Consultant (International) 100 views1 applications

CALL FOR APPLICATION(CFA)

Open to Internal and External Candidates

Vacancy No.: IOM-CFA/0033/2024

Position Title: International Consultant – Gender-sensitive skills assessments in Mauritius, Mozambique and, South Africa to match supply and demand, and inform bilateral and multilateral cooperation and regional integration.

Position Grade: Consultant – Category B

Duty Station: Homebased with a possibility to travel

Type of Appointment: Consultant

Estimated Start Date: As soon as possible

Closing Date: 31 March 2024

Labour has become more mobile internationally, and large numbers of people migrate to where employment opportunities are available. ILO estimates the number of migrant workers at a global level at 169 million in 2019. The African Union also put the number of international migrant workers in the continent at 14.5 million (i.e., 5.6 million female and 8.9 million male) during the same year. The number of migrant workers in the continent has been steadily increasing and registered an average growth rate of 4.8 percent (i.e., 5.4 percent female and 4.7 percent male) between 2010 and 2019, which surpassed its the population growth rate that averaged at 2.7 percent during the same period.

The Southern Africa subregion also hosted 3.5 million international migrant workers in 2019 (i.e., 1.2 million female and 2.2 million male), the third largest among subregions of the continent. The number of migrant workers growth rate in the sub-region that averaged at 6.9 percent between 2010 -2019 was the highest in the continent and surpassed the labour force growth rate for the sub-region (2.4 percent) during the same period. Similarly, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) hosted the third largest international labour migrants (4.4 million (i.e., 2.8 million female and 1.6 million male)) among Regional Economic Communities (RECs) following CEN-SAD and COMESA.

South Africa, the most industrialized economy in the region, has been the main destination for international migrants. In 2020, it hosted close to 2.9 million international migrants. Mozambique and Mauritius also hosted 338,850 and 28,893 international migrants, respectively, that same year. On the other hand, during the same year, 914,901 South African were residing outside of their country, the 3rd largest sending country in the SADC region, while Mozambique trailed with 640,160. Mauritius also had comparably a modest 182,973 citizens living outside of their country that same year.

Labour migration can be a means to respond effectively to labour supply and demand needs, stimulate innovation and development in countries of origin and destination, as well as to transfer skills. Migrant workers make significant contributions to the economic, social and cultural development of their host countries and their countries of origin. All migrant workers possess skills that can be used in their new environments and broaden the pool of available skills, improving the international flow of talent and skills matching. However, migrant workers face various challenges in accessing decent employment opportunities leading to under-utilization of their skills and exploitation. A major setback in Africa, in particular, is the non-recognition, non-compatibility and non-comparability of skills, qualifications and experience across national borders, contributing to wasted potential, reduced productivity and the inability of employers to obtain needed competences. Further to this, as a result of gender norms and stereotyping that gear women to certain traditionally female occupations, women migrant workers encounter an added layer of challenge. They are often employed in lower ranked jobs, and work in more precarious, insecure, informal employment and receive low renumeration and social recognition.

The AU free movement protocol, which aims to facilitate and increase the movement of Africans within Africa, was adopted in 2018, however, to date only four countries out of the 55 African Union Member States (MSs) have ratified the protocol. In order to reap the benefits of labour migration, countries need to ensure that migrant workers’ rights are protected and their skills are portable, and enable them to integrate into the labour market and the society through access to education and training, and to employment opportunities. Such measures need to include a gender focus to guarantee the adequate recognition of qualifications and skills of men and women and avoid brain waste and deskilling in particular among women migrant workers. SADC has been undertaking a range of measures to promote portability of skills among the Regional Economic Community’s (REC) member states, which include,

• Adoption of a Labour Migration Action Plan (2020-2025) as part of the effort to promote skills transfer and match labour supply and demand for regional development and integration. The implementation of the action plan is expected to contribute to the protection of labour migrants’ rights and give them an opportunity to make a greater developmental impact on both countries of origin and destination;
• Approval of an Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap (2015-2063) in April 2015. The Strategy urges Member States to facilitate the movement of factors of production (i.e., capital and skills) within the SADC region. It also emphasizes the need for a skills audit at regional level and mutually agreed accreditations frameworks;
• Development of Labour Market Information System (LMIS), which provides labour market information such as employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to stakeholders;
• Development of a Decent Work Programme that aims to help Member States promote job creation, labour standards, social dialogue and social protection;
• The adoption of a Labour Migration Policy Framework in July 2014, which has the objective of enhancing the protection of migrant workers’ rights and to facilitate their integration into domestic labour markets; and,
• The SADC Youth Employment Promotion Policy Framework that encourages bilateral agreements where skill deficient countries can access abundant skills in other Member States.

SADC Private Sector Forum

SADC Private Sector Forum (SPSF), an affiliate of SADC, is a membership forum of private sector organizations from Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It strives to facilitate regional integration and reduce barriers to investment and sustainable growth. Among its notable achievements, the Forum, with the aim of enhancing understanding and insight among employers of their legal obligations as well as promotion of decent work, launched SADC Labour Law Guide (LLG) in 2020. The online tool is a compendium of labour laws in the SADC region that helps businesses to overcome challenges of doing business. Skill matching and free movement of labour are also among the priorities of the Forum, as articulated in its 2023-2027 strategic plan.

