Consultancy For Community Mobilization Icla –National Only– At Norwegian Refugee Council

BACKGROUND

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an international, independent, humanitarian, non-profit, non-governmental organization established in 1946. NRC in Latin America and the Caribbean responds to the needs and rights of displaced persons and refugees regardless of age, gender, social, ethnic, religious or national status, with a focus on access to rights and durable solutions. The commitment to protection guides all humanitarian actions and responses to displacement and is an essential element of NRC’s mission.

NRC has been operating in Panama since 2008 and has been successfully implementing the legal services program in Panama, Darien and Chiriqui. NRC has coverage in the aforementioned provinces and a high capacity to work towards people affected by the conflict and other migration crises present in the main urban centers, while also being able to reach communities in hard-to-reach areas and people with restricted mobility.

Through its ICLA (Information, Guidance and Legal Assistance) competencies, NRC has promoted and supported access to rights for the population in need of international protection in Panama in the context of emergencies and durable solutions.

CONTEXT

Panama is currently experiencing a humanitarian crisis due to the excessive increase in informal migratory flows through the Darien jungle. According to data provided by the National Migration Service, more than 500,000 migrants have entered through the Darien jungle, a historic record of individuals who have crossed this natural border between Panama and Colombia. Of the 501,297 who have crossed in 2023, 320,465 are Venezuelan, followed by Ecuador with 54,757 migrants. Approximately 60,000 minors are reported to have passed through the jungle, of these, 219 are separated from their parents (they died on the way), of which 86 minors were not accompanied by any family member and 45 did not carry documents.

In the host communities and in the ETRM, the situation has worsened due to the accumulation of people in transit and people in need of protection. There are humanitarian needs, gaps and limitations in the response, and people on the move face protection threats that put their lives and well-being at risk. People’s testimonies report threats from illegal armed groups that control illegal routes through the jungle, robbery and extortion, physical and sexual violence, exploitation, kidnappings, injuries and attacks by wild animals, in addition to the geographic and climatic risks of the area. Smuggling of Migrants and Human Trafficking are on the rise with these increases in migratory movements. 95% of people arrive in poor health, specifically with gastrointestinal and dermatological problems. The institutional response and that of humanitarian organizations in the area is not sufficient, which worsens living conditions and increases vulnerability.

JUSTIFICATION

ICLA’s interventions in Panama have been of a community or collective nature, as well as individual, through different activities:

• Information, guidance and legal assistance services
• Community-based interventions
• Community and institutional strengthening
• Training days
• Support for community initiatives
• Incidence

ICLA provides the following services in the area: information, guidance and legal assistance to people in need of international protection, access to rights, regularization processes and VTP.

The need for a community mobilization consultancy is to improve the quality of the NRC response in the area, improve the services provided and promote a more comprehensive and timely response at the community level.

Purpose of Consulting

NRC consultants are expected to conduct their work in accordance with the organization’s core values: dedication, innovation, inclusion, and accountability. These values ​​and attitudes should guide our actions and relationships.

The purpose of the consultancy is to support community services and linkage with ICLA advisors at Temporary Migration Reception Stations (ETRM) and receiving communities in the provinces of Darién and Chiriquí, where there is a presence of people in transit, people with international protection needs (PNPI), refugees and vulnerable migrants seeking to request international protection in Panama or to continue their journey to other countries in the region.

Commitments to NRC:

1. Ensure adherence with NRC policies, tools, manuals and guidelines.
2. Support the implementation of the ICLA project portfolio according to the action plan.
3. Prepare and develop reports required by ICLA or area management.
4. Promote and share ideas to strengthen support functions
5. Responsible for the execution of tasks in accordance with the organization’s priorities and standards.
6. Initiative in solving everyday problems in accordance with agreed procedures, priorities and standards for the work area.
7. Ensure proper filing of documents.
8. Promote and share ideas to strengthen the functions of your role**.**

Consultant’s Tasks:

NRC Duties

Provision of documentary review, supplies, contact with communities and staff. NRC will assume the costs of air and inter-municipal transportation. Other travel expenses such as food, taxis, lodging are covered by the value of the consultancy, and must be assumed by the contractor.

OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF WORK

1. Provide information services and community work in the Darien provinces, in accordance with the respective tasks.
2. Identify the procedures carried out, as well as the main successes and difficulties encountered in supporting communities within the framework of ICLA services, supported by NRC in order to mitigate actions with damage.
3. Identify the degree of difficulties encountered by the population in transit and arrival in Panama in the respective ETRM in order to access services and rights.

