National Mapping of Protection Frameworks and Service Gaps for Vulnerable Migrants, including Trafficking Survivors and Children

Job Description

Introduction

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations and the leading UN agency in the field of migration. Working closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners, IOM promotes humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It saves lives and protects people on the move, drives solutions to displacement, and facilitates pathways for regular migration, while providing services and advice to governments and migrants. 

IOM is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and supportive workplace where all employees can thrive professionally and feel valued. By creating such an environment, IOM aims to better harness the full potential of migration and strengthen its support to people on the move.

IOM invites candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply and provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process when required. Learn more about IOM’s workplace culture at IOM workplace culture | International Organization for Migration
 

Project Context and Scope

The consultancy will be implemented under the regional project “Enhancing Protection of Migrants from Violence, Exploitation and Abuse in Central Asia,” covering Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The project aims to enhance the protection of migrants from violence, exploitation and abuse throughout Central Asia, including by strengthening access to protection services for vulnerable migrants and the capacity of governments and civil society to provide appropriate, gender- and child-sensitive protection and assistance.
Migrants may experience different protection risks and vulnerabilities throughout the migration process, including violence, exploitation and abuse, trafficking in persons, family separation, lack of documentation or legal status, and barriers to accessing protection and assistance. These risks may affect Uzbek nationals, foreign nationals and stateless persons in the context of migration and may be compounded by age, disability, family situation and other factors of vulnerability.
Uzbekistan has established national protection, social assistance and other relevant services that may respond to some of these needs. However, existing services are delivered through different sectoral and institutional frameworks and are not necessarily designed for migrants or adapted to the specific protection needs of different groups of vulnerable migrants. In particular, existing services may require further adaptation to respond appropriately to the needs of children, including migrant children and child victims of trafficking. The existence of a service also does not necessarily mean that eligible migrants are aware of it, can access it in practice, or that it is able to adequately respond to the relevant protection need.
Against this background, IOM Uzbekistan will undertake a national mapping and analysis of existing protection services relevant to vulnerable migrants, including children, victims of trafficking and other vulnerable categories. The exercise will identify existing protection responses, practical access pathways, service and implementation gaps, barriers to access and relevant capacities that could be better utilized or adapted. The findings will inform practical and cost-effective improvements to existing protection mechanisms and services rather than the creation of parallel systems.
The Uzbekistan mapping will also contribute to the project’s regional assessment of migrant protection frameworks and services in Central Asia. While the regional assessment will provide a comparative analysis across participating countries, the national mapping will provide more detailed country-specific evidence on protection needs, services, access and implementation in Uzbekistan. Its findings will feed into the regional analysis, supporting a more nuanced understanding of common and country-specific protection gaps, capacities and priorities across Central Asia.
 

Responsibilities

The overall objective of this consultancy is to conduct a national mapping of existing protection services and mechanisms for vulnerable migrants in Uzbekistan; assess their relevance to identified protection needs, accessibility to different categories of migrants, and capacity to effectively address those needs; identify significant gaps and barriers; and develop practical recommendations to address them, with due consideration to the effective use of existing systems and value for money.

To complete the assignment, the Consultant will carry out the following tasks:

Scope of Work

1. Identify potentially relevant protection needs of vulnerable migrants in Uzbekistan.

Based on a review of the national legal and institutional framework, available data and research, IOM materials and other relevant sources, identify the range of protection needs that may arise among vulnerable migrants in the context of Uzbekistan, including children, victims of trafficking and other vulnerable groups.

The analysis should cover Uzbek nationals, foreign nationals and stateless persons in the context of migration, including groups that may require specific protection measures or adapted forms of assistance.

2. Assess the relevance of identified protection needs in the context of Uzbekistan.

Based on available information and consultations with key stakeholders, determine which potential protection needs are relevant or can reasonably be considered relevant to vulnerable migrants in Uzbekistan.

The Consultant is not expected to conduct a comprehensive quantitative needs assessment. Where sufficient data are unavailable, a reasoned hypothesis regarding the existence of a protection need may be formulated, with a clear indication of the basis for the conclusion and any relevant information limitations.

3. Identify the types of protection services and responses required to address the identified needs.

For each relevant or potentially relevant protection need, identify the types of services, assistance, protection measures or other response mechanisms required to address it.

At this stage, the analysis should identify the necessary function or response rather than a specific service provider or a predetermined institutional model for its delivery.

4. Map existing protection services and mechanisms in Uzbekistan.

Identify existing governmental, non-governmental and other services and mechanisms that may fully or partially respond to the identified protection needs of vulnerable migrants.