JLMP

JLMP is a long-term joint undertaking among AUC, IOM, ILO and UNECA. It is an instrument dedicated to the implementation of the 5th Key Priority Area of the Declaration and Plan of Action on Employment, Poverty Eradication and Inclusive Development, adopted by the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments (AU/Assembly/AU/20(XXIV)/Annex 3) in January 2015, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Its strategy focuses on intra-African labour migration and supports achievements of the First 2023 Ten Year Plan of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 and of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The JLMP Lead project, which runs from April 2022 to March 2025, is being implemented as part of the umbrella JLMP program with the financial support of Sida. The project has the overall objective of contributing to the JLMP Strategic Framework (2020-2030) vision of strengthening the effective governance, and regulation of labour migration and mobility, under the rule of law, international migration law principles, and international labour standards, towards increased equitable, full-employment economic growth and sustainable development of the African Continent.

In line with Activity 2.3.1 of the project, there is a plan to support the SADC Private Sector Forum to conduct gender sensitive skills assessments to match supply and demand in three member countries of the Forum (i.e., Mauritius, Mozambique and South Africa).

Project Context and Scope:

1. Objective of the consultancy

The skill assessment is expected to generate a gender sensitive evidence and data on migrant workers skill supply and demand to inform policy formulation and re-structuring, decision making and program development by SPSF and its key stakeholders, including SADC.

Further, it will also contribute to defined processes for obtaining harmonized or compatible or mutually recognized occupational qualification, training, and experience in the region.

The specific objectives include:

1. Engage with relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector representatives, civil society organizations, and educational institutions, to gather insights and perspectives on gender-sensitive skills needs and gaps.
2. Develop a comprehensive gender-sensitive skills assessment framework in consultation with stakeholders in the three countries and SPSF, taking into account the needs and realities of the three countries, and the broader SPSF members.
3. Collect primary (i.e., through survey, Key Informant Interview (KII) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD)) and secondary data on skills supply and demand in the three countries, disaggregated by sex to identify any disparities in access to skills development opportunities.
4. Analyse, interpret and triangulate data to identify skill gaps that exist between supply and demand, considering both current and future needs as well as gender disparities and differences.
5. Develop recommendations for addressing skill gaps identified, considering the different contexts and needs of the three countries, and the broader SPSF members.
6. Disseminate findings and recommendations of the skills assessment to stakeholders, including recommendations for bilateral and multilateral cooperation and regional integration to promote gender-sensitive approaches to skills development across the region.

Tangible and measurable deliverables of the assignment

The selected consultant will be expected to,

1. Prepare an inception report detailing the consultant’s understanding of the assignment and how the assessment will be conducted. The inception report should outline the methodology, the study design, data collection tools, work plan, and deliverables for the assignment – 5 working days (April 5, 2024).
2. Produce first draft gender-responsive assessment report that covers the three countries and the broader SPSF member states. The first draft report will be informed by literature review, and primary and secondary data that will be collected from relevant stakeholders and data sources. The draft report will address the issues summarized above, employing a human-right based approach and gender lens, and issue gender responsive recommendations for addressing skill gaps in the three countries and SPSF members-20 working days (17 May 2024).
3. Incorporate stakeholders’ feedback/comment and produce a second draft assessment report- 10 working days (14 June 2024)
4. Present the findings and recommendation of the assessment report to key stakeholders in a validation meeting and incorporate their feedback/comment-5working days (28 June 2024).
5. Submit final assessment report that includes comments and inputs by different stakeholders-5 working days (19 July 2024)

Payment schedule

1. The Total fee, inclusive of related costs, not subject to any deductions, will be paid to the consultant as follows,

• 20 percent upon submission of the inception report and approval by the project team (deliverable # 1)
• 40 percent after completion and approval of the first draft report by the project team (deliverables # 2 & 3).
• 40 percent after presenting the findings and recommendations of the assessment in a validation workshop and completion and approval of the final report (deliverables # 4 & 5).

Education, Experience and/or skills required

Education

• Masters degree in migration studies, labour economics, law, development economics, social science or any other relevant disciplines.

Technical experience/competencies

• Proven more than 10-year experience in labour market research preferably on labour supply and demand anticipation and research.
• In-depth knowledge and experience in interpreting, analysing and triangulating different data sets.
• Experience in multi-country assessment, on labour supply and demand, preferably in Africa.
• Proven knowledge of labour migration dynamics in Africa.
• Experienced in mixed research methodology and social research.
• Proven ability and experience in leading and facilitating workshops.

Skill

• Strong analytical, writing, editing and communication skills.
• Ability to manage time efficiently, effectively handle multiple tasks and competing priorities, and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills; ability to think critically and creatively.
• Attention to detail and highly organized, collaborative, and team oriented.

Language

• Proficiency in written and spoken English, French and Portuguese is essential.
• Proficiency in other UN official languages is an advantage.

1. Travel required
2. This is home-based consultancy assignment, and the consultant will be required to travel to the three countries during the data collection phase.

Competencies:

Values

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
• Courage: demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
• Empathy: shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators

• Teamwork: develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.
• Communication: encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.