National Consultant: Multi-Country Scoping Review on Masculinities and Child, Early and Forced Marriage

The Position:

Cambodia national averages for child marriage (young women aged 20-24 married before age 18) have declined to approximately 19% (Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey 2021-2022, down from 24% in 2014, however, this national figure masks a stark divide. In remote northeastern provinces such as Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri, rates have historically exceeded 35% and some districts reached nearly double the national average. Similarly, teenage pregnancy remains a critical public health and development concern, and is inextricably linked to child, early and forced marriage (CEFM). According to the CDHS 2021-22, 12% of adolescent girls aged 15–19 have begun childbearing. Notably, this rate escalates with age, reaching 24.5% among 19-year-olds, highlighting a critical window for reproductive health intervention before young women exit their teens.

In 2026, UNFPA is leading an effort to strengthen approaches to addressing harmful masculinities and social norms that perpetuate GBV and CEFM, in collaboration with UNICEF, as part of a DFAT funded initiative on addressing Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) in Southeast Asia. 

Under the same initiative, UNFPA is also undertaking an investment case for addressing CEFM and adolescent pregnancies, guided by the earlier UNFPA regional investment case which included Cambodia. The national consultant will also support UNFPA Cambodia with collecting data on costs of interventions to address CEFM at subnational level.

The consultant will work under the supervision of the Youth Programme Specialist, at UNFPA Cambodia and will collaborate with the APRO GBV team, with technical guidance by an international consultant. 

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.  UNFPA’s strategic plan (2026-2029), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

UNFPA Cambodia Country Office requests the services of a national consultant to conduct key informant interviews and focus group discussions to support a multi-country scoping review on masculinities and child, early and forced marriage. 

You would be responsible for:

The consultant will be responsible for leading the process to secure approval from the National Health Ethical Committee in Cambodia for the research activities outlined in this Terms of Reference, ensuring all necessary documentation and protocols are submitted and followed. The consultant will provide short-term technical assistance to support the data collection and analysis. Specifically, the national consultant will be responsible for the following tasks: 

• Participate in the team planning meeting at the start of the data collection phase, and in 2 informal meetings with the other country consultants and the international consultant to discuss the themes emerging from the data collection effort; 
• Contribute to the generation of a list of key informants (names, titles, contact information) for the methodology which will be provided in advance, and make initial contact with these organizations; 
• Schedule interviews and organize FGDs; 
• Translate the research tools into Khmer and contextualize them as needed.
• Lead key informant interviews and take detailed notes, and coordinate, facilitate and record focus group discussions (FGDs);
• At the end of each day of interviews/FGDs, identify key themes and code notes in a shared spreadsheet;
• Generate a four-page summary of key findings, themes and recommendations at the national level;
• Participate in the research team’s participatory analysis workshop, contributing to the qualitative analysis of the interview data and identifying recommendations for the regional strategy, as well as for the national level; 
• Contribute to presentation to the government to validate recommendations. 
• Lead data collection on the costs of interventions to address CEFM and adolescent pregnancy  at subnational level, based on a tool provided by UNFPA

Qualifications and Experience: 

Education:  

• A Masters’ Degree in the social sciences or related field such as women’s studies or gender and development.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience of gender integration work with civil society organizations or international NGOs, including qualitative research (interviews and FGDs), capacity building on gender and women’s rights 
• A technical foundation in gender and one or more of the following areas:
  • Social sciences
  • Public health 
  • Global development
• Gender analysis and integration, female empowerment, qualitative and/or mixed methods research, policy development, writing and communications
• Works well in a team environment, demonstrates integrity, able to multi-task, inclusive of all people and fosters participation of others

Languages: 

• Khmer and English

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen, 
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

The UN/UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interview, examination or other fees related to the application or recruitment process. Advertisements, letters or fraudulent offers can be reported to the UNFPA Fraud Hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm