UNFPA: Artificial Intelligence, Data and Cybersecurity Specialist – Nairobi

Organization Mission

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 (2022-2025), 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 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030.

Context

Kenya is a presidential democratic republic with a devolved governance system comprising 47 counties. The 2010 Constitution strengthened representation, including the creation of Women Representatives elected at county level to enhance women’s participation in Parliament. UNFPA supports the Government of Kenya to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), focusing on ending unmet need for family planning, strengthening supply chains, improving quality of care, and reducing maternal mortality through capacity building, EmONC support, and MPDSR systems.

UNFPA also plays a central role in preventing and responding to gender-based violence (including Technology Facilitated GBV) and harmful practices, including supporting implementation of the Essential Services Package and national efforts to eliminate FGM and creating anti GBV movements. Through partnerships and humanitarian action, UNFPA promotes the rights, protection, and wellbeing of women, girls, and young people across all contexts.

Key Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Deputy Representative, and in close collaboration with program teams (SRH/Youth, Gender and GBV, Population and Data, Humanitarian and M&E), the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Lead technical analysis on technology-facilitated GBV (TFGBV): Identify emerging trends, risks, and patterns of online violence affecting women, girls, and young people, including cyberstalking, doxxing, non-consensual image sharing, AI-generated sexualized content, and harmful online behaviours.
• Develop digital safety and cybersecurity frameworks for UNFPA-supported platforms, ensuring protection of user data, privacy, and secure digital engagement for adolescents and young people.
• Advise on responsible and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence in SRHR, GBV prevention, and youth engagement, including algorithmic safety, bias mitigation, content moderation, and risk assessment for AI-driven tools.
• Support design and development of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) digital platforms, incorporating interactive learning, gamification, simulations, and virtual/augmented reality that adhere to safety, data protection, and age-appropriate standards.
• Establish safety-by-design protocols for all digital SRHR/CSE products, including risk assessments, child online safety measures, and secure user authentication systems.
• Conduct technical reviews of digital platforms and products in Kenya to ensure compliance with cybersecurity best practices, local and international data protection regulations, and safeguarding standards.
• Build capacity of government, civil society, and youth-led organizations on AI governance, digital rights, online safety, and prevention of technology-facilitated GBV.
• Provide technical inputs into policy dialogues and legislation related to digital safety, cybercrime, data protection, and rights-based use of emerging technologies affecting women, adolescents, and youth.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of digital SRHR and GBV interventions, including development of digital indicators, analytics dashboards, and feedback loops to improve user experience and safety.
• Facilitate partnerships with technology companies, innovation hubs, academia, and cybersecurity organizations to co-create safe, inclusive, and scalable digital solutions.
• Contribute to knowledge generation, including mapping of AI-driven risks to SRHR/GBV, documentation of best practices, and development of guidance notes and technical briefs.
• Ensure ethical, inclusive, and gender-responsive design of digital tools, including accessibility for people with disabilities and marginalized groups.
• Support rapid response mechanisms for cybersecurity incidents affecting UNFPA-supported platforms, including protocols for reporting, mitigation, and user protection.

Required Skills and Experience

Experience in:
• AI, data science, and cybersecurity, including the ethical and safe use of emerging technologies.
• Designing or supporting digital learning platforms, including interactive tools, simulations, and Virtual Reality.
• Collaborating with technology partners, digital rights groups, or innovation hubs.

• Knowledge of technology-facilitated GBV, digital safety, online harassment, and child online protection.
• Ability to conduct digital risk assessments, address algorithmic bias, and apply safety-by-design and data protection principles.
• Skills in reviewing digital platforms for security, privacy, and user safety.

Core Competencies

• Accountability
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Building Trust
• Client Orientation
• Commitment and Motivation
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Communication
• Creativity
• Ethics and Values
• Integrity
• Knowledge Sharing
• Planning and Organizing
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity
• Self-Management
• Technological Awareness
• Working in Teams

Living Conditions

The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighbouring Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; National Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Counties are further divided into sub-counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 40 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%. The country’s GNP per capita, estimated at purchasing power parity (PPP) is $975, and the GNP is growing at an average rate of 0.1% annually. More than 26% of Kenyans live below the international poverty line of $1 per day. Kenya’s main food crops are “maize, wheat, pulses, roots and tubers.” (FAO).

Nairobi is a modern metropolitan city where most basic goods and services, health facilities, public transport, telecommunication and banking services and educational facilities are readily available. The city is widely connected through its main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and the smaller Wilson Airport. Air transport is also available to many up-country destinations. The city is home to some 3,000 UN personnel, mainly attributed to the fact that it serves as the headquarters for both the UN-HABITAT and UNEP.

The socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society the UNV would be living and working in is diverse, and prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment is modest. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location is a highland cool and warm tropical climate.