Advocacy trainer within the project “Promoting the Protection of Migrants in the Russian Federation through Enhanced Regional Partnership” (2018-2021) At Caritas France – Secours Catholique

Position:

Advocacy trainer within the project “Promoting the Protection of Migrants in the Russian Federation through Enhanced Regional Partnership” (2018-2021)

Duration

5 working days (1 working day = 8 effective working hours)

2 working days (16 hours) of preparation of the training

2 working days of facilitation of the training

If On-site (in Moscow): 6 times 2 hours in early September 2021+ 4 hours to answer individual partners queries

If online: 4 times 3 hours once every two weeks during the months of October and November 2021 + 4 hours to answer individual partners queries

1 working day of preparation of the final report

Mission

Develop and deliver a training program aiming at informing project partners about the general purpose, potential results, tools, risks of advocacy activities and discussing advocacy case studies involving specific work situations encountered during the project implementation.

Location

Online with the exception of the 6 days seminar expected to take place in Moscow – if the sanitary context allows it to take place On-site.

Submission deadline

20 August 2021

This Terms of Reference (TOR) are designed for the purpose of identifying a short-term Consultant hired to develop and provide a capacity building training on Advocacy to the project partners and Caritas France (SCCF).

1. Current project description (Background):

The overall long-term goal of the project is promoting the realization of the rights of migrants in the Russian Federation in accordance with international treaties and conventions with a special focus on migrants from the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In order to ensure that the rights of migrants from the KR, RA and RU in the RF are implemented, the project works directly with migrants themselves, providing them with information on their rights and obligations, training them to defend their rights and providing legal assistance in cases where their rights are violated. (Short-term Objective 1: Migrants and their family members actively protect their rights in the countries of destination and departure).

To reach out to migrants and assist them more effectively, the project strengthens the collaboration of all stakeholders at both local, national and cross-country level through different advocacy strategies, that in a context of pandemic and political instability in the region have not shown a high level of success (Short-term Objective 2. Enhanced cooperation within the civil society, including organizations of migrants, state authorities, local governments, and international organizations in solving problems and ensuring the rights of migrants and their family members). More specifically, those advocacy strategies are implemented in three project countries: Russia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.

· In Russia, the local partner holds meetings of the International Working Group on Liberalization of Migration Legislation and Law Enforcement. Russian and Foreign representatives of state authorities and non-governmental organizations working in the field of migration are invited to identify gaps and problems in legislation and its enforcement, to discuss new regulations and legislation and provides recommendations to the relevant authorities before and after those regulations and legislations entered into force.

· In Armenia, the partner organization works with 9 Migration Resource Centres and with the Regional Centre of the State Employment Agency of the Republic of Armenia to strengthen the capacity of the staff in supporting and informing Armenian labour migrants about the challenges they may face before their journey to Russia. Through communication and regular meeting with local and national authorities, the organisation aims at extending its activities to other regions and so to reach and inform more Armenian labour migrants.

· In Kyrgyzstan, all three partner organizations support the activities of Small Public Councils composed of representatives of local authorities and state bodies working at the local level at identifying migrants and their families, to provide them with assistance according to their needs and to inform and advise on the regulation applicable to Kyrgyz labour migrants in Russia. One partner organisation, more specifically, works with the Kyrgyz government on the development and implementation of migration policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, with the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic on improving migration legislation, including the Eurasian Economic Union treaties, as well as their enforcement.

In the current context of pandemic, more and more labour migrants have seen their rights violated in Russia. The Russian partner, human right activist organization, is usually among the first to witness and flag those violations. However, it is often difficult for the other partners to react and deliver strong messages – most notably because they do not have a clear understanding of their role and leeway in such circumstances, and are afraid of the risk this could represent for themselves, their organization or the full advocacy strategy they have been trying to put in place.

2. Specific objectives of the mission **

Thanks to the current project documentation, as well as preliminary assessments made by the project staff and the reports of the final study and final evaluation of the ongoing project, the consultant is expected to:

Develop and deliver a training program for all six project partners of the transnational network of NGOs specialised in labour migrations Russia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

Based on a preliminary assessment, project partners would be in need of:

• A tailored workshops on advocacy detailing (i) the purpose and types of advocacy, (ii) the different methodology and tools available to support them in their regular activities but also in special circumstances (detailed above), (iii) the potential results partners can expect from their actions (long term/short term), (iv) the personal, collective or reputational risks involved and safeguards needed depending on the type of advocacy considered – (overall 6 hours – 3 times 2 hours if On-site / 2 times 3 hours if online)
• Case studies showing the different application of the different types of advocacy in repressive regimes including discussion around specific work situations encountered during the project implementation[1] – (overall 6 hours – 3 times 2 hours if On-site / 2 times 3 hours if online)

The trainer is expected to use interactive facilitation technics. The training will take place in Russian language.

The Consultant will be under the direct supervision of the SCCF Desk Armenia, Russia, Central Asia and is expected to report on any difficulties preventing the successful achievement of the mission (eg. Difficult communication with partners, lack of access to relevant information, issue regarding his/her contract terms, security concerns…)

The consultant will work in close cooperation with the Project coordinator, M&E expert, project partners and SCCF Desk Armenia, Russia, Central Asia.

3.Timeframe **

The assignment is to take place either during the first half of the month of September 2021, in Moscow (if On-site), or during the months of October and November (if online). It is expected to involve 5 working days (1 working day = 8 effective working hours)

Working days could be spread in the following manner:

Number of days …………………Modus operandi………………………….. Task

2 working days (16 hours)……..Online …………………………….Preparation of the training involving discussion with project coordination staff, desk review

2 working days…………………… On-site (possibly online) …….Facilitation of the training in Russian language

• If On-site: 6 times 2 hours in early September 2021
• If online : 4 times 3 hours once every two weeks during the months of October and November 2021 + 4 hours to answer individual partners queries

1 working day………………………. Online……………………………… Preparation of the final report

4.Expected deliverables to be submitted with specific deadlines**

Deadlines:

• If On-site: 26.09.2021
• If online: 10.12.2021

Language

English

Delivrable

Final report detailing:

• Training program content and trainer’s impression over project partners involvement in the training
• Strength, Weaknesses identified with regards to Advocacy: for each project partners if possible, and more generally for the project. More specifically, the expert is expected to provide his/her insights about feasibility and effectiveness of the current project Advocacy strategy.
• Recommendation on what could be done to bypass the obstacles currently faced, and how to review the project Advocacy strategy in order to ensure its efficiency
• Further needs identified with regards to advocacy and guidance about relevant topics to cover in the course of further trainings focussed on advocacy

5. Competences required

Prerequisites

• Only duly registered independent consultant or employee of a consulting firm may answer.
• Ability of the consultant to be in Moscow – Russia in the first half of September 2021 (precise dates to be determined)

Academic

• Degree in management of development projects (Project cycle management, financial management…) or human and social science.
• Excellent knowledge of Russian (written / oral / comprehension) and English/French is required

Experience

• A minimum of 5 years in humanitarian-development sector, using diverse advocacy methods
• Demonstrated experiences in organizing and conducting interactive training/workshop on advocacy;
• Demonstrated experience in the sector of advocacy in the Russian Federation
• Proven ability to deal with multiple tasks in a courteous and service-oriented manner in a demanding working condition
• Working experience on migration issues in Eastern Europe/CIS countries is an asset

Skills

• Good facilitator with strong interpersonal and negotiations skills
• A team player with service oriented attitude
• Strictly follow safety measures and code of conduct

6. Financial procedures:

The payment will be made as follows:

• 1st instalment — 30% (after signing the agreement); and
• Final Instalment — 70% (after submission of the agreed deliverable by the deadline set in section 4).

Note that all expenditures related to transportation, daily subsistence and other administrative expenditure will be reimbursed provided those expenditures are relevant to the mission achievement and duly justified.

[1] Partners drew a list of advocacy success story and advocacy failure they experience. Project staff also have a certain number of concrete situation that would be worth being discussed with a professional trainer.