   Specific tasks:

4. Conduct visits within the ETRM and communities close to the ETRM and promote contact with migrants, refugees and key local populations to identify needs for immigration regularization and access to rights.
5. Share with the ICLA team the information provided by PNIP/refugees/Migrants on their situation, needs for access to services, immigration regularization, rights, protection risks and characteristics of the community.
6. Support the linking of migrants/refugees and communities with the available NRC services for access to the refugee and immigration regularization procedure in Panama, as well as with other institutions/service providers
7. Support the ICLA team in the execution of activities and work plans/activities to facilitate access to the refugee process, immigration regularization, protection risks, and routes to North American countries.
8. Provide basic information in communities about NRC’s work and communication mechanisms with the organization.
9. Provide information to migrants/refugees/PNPI on services of interest to them, the registration and regularization process, and share information with the ICLA team for migrants/PNPI/refugees who request it in order to be assisted.
10. Share information with NRC’s ICLA team about identified community stakeholders and leaders who can support the organization’s activities.
11. Prepare activity reports and deliver the verification means generated (lists of people visited in the communities, contacts made in the communities, among others relevant to their activities).
12. Support for the Darien office.

PRODUCTS

• Establish a Work Plan of the activities and processes to be carried out, with the support of the ICLA Team Leader, Office Coordination and the ICLA Specialist.
• Monthly application of PROLAC surveys to the population in transit both in the ETRM and in the host communities.
• Review and adjust the work plan when there are changes in context or dynamics in the ETRM and host communities in coordination with the ICLA Team Leader, Office Coordination and the technical support of the ICLA Specialist.
• Delivery of essential items such as hygiene kits or Wash to identify PNPI and vulnerable migrants.
• Preparation and completion of attendance lists and service delivery records.
• Ensure the use and implementation of measurement tools to evaluate the success of the activities described in the project.
• Provide case information for reporting in NRC Panama databases.
• Provide case information required by the ICLA Team Leader and Office Coordination.
• Regularly reports project progress, difficulties, and lessons learned to the ICLA Team Leader and the Office Coordinator
• Reporting.
• Any other activity assigned directly by Office Coordination or ICLA Team Leader.

INSTITUTIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PROVISIONS

The NRC will own the intellectual property rights to all materials submitted by consultants under the contract. Consultants must therefore ensure that they own any materials provided to the NRC as part of the deliverable. Reproduction rights to the reports will be granted to the NRC and its contracted agents. The NRC will be free to reproduce the materials at will and to grant reproduction rights.

DURATION

The duration of these activities will be 3 months.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PERSON / CONSULTING COMPANY

The natural person who wishes to apply must meet the following criteria:

• Professional graduate in social sciences or university student in social sciences.

• Certify work experience with International Organizations and International Cooperation Agencies.

• Demonstrate experience in humanitarian projects related to PNPI, migrants and the host population.

• Certify work experience in the departments of Darién and Chiriquí

• Knowledge of domestic legislation on Asylum Processes, Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

• Proven knowledge and experience in the preparation of documents, reports and activities associated with consulting.

• Skills for working in multicultural contexts, with people from different countries, religions, with ethnic and diverse communities.

• Knowledge and experience in working at Temporary Migration Reception Stations or migrant shelters is valued positively, but does not exclude from the process.

SPECIAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCES:

• Sensitivity and respect for vulnerable populations and social problems.

• Spanish (verbal and written)

• Organization, responsibility, leadership and teamwork.

• Proactive and Creative.

• Respectful, willing to reach agreement and dialogue.

• Ease of oral and written communication.

• Good command of Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel)

• Ease of working in unsafe and complex contexts.

• Positive attitude and ability to resolve conflict situations.

• Interest in learning about and working on issues related to Human Rights, migration, refugees and other vulnerable groups/minorities.
• Ability to promote joint work
• People with a vocational orientation towards social, rights and community issues. Having participated in social and community processes.

PROPERTY RIGHTS and RELIABILITY: Property rights remain with the Norwegian Refugee Council. The reliability of the information collected is essential and dissemination of the material without authorization from the organization could put the safety of participants at risk. Any dissemination or reproduction of the collected material must be authorized by the organization.

METHOD OF PAYMENT

A budget is available to develop the process, which includes payment of fees to the consulting team, documentation of experiences and delivery of products described in the terms of reference.

Method of payment:

• Payments will be made against reports on a monthly basis and according to the review of the schedule.

ELEGIBILIDAD

Interested parties must submit the following documents:

• Natural Person: Resume and copy of ID card
• Three (3) certifications of relevant experience.