기간: 2009.3 ~ 2011.3
직위: Child Protection programme officer
기관: UNICEF Office for China, Beijing

2.1. UNICEF
UNICEF was created after World War II to help children living in war-ravaged areas. It was first established in 1946 as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund but its work has grown exponentially since then toward the promotion and protection of the rights of all children around the globe. UNICEF belongs to Programmes and Funds, and reports directly to the General Assembly.

UNICEF upholds the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It aims to assure equality for those who are discriminated against, girls and women in particular. It strives to reach the Millennium Development Goals and toward the progress promised in the United Nations Charter. It aims for peace and security. It works to hold everyone accountable for the promises made for all children everywhere. UNICEF is present and working in 190 countries through country programmes and National Committees.

2.2. UNICEF Office for China
UNICEF has worked in partnership with the Chinese Government since 1979 to protect and promote the rights of the most vulnerable children in China, working in the poorest counties in almost all provinces in maternal and child health, basic education, child protection, water and sanitation, HIV-AIDS, social policy and emergency preparedness and response.

During the last decade, while a rapid growth in the economy has brought many positive changes in the situation of children and women, the increase in prosperity has not reached the poorest children and communities, with stark disparities between east and west, urban and rural China. UNICEF Office for China undertakes strategic approaches in addressing current issues and as prevention mechanism: upstream policy engagement, scaling up of pilot projects, systems-based approach to child welfare and protection, adapting to rapid economic development and addressing growing disparities and inequities, contributing to the knowledge base, and forming strategic partnerships. Through projects, relatively small investments are leveraged, such as pilot projects to introduce and test innovations and best practices for children in the poorest communities. Projects are implemented in close collaboration and partnership with the relevant Government agencies, documented and presented, and best practices are promoted to scale up as national policy and programmes.

UNICEF Office for China Programme consists of these six components below and support programmes:



2.3. Child Protection
During previous programme cycles, the UNICEF Office for China Child protection section previously addressed the following issues separately: Family and Community support, Children with Disabilities, Children in Institution and Alternative care, Migrant Children, Street Children and Trafficking of Children and Women. Based on the recognition that Child Protection issues are complex and often inter-connected, and that therefore they cannot be addressed in silos, the Child Protection Programme adopted a more comprehensive systems-based approach. This approach focuses on integrating child protection into broader child welfare and justice systems and on addressing the needs and rights of the most vulnerable children, in particular those without access to basic social services. In doing so, the Child Protection Programme addresses key challenges in child protection system development, related to awareness, institutional frameworks, and service capacities toward benefiting vulnerable children in China from improved access to family and community-based child protection services and a supportive policy, legislative and institutional framework.

The programme consists of two components: Policies and Laws for Child Protection Systems, aimed at strengthening the policy, legislative and institutional framework for child protection system development, implementation and monitoring, including knowledge management; and Family Support and Community-Based Child Protection Services, focusing on improving the availability and delivery of family support and community-based child protection services.

Previous Organizational Structure:



During the last programme cycle, several changes were made in order to remain relevant and be more effective. While unofficial, the diagram below is more representative of what the organizational structure looked like and responsibilities were divided as the new Country Programme Cycle 2011-2015 began.

3.1. Assignments and responsibilities
During my JPO assignment, I was enabled and empowered to work independently, to manage several projects, and develop strategies to tackle a diverse range of issues including the issue of high Sex Ratio at Birth in China, Children with Disabilities, and Youth Employment and Migration through an inter-agency MDG-Funded project:

Responsible for planning, implementing and managing two inter-agency outputs at two local pilot sites, under the MDG Spanish Fund, Youth Employment and Migration (YEM) project, to protect the rights of young migrants and promote safe migration. A joint comprehensive and gender sensitive life skills training package for trainers and young migrants, was developed and designed with five other UN agencies (ILO, UNFPA, UNESCO, UNIFEM, WHO), their counterparts and experts, and delivered through various channels using a participatory methodology. Also, with two other agencies (UNESCO, ILO), existing community centres at receiving and sending sites were enhanced and strengthened in delivering relevant information and services to migrant communities.

• Managing and ensuring the effective implementation of the project for Children with disabilities toward their integration into mainstream society through the creation of equal opportunities and a discrimination and barrier-free environment by providing technical support to the monitoring system on the situation and needs of children with disabilities and ensuring quality data for evidence based policy advocacy; providing technical inputs in bringing national and local level legislation and policies in line with international standards; managing and developing IEC materials (1 hour documentary, 4 public service announcements, 1 website), and planning and launching of communication campaigns to raise awareness, and advocate for equal rights of children with disabilities.

