paid on deliverables basis, and upon deliverables satisficatorily accepted by UNFPA APRO.

Monitoring and progress control: A work plan/delivery monitoring schedule will be determined by APRO and the Consultant at the outset of the consultancy.

Supervisory arrangements: The consultant will directly report to the UNFPA APRO Technical Advisor, Adolescent and Youth.

Expected travel: No travel is expected.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education: Master’s level in Public Health, Social Sciences, Psychology, or other interdisciplinary disciplines with technology

Professional Experience and Required Skills:

• Education background: Master’s level in Public Health, Social Sciences, Psychology, or other interdisciplinary disciplines with technology
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience working in the intersection of adolescent and youth health and well-being, technology and AI. Experience with youth SRHR and the intersection with online safety and mental health is an asset. Regional experience in Asia-Pacific is strongly preferred
• Prior experience in conducting scoping review and qualitative key informative interviews. Demonstrated experience in evidence synthesis and knowledge translation for policy and programme audiences
• Demonstrated experience working with youth and youth-led entities, especially online communities and digital platforms.
• Prior experience with fostering communities of practice and digital content creation a plus

Language Requirements: Excellent written and oral skills in English

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA: The consultant will use his/her personal laptop/computer. The consultant will closely coordinate with APRO and other relevant colleagues and partners to design and implement the interactive online capacity building effort.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, and other administrative requirements.

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.