International Consultancy for the Strengthening of the National Referral Mechanism

Job Description

Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are facing complex situations: conflicts and protracted security crisis, climate change and environmental degradation, food and nutrition crises, demographic pressure, increased competition over resources, as well as epidemic risks. All of these are a source of instability for the region and act as a risk multiplier exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities. Since 2015, the EU and African countries have reinforced their joint approach to migration governance, improving cooperation to address irregular migration, migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings while developing at the same time a more sustainable approach to harness the potential of migration as a fundamental driver for inclusive and sustainable development in countries of origin and transit in Africa.

Following the successful implementation of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration (JI), the Migrant Protection, Return and Reintegration (MPRR-SSA) Programme continues addressing some of the most pressing challenges relating to migration and mobility within the African continent: the dire situation of migrants who find themselves stranded in dangerous situations along the migratory routes. These migrants face significant protection risks along migration routes, including violence, exploitation, and abuse at the hands of smugglers, traffickers, and others. 

To address these risks and ensure the needs and vulnerabilities of migrants are addressed in countries of transit and origin, IOM works in coordination with governmental, in­ter-governmental and non-governmental partners to provide assistance in transit, organize safe, rights-based and dignified assisted voluntary returns and support the sustainable reintegration of returning migrants, through a comprehensive and protection-centred approach. In line with its Policy on the Full Spectrum of Return, Readmission and Reintegration, IOM promotes a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, building on partnership and cooperation, to ensure national ownership and the availability of holistic services and support along the return continuum. 

The MPRR-SSA programme was launched in Sierra Leone in August 2022. To date, in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone, IOM Sierra Leone has successfully facilitated the voluntary return of over 2,700 Sierra Leonean migrants stranded in various transit countries. Under the program, over 1600 returnees have received one or more forms of reintegration assistance – economic, social and psychosocial.   

While the number of returning migrants continues to rise, opportunities for reintegration support remain limited. The limited linkages, partnerships and agreements for referrals has hindered smooth referral process for these individuals. There is no clear referral protocol, standardized procedure and coordination mechanism to refer returnees to partners effectively for different services. Resource limitation, fragmented/overlapping services, capacity limitation and policy barriers are also additional factors that limits the partnership for referral

In 2022, Sierra Leone’s Anti-Trafficking in Persons Taskforce Secretariat (A-TiPS), in collaboration with various actors, developed the NRM as an operational tool to guide national response to the problem of human trafficking in the country specifically aimed at protecting Victims of Trafficking (VoTs).  To effectively support all returnees through referrals and enhance national capacities and structures, the strengthening of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is essential. The existing NRM does not holistically cover all aspects of returnees as its focus is on VoTs. Hence, the need to develop a comprehensive NRM focused on the protection and sustainable reintegration of migrants, which would complement the existing framework. This overarching NRM will serve as a coordinating framework to strengthen and streamline referral pathways for support services for all migrant returnees, complementing existing mechanisms.

Within the MPRR-SSA’s strengthening of coordination mechanism framework, the “Standard Operating Procedures for Return and Reintegration for returning migrants” (hereafter “the SOP”) provides a common understanding in processes and procedures related to the protection, return and reintegration assistance of returning migrants as well as the roles and responsibilities of the different actors involved in these processes in Sierra Leone. Also, ensures a consistent approach for the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone and its partners to support migrant protection and the provision of return and reintegration through IOM Assisted Voluntary Return programs, including the MPRR-SSA. The current SOP needs to be updated in coordination with members of the Technical Working Group (TWG), Project Steering Committee (PSC) and the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

The SOP constitutes a living document that will be updated in response to identified scope for improvement related to changes in the context, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, and feedback from stakeholders in the implementation of activities. 