The mapping should cover not only specialized services for migrants or specific vulnerable groups, but also relevant mainstream services within the social protection, health-care, legal assistance, child protection and other systems where these may be capable of addressing the respective protection need.

5. Assess access to existing services and mechanisms.

For relevant services, determine who is eligible to access them and how such access operates in practice, taking separate account, where relevant, of Uzbek nationals in the context of migration, foreign nationals and stateless persons in the context of migration.

The assessment should consider not only formal eligibility for a service but also the practical ability to access it, including mechanisms for identification, information provision and referral, as well as significant administrative, legal, institutional or practical barriers.

6. Assess the capacity of existing services and responses to address the respective protection needs.

Assess the extent to which existing services and mechanisms are practically suitable and sufficient to address the identified protection needs.

The depth of the assessment should depend on the nature of the particular service and the issue identified. Capacity, coverage, caseload, staffing, financial or other resource-related indicators should be analysed only where they are necessary to determine whether the service can adequately address the relevant protection need.

The analysis should also identify cases where a service exists but its effective use by particular groups of vulnerable migrants requires adaptation, additional safeguards, specific procedures or referral mechanisms, including, where relevant, adaptation of existing services to the needs of children and other groups with specific protection needs.

7. Identify significant gaps in the existing protection response.

Based on the sequence protection need → required response → existing service/mechanism → access → actual capacity to address the need, identify significant gaps in the existing response.

Such gaps may include, inter alia, the absence of a necessary service or mechanism; lack of access to an existing service; shortcomings in identification, information provision or referral; insufficient capacity of the existing response; or the need to adapt an existing service for a particular group.

Where available information is insufficient to support a reasoned conclusion regarding the existence of a significant gap, this should be clearly stated.

8. Develop prioritized and practical recommendations.

Based on the gaps identified, propose practical and prioritized measures to address them, taking into account feasibility, sustainability and value for money.

Priority should be given to making effective use of existing services and mechanisms, improving their accessibility and, where necessary, adapting or strengthening them. The establishment of new or parallel specialized mechanisms should be recommended only where the analysis demonstrates that the existing system is objectively unable to address the relevant protection need.

Methodological Approach

In carrying out the assignment, the Consultant should apply the following principles:

• Combination of information sources. The analysis should draw on a combination of desk review and consultations with relevant stakeholders. The selection of specific sources and the depth of their review should be determined by the information required to reach reasoned conclusions.
• Analysis of needs and services in relation to each other. The mapping should not constitute an inventory of existing services. The core analytical sequence should be: protection need → required response → existing response → access → capacity to address the need → gap.
• Distinction between the formal existence of a service and its practical accessibility. To the extent practicable, the analysis should distinguish between what is provided for in law or institutional arrangements, what exists in practice, who can actually access the service, and how access is obtained in practice.
• Consideration of different categories of migrants. Where relevant, accessibility should be considered separately for Uzbek nationals in the context of migration, foreign nationals and stateless persons in the context of migration. Further differentiation by vulnerability group should be undertaken where this affects the nature of the need, access to the service or the adequacy of the response.
• Minimum necessary and sufficient analysis. For each issue examined, the depth of analysis and volume of data collected should be proportionate to the significance of the identified or potential protection need and sufficient to support a reasoned conclusion regarding the existence of the need, accessibility of the relevant response and its capacity to address that need. Additional in-depth analysis should be undertaken only where the available information is insufficient or where there are indications of a significant gap or barrier.
• Proportionality in the collection of quantitative data. The Consultant is not expected to collect an identical set of quantitative indicators for every service. Information on capacity, coverage, caseload, staffing, financial or other resources should be collected only to the extent necessary to assess the specific issue concerned.
• Cautious interpretation of recorded demand. The absence or low level of recorded demand for, or use of, a service should not in itself be considered evidence of the absence or low significance of the corresponding need without consideration of possible barriers related to identification, awareness, access and referral. Where objective data are insufficient, the Consultant may formulate a reasoned hypothesis, clearly indicating its basis and relevant information limitations.
• Verification of significant findings. To the extent practicable, findings concerning significant gaps, barriers or insufficiencies in the existing response should be verified against multiple relevant sources. Contradictory information and significant limitations in the available evidence should be reflected in the analysis.
• Practical applicability and value for money. The analysis should focus on identifying significant gaps whose resolution could improve the protection of vulnerable migrants and should not seek to provide an exhaustive description of the entire system of social and other services in Uzbekistan. Priority should be given to making effective use of and strengthening existing systems rather than creating parallel mechanisms.#

Stakeholder Coverage

As part of the collection and verification of information, the Consultant should ensure sufficient coverage of the main categories of stakeholders involved in identifying protection needs, providing services, facilitating access and referring vulnerable migrants.

