BACKGROUND & RATIONALE
The Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the Committee on the Rights of the Child are developing a Joint General Comment on Children in the Context of International Migration. The phenomenon of international migration affects all regions of the world and all people, and increasingly millions of children. The root causes of migration are often directly related to severe violations of human rights, including children’s rights. In the context of international migration, children are in a situation of double vulnerability – as children and as children affected by migration in some way – either as migrants themselves or as children of migrant parents in countries of transit or destination, or left behind in the country of origin. The Joint General Comment is aimed at providing appropriate and authoritative guidance to States parties to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (CMW), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on the measures to be adopted with a view to ensuring full compliance with their obligations under both Conventions with respect to children in the context of international migration, including with respect to abuse and exploitation, detention, discrimination, health, education, access to justice, right to nationality and other issues. UNICEF is providing support to both Committees for the preparation of this Joint General Comment, and is therefore recruiting a consultant to this end.
PURPOSE
To assist the Working Groups of both the CMW Committee and CRC Committee in charge of developing the draft General Comment on children in the context of international migration based on the concept note, the written and oral submissions received from the United Nations entities and specialized agencies, United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms, States parties to the Conventions, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders, as well as other supporting documents, including general comments of both Committees. The consultancy is a framework agreement to a total of 60 days within the time frame specified; the consultant will be paid by deliverables upon a mutually agreed schedule.
EXPECTED RESULTS: (MEASURABLE RESULTS)
Under the direct supervision of the responsible staff members in UNICEF, and in close consultation with the Human Rights Treaties Branch (HRTB) of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the consultant shall:
• Analyze and consolidate the information received, including the above-mentioned documents and submissions; • Perform relevant research; • Capture the concerns, inputs and suggestions of the CMW and CRC Working Groups on children in the context of international migration through teleconference discussions (and/or face-to-face meetings if based in Geneva), as well as e-mail correspondence. • In consultation with the Chair of the Working Group on children in the context of migration, prepare the a draft outline of the general comment; • In consultation with the Chair of the Working Group on children in the context of migration, prepare the first draft of the general comment; • Incorporate comments received from the members of both Working Groups on the first draft General Comment; • Develop the second draft incorporating inputs and comments from the regional consultations for first reading in plenary.
DUTY STATION
Remote Based. Any travel deemed necessary by UNICEF, in consultation with The Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the Committee on the Rights of the Child shall be specified in an addendum to the original contract and the Contractor’s travel costs shall be set out in the contract, on the following basis:
a. UNICEF will pay for travel in economy class via the most direct and economical route; provided however that in exceptional circumstances, such as for medical reasons, travel in business class may be approved by UNICEF on a case-by-case basis.
b. UNICEF will reimburse the Contractor for out-of-pocket expenses associated with such travel by paying an amount equivalent to the daily subsistence allowance that would be paid to staff members undertaking similar travel for official purposes.
TIMEFRAME
Start date: 15th August 2016 End date: 30th June 2017
DELIVERABLES, DURATION (ESTIMATED # OF DAYS), DEADLINE
- Draft outline of GR based on concept note and all available documents and in discussion with the Chair of the WG by 30th August 2016, 8 days for draft outline (including 1 day to finalize), 30 August 2016
- First draft of General Comment based on agreed outline, concept note, written submissions and other relevant sources by 22 August 2016 so that it can be reviewed by the CMW and CRC WGs at their September 2016 sessions, 30 Days, 17 October 2016
- Revise the draft based on comments received from the Working Groups, flagging substantive issues that need to be resolved by the WGs by 17 October 2016, 8 Days, 31 October 2016
- Incorporate comments received from other stakeholders, including children in the context of international migration and regional consultations by 31 March 2017, 9 Days, 31st March 2017
- Following first reading on draft in plenary of both Committees, finalize the draft general comment (2017), 5 Days, 30 June 2017
Total 60 days
Note: The Consultant is expected to be available to participate (remotely if necessary) in meetings of the WGs to the extent possible and regional consultations, if required. Deadlines are indicative and may be modified as meetings evolve with the Committees’ Working Groups.
Key competences, technical background, and experience required Deadline
• Advanced university degree in Law, Social Policy, Human Rights, Social Sciences or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant work experience in human rights or related field;
• Familiarity with the work of the Committees or other UN Treaty Bodies;
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English. Knowledge of French and Spanish an asset;
• Strong writing and analytical skills – especially in relation to UN/Committee style and language appropriate for use in a General Comment;
• Wide international knowledge and experience in child’s rights, in particular in relation to international migration;
• Ability to keep strict deadlines;
• Availability for the time-period specified;
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