Egypt/Home-based: Regional Child Protection Operational Guidance Consultant

Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

Context and Scope:

Within the context of the project Regional Development and Protection Programme for North Africa Phase VI: Strengthening Protection in North Africa Through Regional Coordination and Knowledge funded by the Italian Ministry of Interior and the European Union Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) within the context of the RDPP sixth funding cycle, IOM is committed to ensuring that Children on the move are better protected and integrated within national child protection systems and that cross boarder coordination between child protection actors is enhanced to cater for the best interest of the child in cross boarder operations.

Children are amongst the most vulnerable migrants along the Mediterranean routes. The nationalities of children moving along the Mediterranean Sea routes to Europe mirrors that of adults moving along this route. The demographic consists of children from West and Central Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Middle East and North Africa. The multiple, irregular cross-border movements border movements put migrant children at acute risk of trafficking and other forms of abuse. Through its work on direct assistance and child protection, IOM observes the risks child migrants experience when outside their country of origin or place of habitual residence, especially along the Mediterranean Routes. While progresses have been made in terms of national response, international cooperation and evidence building in NA, additional efforts and capacity remain necessary to ensure that VoTs and children on the move are adequately protected and access their rights while stranded along North African migration routes. in 2022, amongst the arrival breakdown to Europe, some 35,170 children arrived in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain. Of these, 23,514 (67%) were unaccompanied or separated children (UASC). Child arrivals increased by 46% in 2022 compared to 2021 (24,147). A large percentage of the UASC included children from the MENA region namely Tunisia, Egypt, and Morrocco. 1 In parallel, in 2021 and 2022 alone, IOM registered more than 1644 UASCs through its offices in North Africa. Most children originated from Guinea, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, and Cote d’Ivoire. 1

Though this consultancy IOM foresees to develop a technical and operational guidance document that un-packs the current practices, gaps and lessons learnt on children in the context of migration in regards to their access to rights and services, including birth registration, protection, education, health and social protection, provisions regarding access to all necessary care arrangements (and case management), such as guardianship and family- and community-based alternative care for children on the move who are unaccompanied or who require protection due to violence in their household and cross-border mechanisms, including SOPs, that insure timely case management support to children affected by migration, with a focus on preventing family separation and promoting family unity and reunification.

The guidance note will be rooted in the North African context and provide concrete recommendations and tools on how to support progresses toward inclusive protection systems and continuum of care for children affected by migration in the region and along key routes.
The guidance will focus on access to key rights and services for children on the move – including care arrangements – and continuum of care for children when on the move – including cross-border referrals and case management. It will in particular offer practical ways to enhance access to care arrangement and referrals by mapping key care arrangements and services, main actors and SOPs for continuum of care and referral of children in migration context.

The consultant is expected – in coordination with the project team – to assess needs, propose methodology, conceptualize outline, draft, coordinate internal and external review and deliver a finalize operational guidance document in English. The operational guidance will be piloted and reviewed during a regional child protection workshop to be held in second half on 2024 for which the consultant is expected to propose concept note, agenda, and ensure moderation and final reporting.

Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is Contributing:

Under the direct supervision of the RO MENA Programme Coordinator, the selected consultant will be responsible of developing a Regional Child Protection Operational guidance under the project Strengthening protection in North Africa through Regional coordination and knowledge.

Category B Consultants: Tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignment

The RO MENA office is looking for a consultant to conduct the said guidance document with the deliverables including:

The report will include:

• One inception report and full methodological note in English.
• One regionally contextualized practical guidance on mapping care arrangements and services, main actors and SOPs for continuum of care and referral of children in migration context in English
• Conceptualization, preparation, moderating and follow up on one Inception workshop to tailor the deliverable and one Cross regional Child Protection Forum present and validate the deliverable.
• First deliverable: inception report including full methodological note Deliverable by email by 25 March 2024 – (14% of total payment) to be paid within 15 days of receipt and approval of deliverable.
• Second deliverable: first draft guidance note including regional contextualized mapping of care arrangements and services Deliverable by email by 2 June 2024 – (32% of total payment) to be paid to be paid within 15 days of receipt and approval of deliverable.
• Third Deliverable: final and endorsed guidance note accompanied executive summary Deliverable by email by 31 July 2024 (29% of total payment) to be paid to be paid within 15 days of receipt and approval of deliverable.
• Final deliverable: submit final event package including concept note, agenda, presentation package and Event report Deliverable by email by 20 October 2024 (25% of total payment) to be paid to be paid within 15 days of receipt and approval of deliverable.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

Mandatory: 

• University Degree in International Relations, Conflict Resolution, Social Sciences, or a related field from an accredited academic institution with focus on human rights, child rights, or migration
• 10-15 years’ experience in the field of child protection of which a substantial amount should be on protection of children on the move.
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written English)
• Proven experience conceptualizing and producing similar deliverables.
• Proven experience in coordination with government stakeholders and civil society
• Proven experience in conceptualizing and delivering multi-stakeholders' workshops.

Desired: 

• Exposure to North Africa, Middle East, and/or Sub-Saharan Africa; North Africa migration and refugee dynamics or Mediterranean routes
• Past experience conducting similar studies for the International Organization for Migration or other UN agencies.

Languages:

• The consultant(s) is expected to be fluent in English,
• Capacity to draft and interact in French and Arabic is an added value.

Travel Required: 

The consultant is expected to undertake field visits to MENA missions within the duration of this consultancy in order to conduct field visits, consultations with child protection actors, CSOs, government services, regional entities and IOM staff. IOM will bear the costs of all travels on duty in line with IN/6 Travel Policy.

Competencies and Values:

Inclusion and respect for diversity: respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.

• Integrity and transparency: maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.

Core Competencies – Behavioral Indicators: 

• Teamwork: develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner; is action-oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own action and delegated work.
• Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication; explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

How to Apply: 

Interested candidates are expected to submit their applications via View the external job posting
on or before 28 December 2023. 

Kindly note that for efficiency reasons, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Posting period: From 14.12.2023 till 28.12.2023