Responsibilities

The International Consultant, working together with the local consultant will be responsible for supporting IOM Sierra Leone to facilitate the strengthening of a National Referral Mechanism to assist and protect migrants in vulnerable situations and provide returnees with economic, social and psychosocial reintegration support in Sierra Leone. Also, will support to update the National SOP on protection, return and reintegration through consultation meetings with established coordination structures, including the Technical Working Group (TWG) and Project Steering Committee (PSC).  

The consultant will contribute to the work of the MPRR-SSA team at Sierra Leone, with the strengthening of a National Referral Mechanism and update the National SOP.

The consultant, working together with the local consultant will closely coordinate with the regional partnership officer and the regional NRM consultant to ensure quality, regional harmonization and alignment with institutional guidance and best practice.

Objective 1: Assessment of the state of play of the NRM/referral system

• Engage IOM teams at regional and country levels through inception meetings to clarify expectations, agree on next steps, and ensure coordination and alignment with existing initiatives.

• Conduct an assessment on the state of play of the NRM/referral system in the country based on the regional established template. This should include a desk review and key informant interviews (IOM, government and non-government partners) and will aim at establishing the scope of the NRM, target groups, services provided, status of development, institutionalization and operationalization, stakeholders, coordination mechanisms, gaps and opportunities of the NRM or other existing referral mechanisms in the country. The desk review should include but not be limited to the national MPRR service mapping report, the draft National Return and Reintegration Roadmap, and the report of the NRM regional workshop conducted in Senegal in 2024.

• Based on the assessment, draft recommendations for the strengthening of the NRM, including a preliminary draft roadmap based on the regional established template.

Objective 2:  Consultative development of an NRM roadmap

• Organize a stakeholder consultation workshop to present the findings of the assessment, recommendations and draft a roadmap to seek stakeholders’ inputs. This consultative workshop will be used as a platform to get stakeholders’ inputs to the development of the MoU (see objective 4 below), in particular with regards to scope, target groups, and coordination mechanism.

• Revise the roadmap based on the inputs received during the consultation workshop. 

   

Objective 3: Support the establishment of the NRM Steering Committee

• Support the creation and formalization of a Steering Committee to guide and oversee the NRM process, including by drafting and seeking validation of the NRM Steering Committee’s Terms of Reference, defining the committee's mandate, roles, and responsibilities. Based on the country context, thematic and/or regional working groups may also need to be established.

• Support the initial session(s) of the Steering Committee meetings and facilitate the validation of the revised NRM roadmap. 

Objective 4: Development of a draft MoU among stakeholders participating in the NRM

• In close coordination with the NRM Steering Committee, facilitate the updating of existing MOUs or development (and eventually signature) of a draft MoU among stakeholders involved in the implementation of the NRM. The MoU should at a minimum include sections on the background and purpose of the NRM, the target group, roles and responsibilities of the NRM members, coordination mechanisms, financing arrangements and duration, and data protection and data sharing considerations, based on the regional established template.

   

Objective 5:  Development and validation of operational tools

• In close consultation with relevant stakeholders and based on the regional established template, draft SOPs that will guide the operationalization of the NRM. These SOPs should clearly outline the different steps of the identification and referral process, including data protection considerations. The SOPs shall be accompanied by relevant operational tools based on established templates, such as a referral flow chart, a service provider directory, forms for identification and referral, and any other tools necessary for effective coordination and implementation of the NRM.

   

• Organize a workshop with all relevant stakeholders to review and/or validate the SOPs and associated tools. 

Objective 6: Sensitization of stakeholders on the NRM

• Develop information material for awareness raising on the NRM for different target audiences, including but not limited to migrants/ returnees, community members, frontline responders, (prospective) NRM partners and government stakeholders. 

Objective 7: Develop a Sustainability Plan

• Outline concrete steps to maintain, institutionalize, and scale the NRM beyond the consultancy period. The plan will ensure the NRM is fully embedded in national systems, aligned with existing policies, and supported by clear governance and potential financing mechanisms, with ownership with national stakeholders.

Qualifications

Required Skills

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