Consultancy (up to 40 working days): Build evidence on the role of business and best practices in support to children affected by labor related migration, Division of Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP)

UNICEF is seeking to work with an experienced consultant to gather the evidence on business' role, responsibilities and best practices in support of children affected by migration and produce a compelling report with key recommendations for the private sector on actions they can take.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, hope

Migration and displacement is a major global phenomenon, with increasing social, economic and political impacts. Children are the most affected group, in many ways, and at the same time often the most neglected. According to the most recent available data:  

• It is estimated that around the world, nearly 50 million children are living outside their country of birth or are displaced within their own country.
• Poverty and conflict are two core drivers for children moving from their homes. More than 400 million children live in extreme poverty and almost 1 in 10 children live in countries and areas affected by armed conflicts.
• In 2014, almost a third of all identified trafficking victims were children, many unaccompanied and the majority of whom were girls.
• At least 70,000 new stateless children are born every year in the 20 countries hosting the world’s largest stateless populations.
• Over 100 countries are recorded as detaining children in often dangerous and vulnerable situations.
• In 2015, there were 27 million children out of school across 24 conflict-affected countries. Refugee children are five times more likely to be out of school than other children. In countries affected by conflict, girls are 2.5 times more likely to be out of school than boys.
• Sub-Saharan African migrant and refugee children are especially vulnerable to xenophobia and discrimination. This is particularly the case with some regions or countries of origin. For example, over 80 per cent of adolescents and young people from sub-Saharan Africa, who were surveyed after travelling the Central Mediterranean route towards Europe, reported exploitation, compared to around 55 per cent of those originating from elsewhere.
• The promise of employment in globalized workplaces and economies has resulted in mass migration of people - from rural to urban, and across national borders - even at times, at great risk to their own safety. In Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh city, 90% of workers are migrants from the surrounding rural villages. Indonesia’s palm oil plantations are located on remote islands of the country’s archipelago - without migrant workers, the sector would find it difficult to meet it’s labour needs. (See the Vietnam and Indonesia studies on child rights in supply chains. https://www.unicef.org/csr/global-supply-chains.html) The challenges are amplified for low-skilled workers and their families who are also migrants - they are more likely to experience working poverty, have difficulty accessing basic services such as education and healthcare, have challenges securing identification and birth registration, and face discrimination in the workplace and in the community.
• The children of economic migrants suffer similar risks. While the economic impact of labor migration can lead to an increase in household income and contribute to poverty alleviation, it can also increase the vulnerability of workers and their families to violence and exploitation, limit their and their children’s access to essential services such as education and healthcare, and impact more generally on wellbeing and quality of life.

Actions to advocate for and support migrants and refugee children and young people are taking place at global and national levels by multiple stakeholders including governments, civil society, development and humanitarian organizations and business. However, the role of business vis-à-vis children and young people on the move has not been clearly defined and explored.

To address these gaps PFP has recently commissioned a landscape mapping of business engagements to support displaced children, with a focus on refugee children. However, it was concluded that it is critical to also address labour migration related issues, an area business have a major impact on children.

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF is seeking to work with an experienced consultant to gather the evidence on business' role, responsibilities and best practices in support of children affected by migration and produce a compelling report with key recommendations for the private sector on actions they can take.  

MAIN TASKS:

1. Methodology and outline- Provide a proposed methodology for the desk review and draft content outline for the final report.
2. Desk review including interviews with relevant UNICEF staff and partners as relevant.

• Mapping of key business, multi-stakeholder platforms, networks and initiatives involving business, international organizations and UN agencies (including UNICEF) working with business on labour migration. 
• Research and review of available information and data (on publications, studies, researches, papers, reports, surveys, etc.) on business and children affected by labour migration.

3. Recommendations

• Provide recommendations on strategic opportunities for UNICEF to leverage those initiatives with business from a children's rights perspective.
• Opportunities for business to partner with UNICEF to support children uprooted.

4. Review and Edit Final Report including mapping, analysis, best practices, and recommendations for business on strategic opportunities for UNICEF engagement with business, multi-stakeholder platforms, networks and initiatives involving business, and for business to partner with UNICEF to children uprooted.  The existing report needs to be rewritten including the analysis of labour migration and prepared as final product.

DELIVERABLES:

Proposal for Report Finalization - estimate 6 days (by 8 November 2019)

• Review of existing draft report
• Review of existing research materials and raw data on labour migration and children from supply chain studies
• 2-page proposal methodology and scope of the report finalization within time frame.

Report Outline - estimate 10 days (by 22 November 2019)

• Outline for revised report - chapter headings, key messages
• Presentation and discussion with team; opportunity for feedback

Final Report - estimate 24 days (by 31 December 2019)

• Final report integrating labour migration and refugee engagement of business on the Uprooted Campaign

ESTIMATED DURATION OF THE CONTRACT:

The consultant will work for a total of up to 40 working days within the period tentatively from 1 November to 31 December 2019.

REPORTING TO: 

The consultant will report to the Advocacy and Policy Specialist in the Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships unit, UNICEF Geneva.

WORK PLACE:

The consultant will work remotely and be available for check-in calls as required. The Consultant should be able to use own communication means (usually email, skype for business) to communicate with all required focal points in Geneva, other divisions and UNICEF offices and NatComs around the world as needed for the accomplishment of the tasks.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Master's degree in social sciences, communications, knowledge management, international relations or related field; a lesser degree with additional experience in relevant fields may be considered;
• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible professional work experience in communications and/or knowledge management, some at the international level;
• Familiarity with business and human rights approaches; experience with labour migration is an asset.
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English;
• Strong research skills, analytical and conceptual thinking, and ability to effectively document best practices in an analytical manner.
• Previous experience of work with UNICEF and/or other UN/international entities would be an asset.
• Ability to work independently, demonstrate initiative, and produce results;
• Experience working with UN/international entities and/or familiarity with the work of UNICEF desirable.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Remarks: Please indicate your ability, availability and gross daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered. Also, please mention the earliest date you can start.

Taxation: UNICEF and the United Nations accept no liability for any taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant and individual contractor on payments made under this contract. Neither UNICEF nor the United Nations will issue a statement of earnings to the consultant and individual contractor.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.