Youth Coordinator

The Integrated Office of the DSRSG/RC/HC coordinates the work of the UN in Somalia on its development, humanitarian, and partly political mandates in support of the Strategic Priorities of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Somalia (2021-2025). The Integrated Office (IO) under has five core functions including: Strategic Planning; Economics; Partnerships and Development Finance; Data and Results Management; and Reporting; and Communications and Advocacy. The Office provides secretariat support to the UN Somalia Joint Fund, the UN Country Team (UNCT), the Programme Management Team (PMT), as well as the Durable Solutions and Peacebuilding Fund Working Groups on policy, planning and operational issues.

Eight out of ten Somalis are younger than 35 years old; 38% of the Somali population is aged between 15 and 35 years old, representing over 4.6 million people. However, avenues for youth to obtain an education and gainful employment opportunities are limited and opportunities to engage politically, economically, or socially remain weak or non-existent. The space and opportunities are even further restricted for girls and young women due to cultural biases and traditional practices. Improving young people’s lives is crucial for building lasting peace and stability in Somalia. Still, it is equally important to recognise the role Somali youth can play as partners, not only beneficiaries.

In Somalia, the United Nations recognises young Somalis' role in the country’s peace- and state-building. Failure to respond to the aspirations and needs of the country’s youth undermines the prospect for lasting peace and stability in Somalia. Based on the Integrated Office of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, the Youth Coordinator will provide technical advice to the United Nations leadership in Somalia, oversee the implementation of the United Nations Youth Strategy and coordinate inter-agency efforts on youth.

This United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment is part of the Office's work to improve young people’s lives. The improved status of youth is crucial for building lasting peace and stability in Somalia, and it is equally important to recognize the role Somali youth can play as partners, not only beneficiaries.

The United Nations Volunteer will support the system-wide country-level coordination of youth. He/she will provide technical advice to the mission’s leadership on the meaningful inclusion and engagement of youth in delivering its mandate and coordinate with the UN country team on youth-related issues in line with the Secretary-General’s United Nations Youth Strategy (Youth 2030).

Under the direct supervision of the Head of RCO, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
1. Coordinate the UN Somalia integrated youth response through:
• Chairing and providing secretariat support to the Inter-Agency Youth Working Group;
• Facilitating joint situation and problem analysis, fostering joined-up planning/programming and multi-disciplinary approaches towards collective outcomes;
• Developing joint resource mobilisation efforts to support youth inclusion and empowerment;
• Collaborating on communications/public information campaigns, including contributing to the leadership’s talking points and speeches;
• Coordinating UN Somalia’s reporting on youth, including the quarterly Secretary General’s report on Somalia.
2. Support youth mainstreaming across UN policies and programmes through:
• Providing strategic advice to the mission and UNCT, based on an in-depth analysis of the political, social and economic challenges faced by young people and
youth organisations, movements and networks, including young women and the most marginalised youth in Somalia;
• Ensuring youth mainstreaming in UN platforms including the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), the Programme Management Team (PMT), Results Groups, as
well as other thematic working groups such as Durable Solutions, Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), the UN Information Group, etc;
• Conducting comprehensive youth-sensitive needs assessments, drawing on sex-disaggregated data and analysis by age, location, ethnic group, income and
disability;
• Providing policy advice by reviewing UN programme documents and reports to ensure the mainstreaming of youth perspectives, needs and aspirations
throughout the programme cycle;
• Participating in and supporting relevant international, regional or national meetings related to youth as required;
• Acting as a resource for the UN Somalia in identifying opportunities for youth programme development, aligned with national priorities and UN Somalia’s
Cooperation Framework;
• Promoting greater effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and transparency in the UN’s youth interventions in Somalia.
3. Provide technical expertise on youth to Government and Civil Society Organizations
• Provide the Federal Government of Somalia and Federal Member States with technical expertise on youth policies and programmes, arranging meetings and
providing general information on the United Nations system.
• Assist in liaising and outreaching to youth representatives and youth-led organizations across Somalia.
• Facilitate capacity building and liaison with national actors in government and civil society. This may include support to the design and delivery of workshops,
seminars and related activities, in cooperation with implementing UN entities.
• Assist with the organization of public awareness activities, and facilitating dialogue to raise awareness of key issues concerning youth.
• Ensure direct consultation with youth groups, in all their diversity, on their needs and priorities.