Mission and objectives

UNFPA GCC office in Muscat-Oman, was established in 2006 and provides Technical Assistance in the main areas of Population and Development, Reproductive Health and Rights, Youth Development, and Gender Equality. UNFPA expands the possibilities for women and young people to lead healthy and productive lives. Since UNFPA inception in 1969, the number - and rate - of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before. UNFPA GCC works with several strategic partners in Oman, Kuwait, KSA, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, ranging from government entities, civil society actors, academic institutions and youth-led groups. The co-operation modules are diversified, including Trust Fund agreements, Memorandum of Understandings, or limited term project agreements. The UNFPA GCC Sub-regional Office provides technical expertise and coordinates the efforts of GCC governments in the areas of population & development, youth, reproductive health, gender equality, statistics and related issues.

Context

The National Youth Empowerment Coordinator substantively contributes to the effective management of the Bahrain Youth Empowerment and Research Programme, a multifaceted partnership focusing on key national priorities outlined in the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030. In close collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, UNFPA has developed an innovative approach to ensure young Bahrainis become active partners in shaping the nation's future. This programme creates a powerful cycle where youth voices are heard and then backed by solid research. It consists of three interconnected core activities: 1. "Jalsat Shabab" (Youth Dialogues): A strategic platform for direct dialogue between youth and decision-makers to gather qualitative insights. 2. Research Fellowship Programme: An initiative to empower high-caliber postgraduate students to transform insights from dialogues into tangible, evidence-based knowledge. 3. Strategic study: Titled “Enhancing Meaningful Youth Participation in Bahraini Civic Dialogue, the study aims to bridge the gap between youth voices and national policy to support demographic resilience. Objectives of the programme include: • Bridging the gap between grassroots "Jalsat Shabab" dialogues and high-level policy by translating qualitative youth insights into professional, evidence-based policy briefs and a final "Outcome Document" for the National Youth Summit. • Strengthening youth–policy linkages by facilitating inclusive Jalsat Shabab dialogues and ensuring youth perspectives are systematically captured and translated into evidence that informs national decision-making. • Building national youth research capacity through the effective design and guidance for the Research Fellowship Programme, enabling postgraduate researchers to generate high-quality, policy-relevant, UNFPA-aligned research. • Supporting evidence-informed youth policy dialogue by synthesizing research outputs into accessible high-level Outcome Document for the National Youth Summit. • Generating a strategic evidence base on youth participation in Bahrain by assessing the current youth engagement ecosystem, identifying barriers, opportunities, and good practices influencing youth participation in civic dialogue. The National Youth Empowerment Coordinator works with the UNFPA Office for the GCC, specifically supporting operations in Bahrain. Based in Manama, Bahrain, the incumbent works under the day-to-day oversight of the Partnership & Liaison Officer, and the supervision of the Assistant Representative (Head of the Programme)

National UN Specialist Volunteers in Bahrain are entitled to: • Volunteer living allowance BHD 918.33 • Entry Lumpsum $400 • Annual and learning leaves; • Free Medical and life insurance; • Free access to different learning platforms. For more information on UN Volunteer benefits, entitlements and support, please visit: https://www.unv.org/volunteer-your-country-conditions-service

Task description

Under direct supervision of the Head of the Programme, the UN Volunteer will be accountable for carrying out the following duties and responsibilities: General Coordination : • Overall coordination of youth related activities UNFPA is carrying out in Bahrain: Research fellowship programme; Jalsat Shabab series, contribution to the National Youth Summit • Prepare quarterly progress reports detailing the status of the research fellowship, challenges, and achievements. • Analyze policy papers, strategy documents, and national development plans; prepare briefs and inputs for policy dialogue and technical assistance coordination. • Map the current landscape of youth civic engagement in Bahrain, identifying key stakeholders, opportunities, and barriers to youth meaningful participation. • Develop actionable, contextually relevant and feasible recommendations and strategies to strengthen youth inclusion in national decision-making and policy processes, aligned with international best practices and UNFPA’s mandate on youth empowerment. • Through consultations with youth, policymakers, civil society organizations assess the effectiveness of existing youth engagement platforms and mechanisms in influencing policy and decision-making processes. • Produce a comprehensive strategic study/report that presents evidence-based findings, lessons learned, and policy recommendations. • Present the findings to UNFPA management, as required. Research Fellowship Programme : • Prepare inputs for UNFPA management to participate in the Steering Committee of the Research Fellowship, ensuring alignment with UNFPA’s strategic goals. • Participate in preparing the initial call for applications and selection process and further ensure the alignment of research themes with national and international priorities agreed upon. • Monitor progress of the Research Fellowship programme, track and facilitate administrative issues around the research fellowship programme and liaise with partners involved in this component. • Ensure that research findings are further integrated into the "Jalsat Shabab" series and serve as background documents for the National Youth Summit. Event Management: Jalsat Shabab Series : • Coordinate planning of dialogue sessions, including venue selection, participant invitations, and on-site coordination, ensuring that the sessions are well structured and implemented effectively. • Coordinate relationships with partners involved in the Jalsat Shabab series to ensure broad and inclusive representation of youth from various sectors in Bahrain • Ensure that all sessions are properly documented ensuring that the voice of the youth is accurately captured for the research phase. • Prepare quarterly progress reports on the series, highlighting key insights and participant demographics. • Strategic study titled “Enhancing Meaningful Youth Participation in Bahraini Civic Dialogue • Work with the Research Consultant and utilize the first 4 Jalsat Shabab sessions (Output 1) to gather primary data on participation barriers, ensuring synergy between the dialogue and the strategic analysis. Other assignments : • Carry out other relevant activity/responsibility as assigned by the Representative in relation to the purpose of the job. Work Relations: • Reporting Line: The incumbent works under the day-to-day oversight of the Bahrain Partnership & Liaison Officer, who manages the institutional relationships with government officials, and report to the Assistant Representative for programme related matters. • Technical Role: The incumbent maintains the technical relationship with partners regarding specific activities and programme implementation. • Collaboration: The incumbent works in collaboration with the UNFPA team in Muscat to ensure alignment with regional strategies and interacts with UN agencies in Bahrain (UN Country Team) on substantive issues. Self-learning : • Undertake auto-didactic course on all relevant matters related to Volunteer Management Cycle in the first 2 weeks of assignment. • Furthermore, UN Specialist Coordinator is encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work.

Eligibility criteria

Age

18 - 80

Nationality

Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience

5 years

Languages

Arabic, Level: Fluent, Required English, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level

Master's degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Communications, Public Health, or a related field is highly desirable

How to apply

Apply through this link: https://app.unv.org/opportunities/1784888021266030?utm_source=local&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=roas_doaLink-2026_BH&utm_content=pageButton

Application deadline is on 18th January 2026