Consultancy- Addressing the impact of COVID-19 on South Asian migrant workers

 Consultancy-Migrant Workers ToR 27052021.docx

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, an advocate

The UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA), UNICEF country offices, and external partners engage to garner support from decision-makers and the wider public, towards addressing priority issues that affect children across South Asia. This effort includes providing technical assistance, capacity-building and coordination to enhance digital advocacy in the region.  Anchored in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF’s strategies for change aim to yield concrete results for children, and, as part of that, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNICEF views the private sector as a vital partner in creating a better world for children.

Under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the Children’s Rights and Business Principles, businesses have a responsibility to respect child rights and are encouraged to take voluntary action to promote child rights. UNICEF engages with all actors to positively influence the world of business, including small and medium enterprises, multinational corporations, government institutions, independent regulatory bodies, corporate foundations, industry bodies, and multi-stakeholder platforms. Types of partnerships range from financial partnerships to working groups to advocacy efforts all dedicated to improving business policy and practices so that they respect and support children’s rights.

 The Child Protection & Business for Results team at UNICEF ROSA identified migrant workers as a vulnerable population who have been largely overlooked in the COVID-19 pandemic response. The team published a report which describes and analyses the impact of COVID-19 on South Asian migrant workers and their families, an issue with limited evidence. The report provides a child rights perspective to the discourse on labor migration and outlines recommendations for how the private sector should address the impacts of the pandemic on this vulnerable population. The publication of this report was well received, and there is a need to concretize the recommendations that it outlines, so that businesses will be provided with a set of tools that can be used to address the increased vulnerabilities of migrant workers in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19. 

 How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this consultancy is to take concrete steps to action the recommendations outlined in a UNICEF report published in March 2021, titled, “COVID-19 and Migration for Work in South Asia”.

UNICEF ROSA is looking to organize a roundtable event with business and government representatives from across South Asia, as well as other regions. The topic of discussion will be, the role that business plays in influencing labour migration. More specifically the event will discuss: (1) the findings of the report, and (2) the policies and regulations that can be implemented by businesses to address the vulnerabilities of migrant workers.

In addition to this cross-regional roundtable event, UNICEF ROSA is looking for a consultant to translate the report into a generic Guidance Note for UNICEF Country Offices. The guidance note should provide key messages and concrete next steps in terms of what country office staff should do in their programming, advocacy, and partnerships to address the issues stemming from labor migration.

Key Assignments/Tasks:

Working directly under the supervision of the Regional Advisor Child Protection and the Corporate Alliances Specialist (B4R), the consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Conduct a cross-regional roundtable event with business and government, in collaboration with other UNICEF regional offices. This includes the development of a concept note, as well as the organisation of logistics of the cross-regional roundtable event with businesses and government, as well as the development of actions and a plan following the event.
2. Develop a Guidance Note for Country Offices to be used by multiple country offices, based on the COVID-19 and Migration for Work in South Asia report.

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

• Graduate or Ph.D. degree program in business, economics, communication, journalism, politics or similar discipline.
• At least 3 years of work experience on research and writing and work with UNICEF or another UN agency
• Experience in organizing and facilitating meetings and events including online.
• Experience on children’s rights, business, and UNICEF program areas and strategic plan a strong advantage 
• Strong communication skills, written English skills, and ability to write clearly, succinctly and for a variety of audiences
• Strong facilitation skills and experience in collaborating with a diverse audience
• Knowledge of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and computer skills such as SharePoint
• Knowledge of and interest in South Asia news is an asset
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to distil lengthy and often complex content into brief summaries
• Knowledge of child rights and UNICEF’s engagement strategy with business (or keen willingness to learn) is an asset
• Prior work experience at UNICEF an advantage

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.