Depending on the protection needs and services identified, these may include government authorities and institutions at national and local levels; governmental and non-governmental service providers; non-governmental and civil society organizations; international organizations and other actors possessing relevant data or practical experience; and representatives of target groups and vulnerable migrants, where their participation is necessary and practically justified for assessing needs or verifying actual access to services.

The specific composition, number and format of consultations should be determined by the Consultant based on the protection needs identified, the structure through which relevant services are provided, and the need to obtain information sufficient to support reasoned conclusions. Equal representation of each stakeholder category for every issue examined is not required.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications and Experience

•    Advanced university degree in Migration, Social Sciences, Law, Human Rights, Social Protection, Public Policy, International Development, or a related field.
•    At least five years of relevant professional experience in migrant protection, social protection, human rights, protection of vulnerable groups, or related areas.
•    Demonstrated experience in conducting research, assessments, mappings or similar analytical assignments, including collection and analysis of qualitative information.
•    Good understanding of protection frameworks and services relevant to vulnerable migrants, including children, victims of trafficking and other vulnerable categories.
•    Knowledge of the institutional and service delivery context in Uzbekistan, including relevant government and non-governmental actors.
•    Experience engaging with government institutions, civil society organizations, service providers and other relevant stakeholders.
•    Strong analytical skills and ability to translate findings into practical and feasible recommendations.
•    Excellent drafting and communication skills.

Languages

For this consultancy, Fluency in Russian and Uzbek is required; working knowledge of English is required.

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

Travel required

No travel is required under this consultancy. The assignment will be performed on a home-based basis in Uzbekistan.

Should the consultant consider any travel within Uzbekistan necessary for the implementation of the proposed methodology, such travel shall be undertaken at the consultant’s own expense and shall not entail any additional cost to IOM.

Purpose of Assignment and Scope of the work

All work under this consultancy shall be performed on a home-based basis in Uzbekistan, in close coordination with the Migrants Assistance and Protection Unit of IOM Uzbekistan. The Consultant shall be responsible for ensuring that they hold all permissions required to perform the assignment in Uzbekistan.
The Consultant shall carry out the assignment in accordance with the approved methodology and work plan and shall maintain regular coordination with IOM throughout the assignment. Any substantive adjustments to the agreed methodology or scope arising from the findings of the mapping shall be discussed and agreed with IOM in advance.

The inception package and draft analytical report may be prepared in Russian to facilitate substantive review by IOM and, where relevant, consultations with national stakeholders. The final national mapping and analytical report shall be prepared and submitted in both Russian and English. Both language versions shall reflect the same finalized findings, analysis and recommendations.

All deliverables shall be submitted electronically in editable digital format. All supporting materials developed under the assignment, including datasets, service mapping matrices, analytical tables, diagrams, charts and other visual materials, shall also be handed over to IOM Uzbekistan in editable format, where applicable.
Each work assignment shall be discussed in advance and a specific contract (Purchase Order) describing the nature of the job request, timeframe and budget shall be issued. Assignments will be requested and managed by the Migrants Assistance and Protection Unit of IOM Uzbekistan.

The Consultant shall ensure the accuracy, consistency and appropriate referencing of information used in the deliverables and shall maintain the confidentiality of any non-public information obtained in the course of the assignment. Information collected and processed under the consultancy shall be used solely for the purposes of the assignment and handled in accordance with applicable IOM requirements.

The materials produced in the performance of this consultancy shall be credited to IOM Uzbekistan. All original materials and outputs produced under the assignment shall be handed over to IOM Uzbekistan and shall remain the property of IOM.

All copyrights and other intellectual property rights in materials produced in the performance of this consultancy shall be vested exclusively in IOM. Any publication, reproduction or other use of such materials by the Consultant shall require the prior written consent of the Chief of Mission of IOM Uzbekistan.

Required Competencies

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

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.

Notes

IOM covers Consultants against occupational accidents and illnesses under the Compensation Plan (CP), free of charge, for the duration of the consultancy. IOM does not provide evacuation or medical insurance for reasons related to non-occupational accidents and illnesses. Consultants are responsible for their own medical insurance for non-occupational accident or illness and will be required to provide written proof of such coverage before commencing work. 

Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice 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, security clearances.

IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, 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.

IOM does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training or other fee). IOM does not request any information related to bank accounts.

IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM e-Recruitment system (for internal candidates link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.

No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website: IOM Careers and Job Vacancies

Required Skills

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