International consultant for the study on online risks and harms, digital safety and harms affecting children in Bhutan (Remote with possible travel)

Contract Duration – 5 months

Working arrangement: Home based with possible travel

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The purpose of this assignment is therefore to generate robust evidence on children’s engagement with the digital environment in Bhutan, with a particular focus on online risks and digital safety including from the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The study will support UNICEF and national stakeholders to better understand the nature, prevalence, and impacts of online and AI‑related risks affecting children, and to inform evidence‑based policy, programming, and safeguarding responses that both protect and empower children in an increasingly digital society

The overall objective of the study is to design and implement a child‑friendly, ethically sound research study that assesses children’s online experiences, risks, and use of AI‑enabled technologies. Specifically, the study will aim to:

• Assess children’s access to, use of, and engagement with digital technologies, including social media platforms, online services, and AI‑powered tools.
• Examine children’s digital literacy and awareness, including understanding of:
  • consent and privacy, including how these applies in digital environment. data collection and sharing,
  • profiling, personalized content, and algorithm‑driven systems, risk associated with AI‑enabled technologies including grooming, exploitation, and technology‑facilitated violence such as cyberbullying, online harassment, and abuse enabled by digital platforms
• Identify and analyze the prevalence and nature of technology-facilitated violence (TFV) affecting children, including but not limited to:
  • exposure to harmful or inappropriate content,
  • cyberbullying and online harassment,
  • privacy violations and misuse of personal data,
  • risks linked to AI‑generated or manipulated content.
• Establish a baseline on children’s digital engagement and online risk exposure across different age groups and contexts, disaggregated where feasible by age, gender, and location.
• Assess parents’, caregivers’, and teachers’ digital literacy, awareness, and supervision practices, including their understanding of online risks, AI technologies, and child protection in digital spaces.
• Identify gaps in existing policies, education systems, child protection mechanisms, and service responses related to online safety, digital technologies, and AI, including the role of relevant stakeholders such as educators, parents and caregivers, service providers, industry partners, and policy makers.
• Develop practical, actionable, and time‑bound recommendations

If you would like to know more about this consultancy, please review the complete Terms of Reference here: Digital Safety Consultant.pdf

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Masters in Social Sciences, Statistics, Public Policy, Information Technology, or related field.

• Work Experience:
• Language Requirements: English
• Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:
• Desirables: Experience working with UN agencies, government institutions, or international organizations (considered an asset).

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

[Remove the following paragraph if not a child safeguarding elevated risk role] This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is either a role with direct contact with children, a role that works directly with identifiable children’s data, a safeguarding response role, or an assessed risk role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) apply.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit the following documents via the online recruitment portal, TMS (Talent Management System):

• An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
• Cover letter
• A separate financial proposal (only acceptable in the format of the linked template) Financial proposal Digital Safety Consultant.docx
• A detailed technical proposal with the following:

Remarks:

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.