Wednesday, February 18 – The Department of Youth Affairs and Sports encourages young BVIslanders between the ages of 20 – 24 to apply online to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) which is currently recruiting a group of six fellows to start their fellowships in April/May 2009. 

Assistant Director of Youth Affairs, Mrs. Persia Tobin-Evelyn told the Department of Information and Public Relations that “The UNFPA Fellowship Programme will benefit the BVI because it would provide the opportunity for participants to acquire ‘on-the job’ skills training in the areas of policy development and programming. Such skills can be utilized to positively impact the genuine issues that can negatively affect the quality of life for BVI youth”.

Mrs. Evelyn added that, “by undertaking this fellowship, participants can provide viable and sustainable solutions through meaningful collaboration with   governmental agencies for determining factors that can lead young people to  teenage pregnancy, peer pressure, unemployment, drugs, substance abuse and youth violence."

Candidates must have programme experience in areas of young people’s sexual and reproductive health, reproductive rights, humanitarian response, population, gender, culture, human rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, poverty reduction, and sustainable livelihoods.  

Candidates must also have a basic understanding of issues of importance to UNFPA and its role, written and oral English language skills and the commitment to return to the BVI to undertake follow-up work with young people.

The candidate selected will be provided with the cost of return travel to the BVI, assistance with travel documents and visa requirements, health insurance, housing arrangements, subsistence allowance, a workstation and the opportunity to be mentored by UNFPA staff on issues of interest.

To apply for this programme interested persons can go to the website http://www.unfpa.org/employment/vacancy.htm and click on “Apply Online” or for more information persons can contact Mr. Prateek Awasthi via email at awasthi@unfpa.org.  The deadline for applications is on Wednesday, 25 February, 2009 and only those candidates who are shortlisted will be contacted at the end of

February.  Interviews are tentatively scheduled in the first week of March. The objective of the programme is to give young people from developing countries opportunities to engage in policy development and programming; to help build the capacity of young people; and to sensitize both the young people and UNFPA staff on partnering to address adolescent and youth issues.

The UNFPA is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.