CONSULTANT: To Develop an Advocacy Strategy on Immigration Detention of Rohingya Refugees in Malaysia At Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network

The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is seeking a dedicated person to join our programme team as a short-term consultant. The ideal candidate will be passionate about advancing the rights of refugees and other people in need of protection and will be equipped with a strong sense of social justice, excellent research and drafting skills, an interest in learning, a creative approach to problem solving, and a willingness to actively support the collaborative efforts of our membership towards increasing access to fundamental rights and combating the unlawful detention of refugees in Malaysia. APRRN expects the consultant to maintain excellent teamwork and communication skills, while being independently motivated, with a strong work ethic.

The consultant will ideally be based in Malaysia and will work closely with the APRRN Secretariat’s Rohingya Consultant, members of APRRN’s Rohingya Working Group, and report to the Chair/Deputy Chair of the Rohingya Working Group and to the APRRN Programme Coordinator.

APRRN is looking for an applicant who is able to commit for a total of forty-five (45) working days within the span of a three-month long term.

ASIA PACIFIC REFUGEE RIGHTS NETWORK (APRRN)

APRRN is a network of more than 200 active civil society organisations and individuals from 38 countries, committed to advancing the rights of refugees in the Asia Pacific region. The network is supported by a secretariat, based in Bangkok. APRRN’s activities are structured into key areas of information sharing, mutual capacity building, and joint advocacy. Our members are diverse. They include service providers, human rights advocacy groups, research institutions, law firms providing pro-bono legal aid, refugee community-based organisations, refugees themselves, and dedicated individuals. Almost all APRRN members are working in their specific local contexts, advocating for advancing policy and practice to ensure and protect the rights of people in need of protection. APRRN’s vision for the Asia Pacific region is one in which all people affected by displacement and statelessness have meaningful access to assistance and protection, and to timely durable solutions as needed. Our goal is to work towards a future in which refugee communities, civil society, States, UNHCR, and other actors collaborate effectively towards the common purpose of protection.

APRRN members established a dedicated Rohingya Working Group following the mass exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar in August 2017. Rohingya Working Group’s objectives are to engage in strategic advocacy at the sub-national, national, regional and international levels, increase the participation and inclusion of Rohingya refugees in advocacy initiatives, and support and facilitate local civil society organisations and Rohingya refugees to enhance the protection space for this vulnerable population through information sharing, capacity building and regional advocacy with APRRN members in the Asia-Pacific region, most specifically in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and India.

CONTEXT

In recent years APRRN has been concerned due to the increasing use of immigration detention laws to arbitrarily detain a significant number of refugees, including refugee children across Malaysia. Most recently, APRRN’s Rohingya Working Group has identified Malaysia as a country with significant gaps in terms of availability of data and information regarding Rohingya refugees in detention. There is a lack of strategy papers and advocacy guidance notes, drafted based on different stakeholder viewpoints on the detention of Rohingya refugees, particularly refugee children. In light of the government policies and practices regarding detention of Rohingya, especially women and children, and recommendations for potential policy changes to enable alternatives to detention and access to basic rights for refugees in Malaysia, there is a need for a comprehensive analysis based on consultations with key stakeholders such as the refugee community, NGOs, legal community, UNHCR, SUHAKAM, police, parliamentarians, IDC administration, government officials, etc. APRRN envisages this consultancy to be a significant opportunity to continue to expand protection spaces for refugees and asylum seekers—ultimately with a view to embedding legislative and policy changes in Malaysia.

APRRN will progress this effort through a culmination of research, targeted advocacy actions, public awareness raising, coalition building, supporting national-level initiatives, and capacity building. Through such approaches, APRRN anticipates being able to further expand protection spaces in Malaysia.

SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT

The APRRN Rohingya Working Group, through the consultant, will undertake a project with stakeholders working on detention and other related protection issues in Malaysia. The advocacy strategy developed by the consultant will inform the policy discussions around alternatives to detention and access to basic rights for refugees in Malaysia. The research will be undertaken through data collection and stakeholder consultations, including consultations with Rohingya refugee communities. The deliverables of this consultancy will inform APRRN’s and the End Child Detention Network’s advocacy messaging both publicly and privately towards advocacy targets including government authorities, diplomatic community, ASEAN bodies, national human rights institution, policy makers, donors, NGO coalitions, and prison/detention authorities, amongst others.

QUALIFICATIONS

• BA (with experience) or MA in a social science field related to research and forced migration/human rights/advocacy
• Minimum 5 years experience in research and advocacy around refugee rights, human rights, or another closely related field
• Sound understanding of research ethics, appropriate methodologies for engaging populations at risk, and data protection standards
• Experience working through interpreters
• Experience working with displaced populations in Malaysia, specially Rohingya refugees
• Understanding of human rights frameworks in Malaysia and ASEAN countries
• Experience in data gathering and conducting stakeholder consultations around detention and other protection concerns
• Experience in developing advocacy strategies pertaining to forced migration ideally in the Malaysian and/or ASEAN context, with experience in tailoring strategies towards different government and non-governmental audiences

SKILLS

• Ability to develop, evaluate, and progress research strategies involving diverse actors and across variable contexts
• Ability to identify and engage relevant actors towards comprehensive research outputs
• Ability to collect, interpret, analyse, and present research through data-driven advocacy strategizing
• Ability to work autonomously, or in loose collaboration with others
• Ability to identify and pursue and verify diverse data sources, including inputs from marginalised populations
• Ability to design and implement sound research strategies that account for participant vulnerabilities, confidentiality, interpretation, and engagement with at-risk and/or underground populations
• Ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines
• Demonstrable professional English writing ability
• Ability to speak Malay is an asset
• Impeccable research skills, analytical thinking capability, project management skills, computer knowledge, and communication skills