• Developing and producing an analysis report on the issue of high Sex Ratio at Birth in China, including a causality analysis and comparative analysis (China, India, Korea, Vietnam), and acted as focal point on the issue within UNICEF country office and at the Resident Coordinator working group on the issue. Technical inputs provided to the UNICEF Atlas for China, media inquiries, and annual reports.

• Focal point for the UN Theme group on Gender and member of the UNICEF internal working group on Gender; Responsible for planning, and developing the new Country Programme Cycle 2011-2015 documents; undertaking discussions, negotiating and formulating Annual Workplans; developing and producing of Thematic donor reports, terms of reference and other documents as necessary.

3.2. Highlights and achievements
Among responsibilities undertaken, several achievements were made:

• UNICEF, together with national and local counterparts, mobilized the Education authorities and successfully integrated the joint life skills training package developed with five other UN agencies into the school curriculum at the local level. The trainer's guide consists of five modules (Introduction, Jobs, Life in the city, Health, Relationships) and 28 units. All material contents have been developed and illustrations designed with the participation and feedback from young migrants at sending and receiving sites. Leading role undertaken to coordinate the finalization of all materials, for printing and dissemination of all materials at all pilot sites nationwide of the six UN agencies and their counterparts.

• Developed, finalized and produced IEC materials under the Child disability communications campaign framework, in coordination with government counterparts and production team under an institutional contract. A Communications Campaign was launched, with the participation of more than 30 national media agencies. The IEC materials developed were widely disseminated through the local disabled people's federation at the 31 provinces.

• Report "Missing Girls in China: The Issue of High Sex Ratio at Birth" produced, contributing to the planning and development of multi-sectoral strategies within the office in addressing the root causes of the phenomenon. This issue is a priority issue within the current UNDAF for all UN agencies. Trends and data shared with the Resident Coordinator's working group on Sex Ratio at Birth. The paper has been shared with the office and is being reviewed.

3.3. Additional remarks
This period of assignment provided me with several meaningful opportunities. I attended the Regional Capacity Building Workshop on the Child Protection System Building Approach, which I could apply directly in my day to day work, as the office in China was also shifting from an issue based silos approach toward a system based approach, and in particular as the office was to plan and begin a new Country Programme Cycle 2011-2015.

During the assignment period took place several important events. In 2009 was the 30th anniversary of the UNICEF office for China, and in 2010 UNICEF office organized the High Level meeting on South-South Regional Cooperation on Child Rights, and welcomed the Executive Director, Anthony Lake's visit. 2010 was also a year of finalizing the 2006-2010 Country Programme Cycle, and one of planning extensively for the new cycle 2011-2015.

Separate from the work and assignment itself, it was a most valuable experience meeting highly qualified and interesting colleagues, not only at UNICEF but also other UN agencies through the joint MDG projects and UN Theme Group on Gender. As Child Protection involves a wide range of issues and thus partners, I have also been able to cooperate with a diverse range of partners at the National and local level. I have also had the opportunity to work under the supervision of two very encouraging and inspiring supervisors, Kirsten di Martino and Lisa Bow, and a highly competent representative who has now retired, Yin Yin Nwe, who always believed we could do better and so challenged us and lead us to grow and develop in order to reach a higher level of achievement. I have been able to observe very different types of leadership, and the commitment of many leaders at UNICEF Office for China was highly inspiring. Furthermore, being in China itself was a meaningful and unique experience, as China is the most populated and rapidly developing country with much to witness everyday.

While it is not possible to predict with complete certainty whether or not the continuation of a post within the recruiting office can be ensured, it would be of greater benefit to both the recruiting office and JPO if those offices with openings for JPOs were to recruit with an actual vacancy for a P2 or P3. In fact, as a JPO I was responsible for many assignments that would require a P2, however the office was not able to recruit for an additional staff due to budgetary and programme constraints.

Also, during my assignment some JPOs shared that they were assigned two years then provided the option to opt for an additional third year if they chose to. A third year would not only be highly valuable in terms of learning and added value in productivity, but it would also increase the likelihood in being recruited, and allow to apply for more vacancies as many require more than three years of experience.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our Government and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for your support, and for allowing me this opportunity.