Consultant – Legal Identity (Gender Assessment)

Position Title: Consultant – Legal Identity (Gender Assessment)

Job Code: CON 2024 11

Duty Station: Geneva, Switzerland

Classification: Consultant, Grade Other

Type of Appointment: Consultant, seven months

Estimated Start Date: As soon as possible

Closing Date: 21 May 2024

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, 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:

Project Context and Scope

Legal Identity is relevant to a broad range of IOM programmatic areas and constitutes a cross-cutting theme that runs through the fabric of IOM’s mandate and programmes. As such, engaging in legal identity activities has the potential to strengthen IOM’s role in leading the global debate on migration, mobility, security, and development.

IOM COMPASS Global Cooperation on Migration and Partnerships for Sustainable Solutions (COMPASS) initiative is designed to protect people on the move, combat human trafficking and smuggling, and support dignified return and sustainable reintegration.

The programme focuses on systemic changes that are critical to addressing the underlying causes of migrants’ vulnerability, gender equality, and exclusion, including in humanitarian and fragile settings; supporting rights-based policies and legislation; equitable access to essential protection services; strengthening local partnerships for migrant inclusion and social cohesion; access to legal identity; reinforcing data-driven responses; and influencing social behaviors and norms. The programme is being implemented in partnership with 14 Partner States: Afghanistan, Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tunisia.

A new phase of COMPASS is activated from 2024 to 2027, which outlines three key priorities – specialized protection, localization, and legal identity. The 14 partner states, IOM, and the Dutch MFA will, in the next four years, strive to find the most effective and sustainable ways of assisting migrants and promoting their rights, dignity, and well-being, while expanding support to its partners in achieving their priority objectives in pursuing improved migration governance.

To the Governments in strengthening legal identity systems, IOM intends to providing data-driven guidance on improving policy and operational frameworks taking into account gender considerations, while ensuring migrants’ protection. To do so, IOM proposes to develop an in-depth study to identify the gaps and challenges faced by women and girls specifically in accessing legal identity. By doing so, the assessment is expected to better inform the review of the legal identity policies, protection frameworks, and civil registration services.

This assessment is intended to be a comprehensive and informative document that takes into account the realities of three different countries in providing legal identity to women and girls. It aims to provide policy-makers with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions that can positively impact the affected populations and promote safer migration through legal identity by enabling access to rights for migrant women and their families. To this end, the assessment will include various methodologies, including: desk-review of existing reports by IOM and other stakeholders (UN agencies, CSOs and government) in the selected countries, and interviews with relevant actors and community representatives.

This research study publication will provide robust evidence to inform policy and operational protection responses in support of GCM Objectives such 4 (Legal Identity and Documentation), 5 (Regular Pathways), 14 (Consular Protection), and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as target 5.1 (End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere), target 10.7 (Responsible and well-managed migration policies), and target 16.9 (By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration).

Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing:

Legal Identity Unit (IBG), IOM COMPASS Global Programme funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Core Functions / Responsibilities:

Tasks to be performed under this contract

The entire scope of the Consultancy Contract will be fulfilled in 3 deliverables:

•Deliverable 1: Workplan to provide the framework on how the Consultants and IOM will approach the scope of work. The workplan should provide details on the deliverables, the methodology, the extent of desk research, and documentation on the timelines as well as the process organization

•Deliverable 2: Draft Assessment: user-centered, didactically relevant guide outlining the main findings of the field participatory research.

•Deliverable 3: Final Version of the Assessment: upon review of the Assessment by IOM, the final version should be edited accordingly and prepared for the layout.

Category B Consultant hired to deliver a report on a three-installment payment basis:

1. First deliverable and installment – A work plan and methodology for the drafting exercise, including timeline and selection of relevant resources – Deliverable by email by 15 June 2024
2. Second deliverable and installment – Draft version of the Assessment – Deliverable by email by 15 October 2024
3. Final deliverable and installment – Final version of the Assessment based on IOM’s review, didactically relevant training slide deck with speaker notes covering the assessment, suitable for a 2-day training of IOM Members and other stakeholders – Deliverable by email by 5 December 2024.

Performance indicators for evaluation of results

The performance of the consultant will be evaluated based on the following indicators:

• Developed work plan and methodology for the assessment development
• Organized case studies at least in three selected countries to inform the gender gaps in facilitating access to legal identity
• Develop versions of the Legal Identity Gender Gap Assessment, approved by IOM
• Developed user-centered, didactically relevant training materials (slide decks) based on the Assessment’s content for IOM staff and other stakeholders.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

Education, experience and/or skills required

• Master’s or higher degree in Political or Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Migration Studies, Law and/or International Relations, or a related field from an accredited academic institution.

Experience

• At least five years of experience working on and developing migration management tools and policies, including with respect to travel and identity documents or identity management.
• Previous professional experience working in immigration and border management fields including developing and delivering guidance materials for authorities.

Skills

• Knowledge of and competence to mainstream human rights, gender, and diversity considerations in identity and cross-border mobility management.

Languages

IOM’s official languages are English, French, and Spanish. All staff members are required to be fluent in one of the three languages.

For this position, fluency in English is required (oral and written). Working knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is an advantage.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

Notes

The Consultant will be homebased with a possibility of traveling to Geneva or other locations for fieldwork or workshops.

The consultant must adhere to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Data Protection Principles (IN/138) and maintain confidentiality.

The consultant will be responsible in following IOM writing guidelines and latest glossaries in all given assignments for accurate translation.

Accredited Universities are the ones listed in the UNESCO World Higher Education Database (https://whed.net/home.php).

Required Competencies:

Values – all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these five values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• 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. • Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
• Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.

Core Competencies – behavioural 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 actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link.

https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/about-iom/iom_revised_competency_framework_external.p df

Competencies will be assessed during a competency-based interview.

Other:

• The appointment is subject to funding confirmation.
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and background verification and security clearances. Subject to certain exemptions, vaccination against COVID-19 will in principle be required for individuals hired on or after 15 November 2021. This will be verified as part of the medical clearance process.
• Vacancies close at 23:59 local time in Geneva, Switzerland on the respective closing date. No late applications will be accepted.