Consultant for Country Analysis and Risk Assessment Sri Lanka At Centre for Civil and Political Rights

Overview

The Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) is recruiting, as described below, a consultant for Country Analysis and Risk Assessments Sri Lanka to support the implementation of the project “Our Rights, Our Future” funded by the EU Grant Contract 2024/459-151 and executed by Forum Civ, COSPE (Cooperation for the Development of Emerging Countries), and CCPR. The project “Our Rights, Our Future” has a duration of 36 months from 01/01/2025, is being implemented in 9 countries worldwide (Colombia, Brazil, Senegal, Eswatini, Kenya, Tunisia, Palestine, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka). The main objective of the project is to enable rights holders, particularly marginalized youth, to have more opportunities to participate actively, safely, and meaningfully in civic space as drivers of change to promote and defend fundamental freedoms, democracy, and human rights at local and global levels. The project puts particular focus on the protection and promotion of the right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly as well as on the participation of youth from marginalised communities.

Position: Consultant for Country Analysis and Risk Assessment

Location: Sri Lanka Starting date: 1 March 2025 (or as early as possible)

Duration: 3 months

Remuneration: Total € 5’000 or equivalent amount in local currency, all included

Supervision: The position will be supervised by National Focal Point and management and coordination team of the CCPR.

Roles and responsibilities:

The consultant for Country Analysis and Risk Assessments in Sri Lanka is requested to analyse the situation of the freedom of association and freedom of peaceful assembly in Sri Lanka as well as assess actual and potential risks faced by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), including participants in this project, working on the protection of these freedoms. Roles and responsibilities of the consultant include:

• Carry out quantitative and qualitative research on the situation of the freedom of association and peaceful assembly in Sri Lanka, including on the legal, policy, institutional and administrative framework protecting or restricting the freedom, also using the CIVICUS Monitor Indicators as reference.

• Analyse the gap between international standard, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and national law and practice in protecting the freedom.

• Analyse the situation of the freedom of association and peaceful assembly permitted to and enjoyed by different groups, especially those whose rights may be discriminatorily restricted, e.g. women, indigenous peoples, afrodiscendents, ethnic and religious minorities, sexual and gender minorities etc., in the society in law and practice.

• Collect relevant data as evidence of the analysis.

• Assess risks, actual and potential, faced by CSOs and HRDs, in particular with regard to their physical, mental, legal and digital security with particular reference to the risks faced by young activists (18- 30).

• Support mapping youth-led or youth focused CSOs, groups and national platforms that are most at the forefront for the promotion of those rights in different form of activism (participation to decisionmaking, awareness raising, artivism, campaigning, advocacy, peaceful protests) and/or are most impacted by restrictions and challenges in freedom of association.

• Assess and identify preventive and mitigation measures CSOs and HRDs can take to avoid or address those risks, including those available at grassroots, national, regional and international levels.

• Support assessing needs of the CSOs and CBOs selected for participate in the programmes.

• Regularly communicate and coordinate with regional protection officer of the project for Asia, CCPR team, and with national focal point in Sri Lanka whenever needed.

Expected Deliverables

• Two interim findings by the end of March and April, related to the mapping of CSOs/CBOs (end of March) and risk analysis (end of April).

• Final report at the end (completion of tasks): Final report shall be structured with the following chapters: 1. Context analysis on freedom of association and peaceful assembly; 2. Situation of the different social groups; 3. Risk assessment for civil society and HRDs; 4. Profile of youth-led or youth focused organisations and groups facing risks; 5. Preventive and mitigation measures. Methodology shall include all aspects mentioned in the ToR.

Required qualifications

• 5 years of professional experience in relevant fields such as human rights, civil society movements, advocacy and legal field in the country. Experience in protection and security related work, international human rights law or qualitative and quantitative research will be an asset.

• Knowledge of the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka, especially in relation to freedom of association and peaceful assembly as well as protection and security of the HRDs.

• Knowledge of the situation of vulnerable groups, including particular needs and risks faced by those groups will be an asset.

• Knowledge or experience in gender mainstreaming or human rights-based approach.

• Good oral, written and online communication skills within a team as well as with stakeholders.

• Fluency in English (oral and written). Fluency in any of the languages spoken by target groups will be an asset.