How can you make a difference?
UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, has been active in Brazil since 1950. From the beginning, it has been supporting governments to implement public policies that uphold the full rights of children and adolescents, as established in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA). Over the past 75 years, UNICEF has become a central actor in driving significant transformations in the protection and promotion of childhood and adolescence in Brazil.
UNICEF plays a key role in promoting and guaranteeing the right to education for every child and adolescent, particularly those living in situations of greater vulnerability. In Brazil, 993,492 children and adolescents aged 4–17 were out of school in 2024 (PNAD/IBGE). Of these, approximately 400,000 were between 4 and 5 years old, and 440,000 were between 15 and 17 years old. In addition, 367,357 students dropped out of school in 2024 (School Census/INEP). These figures highlight the persistence of school exclusion and dropout, underscoring the challenges Brazil continues to face in ensuring both access to and retention in education— especially in early childhood and upper secondary education.
To address this challenge, UNICEF and the National Union of Municipal Education Managers (Undime) launched, in 2017, the School Active Search (Busca Ativa Escolar – BAE) strategy. This initiative combines a social methodology with a free technological platform offered to states and municipalities, supporting them in structuring intersectoral actions that promote the enrollment and retention of children and adolescents in school.
The social methodology enables the identification of children and adolescents who are out of school or at risk of dropping out, investigates the factors contributing to their situation, facilitates referrals to relevant public services such as social assistance and health, supports their (re-)enrollment, and helps ensure their continued attendance. The platform complements this process by supporting case management and generating evidence to inform more effective decision-making.
An evaluation conducted in 2025 confirmed that Busca Ativa Escolar operates where school exclusion is most severe: in territories with higher levels of social vulnerability. Most participating municipalities presented high rates of exclusion and dropout, and the strategy reached social groups at greater risk of leaving school, including boys (54.8%) and Black children and adolescents (80.4%). Furthermore, more than 90% of participating municipalities and states reported that BAE contributed to strengthening a culture of intersectoral collaboration in public administration.
The consultancy proposed here aims to assess the feasibility of institutionalizing Busca Ativa Escolar as a national public policy and, if deemed viable, to develop a detailed implementation roadmap outlining the steps, resources, stakeholders, and governance arrangements required to support its adoption and implementation. This study will serve as an internal UNICEF document to guide advocacy efforts and inform planning for the next Country Programme.
Minimum requirements
- Knowledge about the scenario of public education policies in Brazil – national and subnational governments (academic, research, extension and/or public or private consulting);
- Knowledge of intersectoriality and collaboration regime (academic, research, extension and/or public or private consulting);
- Knowledge of the actors and instances of the interfederative educational ecosystem.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
- An up-to-date TMS profile and curriculum vitae (CV)
- Cover letter
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.