Apply for the UNICEF Pakistan Child Protection Consultancy. A 6-month, home-based role in Lahore for Pakistani nationals. Deadline: Aug 4, 2026.

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The landscape of child rights governance in Pakistan is undergoing a pivotal shift. Following the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) Concluding Observations issued in 2026, the provincial government of Punjab is accelerating efforts to translate international treaties into localized, high-impact legal frameworks.

To bridge the gap between policy design and grassroots enforcement, UNICEF Pakistan has opened applications for a high-level national consultancy: Consultant – Strengthening of Policy and Governance Framework for Child Protection System in Punjab.

This 6-month, home-based assignment offers seasoned Pakistani experts an unparalleled platform to influence public financing, legal amendments, and decentralized service delivery systems across Punjab.

The Core Challenge: Bridging the Policy-Implementation Gap in Punjab

Punjab has already taken progressive legislative strides. The province has approved its comprehensive Child Protection Policy, enacted the landmark Child Marriage Restraint Act 2026, updated its Labour Code 2026, and introduced the Punjab Prohibition of Children Employment Act 2016.

However, translating these legal milestones into protection for vulnerable children in remote and underserved districts remains a critical challenge. Systemic bottlenecks persist, including:

• Fragmented Coordination: Weak linkages between the Child Protection & Welfare Bureau (CPWB), Social Welfare, Health, Education, Police, and Judiciary.
• Financing Deficits: An absence or underutilization of dedicated, sustainable child protection financing structures.
• Workforce Capacity: A shortage of systematically trained social service workforces equipped for modern case management.
• Alternative Care Gaps: Inadequate regulatory enforcement and oversight mechanisms for childcare institutions.

This consultancy is strategically designed to deploy an expert who can untangle these administrative bottlenecks and build a resilient framework for the future.

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Scope of Work: Strategic Pillars

Operating under the direct supervision of UNICEF, the selected consultant will focus on three primary intervention areas:

1. Developing the Provincial Child Protection Advocacy Framework

The consultant will spearhead a Punjab-specific advocacy framework focusing on child labor, child marriage, violence against children, low birth registration coverage, and access to justice. This involves drafting terms of reference (ToRs) for a dedicated provincial task force, mapping influential parliamentarians to drive budget allocations, and hosting multi-stakeholder validation workshops that include voices from marginalized districts.

2. Legal, Policy, and Budgetary Analysis

Building on the 2025 child protection case management evaluations, the consultant will conduct a swift, forensic gap analysis of the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act and related statutes. You will turn raw policy data into high-quality briefs, talking points, and clear legislative justifications designed to capture the attention of senior provincial leadership and finance departments.

3. Cultivating an Enabling Institutional Environment

Securing policy wins requires administrative groundwork. The consultant will facilitate the formal notification and operationalization of minimum care standards, rules, and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Crucially, this pillar involves structuring legal frameworks to establish a Dedicated Child Protection Public Fund to guarantee long-term financial sustainability.

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Fast Facts & Application Parameters

Parameter	Details
Job Requisition Number	Req# 594646 / Job no: 594646
Contract Type / Level	Individual Consultant / Consultancy
Duty Station & Location	Lahore, Pakistan (Home-based / Remote arrangement)
Contract Duration	6 Months
Target Audience	OPEN FOR NATIONALS OF PAKISTAN ONLY
Application Deadline	August 4, 2026 (Pakistan Standard Time)

Selection Criteria: Who is UNICEF Looking For?

This is a senior-level position requiring an expert who can seamlessly navigate high-level political dialogues while handling complex legal texts.

Minimum Prerequisites:

• Advanced University Degree: Master’s degree or higher in Public Policy, Law, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Child Rights, or International Development.
• Professional Footprint: Minimum of 8 to 10 years of progressive experience in legal and policy reform, systems strengthening, or macro-level legislative advocacy in Pakistan (direct experience within Punjab is highly valued).
• Core Competencies: Proven experience drafting statutory rules or regulatory frameworks, an intimate knowledge of the CRC and alternative care guidelines, and outstanding analytical writing skills.
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English and Urdu is mandatory; command of Punjabi is a distinct asset.

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Actionable Steps to Apply

UNICEF’s technical review panel employs a highly competitive scoring grid. To ensure your package passes initial screening on the Talent Management System (TMS) portal, verify that you have provided all four required elements:

1. Update Your Digital Profile: TMS Portal.

Ensure your online Talent Management System (TMS) profile and uploaded Curriculum Vitae (CV) explicitly highlight your 8-10 years of legal reform or policy experience. Use metric-driven results wherever possible.

2. Draft a Tailored Cover Letter: Contextual Alignment.

Do not use a generic template. Explicitly detail your familiarity with Punjab’s child protection architecture (such as the CPWB or the Destitute and Neglected Children Act) and mention your capability to deliver remote outputs.

3. Formulate a Technical Proposal: Methodology & Work Plan.

Provide a concise technical proposal outlining your implementation strategy. Include an agile 6-month work plan with distinct milestones for stakeholder mapping, consultations, and drafting phases.

4. Complete the Official Financial Template: Strict Format Compliance.

Download the specific Excel sheet provided on the portal (Financial Proposal Template TMC0004303.xlsx). Populate and upload it exactly as formatted; external formats or flat rate quotes in the cover letter will not be evaluated.

Recruitment Integrity Reminder: UNICEF maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding exploitation, harassment, and recruitment fraud. The agency never charges a fee at any stage of the application, review, or hiring process.

If you possess the unique combination of legal acuity, strategic advocacy experience, and a deep commitment to children’s rights needed to redefine Punjab’s governance structures, submit your complete file before the August 4, 2026 cutoff.