Terms of reference – Consultancy to Set up An Online Collaboration Platform At Fédération internationale pour les droits humains

Organisation : International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH)
Programme : “Global Initiative Against Impunity for International Crimes and Serious Human
Rights Violations : Making Justice Work” (GIAI)
Engagement manager (reporting to) : GIAI Programme Coordinator
Budget for this consultancy : up to € 10,000
Starting date : 10 March 2025
Location : Online
Applications deadline : 28 February 2025

1. Background

Over the past decades, numerous initiatives have emerged to address impunity and seek justice for serious human rights violations and international crimes. Despite some progress, challenges persist, among them fragmented approaches from accountability-seeking entities, insufficient involvement of victims and survivors in justice processes, the proliferation of disinformation undermining the voices of those fighting against impunity, and the erosion of justice systems. These challenges underscore the need for a more cohesive and inclusive approach to justice and accountability. As a response to these concerns and in light of the spread of serious human rights violations and abuses, the decision was taken by the European Union to support civil society efforts in the fight against impunity. This led to the launch, in December 2023, of the “Global Initiative Against Impunity for International Crimes and Serious Human Rights Violations : Making Justice Work”.

The Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI) is a civil society-led programme co-funded by the European Union. Its goal is to promote inclusive, integrated, comprehensive justice and accountability for serious human rights violations worldwide. This action is implemented until November 2027 by a Consortium1 of eight organisations, the Secretariat of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) and two associate partners. The two specific objectives of the Global Initiative Against Impunity are :

• Increased agency and participation of rights-holders (victims, survivors, civil society organisations) in formal and informal justice processes
• Enhanced effectiveness of the accountability frameworks and systems to fight impunity and ensure victim-centered, trauma-informed and gender-transformative justice

By leveraging the broad networks and complementary expertise of its member organisations, the Consortium seeks to address impunity comprehensively, laying the groundwork for more effective, victim-centered and holistic accountability measures globally.

The Consortium is managed by a Secretariat and led by a Steering Committee comprising representatives from the eight member organisations and the CICC. It also benefits from the strategic guidance of the Advisory Committee and the complementary expertise of its Scientific Committee. At the beginning of 2025, a knowledge management platform will be finalized whose objective is to provide public access to the GIAI’s and other key accountability resources, promote peer learning and share best practices. This consultancy will address the current gaps in internal communication and information sharing between the Secretariat, Consortium members, Advisory Committee and Scientific Committee, leading to improved governance and enhanced collaboration between these different bodies.

2. Purpose of the consultancy

The overall purpose of this assignment is to support the Consortium Secretariat in the establishment and maintenance of an online collaboration platform in English language to support efficient communication, enhance information sharing and foster effective collaboration.

More specifically, the objectives of this assignment are :

1. To design and establish a robust, user-friendly and safe digital platform tailored to the communication and collaboration needs of the Consortium

2. To train Consortium members in the effective and safe use of this platform

3. To ensure adequate maintenance of the platform and provide technical support upon request

3. Scope of work and key tasks

The consultant will work in close collaboration with the GIAI Programme Coordinator and will be responsible for the following tasks :

a. Needs assessment :

Engage with Consortium members to gather input and feedback to ensure the platform is tailored to the needs of the programme. Make sure to include in this assessment partners’ current knowledge and use of collaboration platforms.

b. Platform design and development :

• Identify, compare and justify alternative technologies for the digital platform and its components. Make sure the platform complements and does not duplicate the components and functionalities of the knowledge management platform. It should also be able to integrate to existing systems and other collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Tresorit.
• Acquire, customize and implement the chosen digital platform(s) and its components
• Ensure the proposed platform is secure, user-friendly and cost-efficient. The platform should be top notch assuring content confidentiality considering the sensitivity of the GIAI’s activities. It should accommodate needed changes with minimal upgrade time and require affordable subscription fee.

c. Pilot testing and feedback collection :

• Conduct pilot testing of the platform with a selected group of users to identify any issues and gather feedback
• Refine and improve the platform based on pilot feedback to ensure it meets user expectations and requirements

d. User training and support :

• Provide a training to platform users, focusing on effective utilization of the platform’s features and functionalities
• Provide ongoing technical support and ensure adequate maintenance of the platform

Key tasks :

• Kick-off meeting and needs assessment
• Platform design and development
• Pilot testing and feedback collection
• User training and support

It is a home-based consultancy. The assignment is expected to start the week of the 10th of March. The platform shall be finalized and the user training conducted by April 2025. All costs related to the purchase and maintenance of this online collaboration platform will be taken care of by the Consortium’s Secretariat.

4. Required Qualifications, Experience and Competencies

The required qualification, competencies and experience for this role include :

Qualifications and Experience :

• Post-graduate study in a relevant field
• A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience in developing information technology solutions, digital platforms, web based and mobile applications and innovative technology designs.
• Proven track record in designing and implementing online collaboration platforms
• Technical expertise in web development, user experience design, and cybersecurity
• Experience with data integration techniques and API development to enable seamless interaction between different data sources and functionalities.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is essential.
  Other information :
• The Consultant will be expected to comply with FIDH regulations and safeguarding policies.
• Consultants must be legally registered to be employed on a freelance contract in their country of residence.
• Payments will be made upon submission of an invoice (including bank details).