Unicef Health Specialist - Early Child Development Jobs in Tanzania

Unicef Health Specialist - Early Child Development Jobs in Tanzania

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development.

The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Background:

Background, Problem Statements, and Justification

Deprivations early in childhood have a life-long impact. Research shows that in the first years of life, more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second (Harvard, 2017), with sensory pathways for vision and hearing developing first, followed by language skills and higher cognitive functions such as problem solving, planning and concept formation.

Advances in neuroscience research have demonstrated that this development of the brain during this crucial period is heavily influenced by the "serve and return" relationship between children and their parents and other caregivers.

Babies and infants "serve" interactions through gestures, babbling and facial expressions, and a nurturing "return" from adults helps to jumpstart brain development, promotes wellbeing and bolsters learning ability.

The absence of a response, or an inappropriate or negative response, can lead to the brain's architecture not developing, which can create disparities in learning and behavioral (Asok et al, 2013, Briggs et al, 2014)

Disadvantages during early childhood keep nearly 250 million children under 5 worldwide from reaching their full potential and contributing to society.

The longer term consequences are noted not just in lowered productivity, earnings and poor health outcomes but also increases in crime.

Moreover, deficits and disadvantages have been shown to persist into the subsequent generation, producing a vicious inter-generational cycle of inequality, lost human capital and perpetuation of poverty.

Long term studies have shown that children from poor households who participate in ECD programs with early stimulation earn an average of 25% more as adults than those who did not receive these interventions.

Purpose of assignment

The Health Specialist ECD, will be responsible for supporting advocacy activities for increased investment in ECD, overall ECD coordination and governance, development of ECD and related resource materials, monitoring and reporting of ECD intervention, capacity strengthening of National, Regional and district implementers and scale-up evidence based ECD models.

The Health Specialist ECD is expected to work with staff in other sectors (nutrition, child protection, education, CAIDS and WASH) to capitalize on potential synergies and consolidate holistic evidence-based interventions.

S/he shall be responsible for ensuring high quality deliverables, relevant and timely reporting, and shall participate and engage in technical meetings within UNICEF and with ECD partners.

Additionally, ECD Specialist will be responsible to support community development department in coordinating ECD program.

Project objectives: