Consultant to Support the Development of a Corporate Human Rights Policy

A. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT:

Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a related organization of the United Nations (UN). As the leading UN agency in the field of migration, it works closely with governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners, dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. IOM achieves this goal by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

From 2017-2023, IOM implemented several projects in the area of migration, business and human rights in Asia, particularly the Corporate Responsibility in Eliminating Slavery and Trafficking (CREST), funded by the Government of Sweden, CREST Fashion funded by Laudes Foundation, and other related projects funded by institutional donors and private sector partners. These initiatiatives aimed to realize the potential of business to uphold the human and labour rights of migrant workers in their operations and supply chains in Asia.

In February 2024, IOM launched the Migration, Business and Human Rights in Asia programme (MBHR Asia) together with the European Union and the Government of Sweden, building on the organisation’s over a decade’s work with the private sector on protecting migrant employees.

As part of its commitment to upholding the human and labour rights of migrant workers, as well as all other groups of workers, IOM, under the framework of MBHR Asia is supporting a corporate partner in developing a draft human rights policy applicable to their operations and global supply chains. This policy encompasses forced labour, child labour, migrant labour and includes human rights due diligence requirements based on international frameworks and standards, including the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, core ILO Conventions, OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and IOM Migrant Worker Guidelines for Employers. IOM seeks an expert to review and revise the draft policy incorporating the relevant inputs and feedback from the corporate partner and IOM experts.

B. OBJECTIVES:

The primary objective of this consultancy is to ensure that the draft human rights policy aligns with international standards, best practices, and is effective for the IOM’s corporate partner to execute. The scope of work of the consultant will include:

• A comprehensive review of the draft Human Rights Policy and its associated due diligence requirements. The review will assess the policy’s coverage of key areas, including forced labour, child labour and migrant labour, and evaluate its clarity, comprehensiveness, and alignment with relevant legal frameworks.
• Finalization of the Human Rights Policy and its associated due diligence requirements, incorporating two rounds of inputs and feedback from the IOM corporate partner and relevant IOM experts.

C. ACTIVITIES, DELIVERABLES AND TIMEFRAME:

The consultancy is expected to commence on 1 April 2024, and the following activities are expected to be completed by 30 June 2024.

Activity 1: Review and revise the initial draft of the Human Rights Policy

• Deliverable: First revised draft of the Human Rights Policy
• Estimated number of days: 3 days
• Timeline: 1 – 10 April 2024

Activity 2: Review and revise the second draft of the Human Rights Policy based on the partner’s first round of written feedback

• Deliverable: Second revised draft of the Human Rights Policy
• Estimated number of days: 2 days
• Timeline: 2 – 10 May 2024

Activity 3: Co-present in an online consultation meeting with the corporate partner to discuss the draft policy, understanding the partner’s second round of inputs and feedback

• Deliverable: N/A
• Estimated number of days: 1 day
• Timeline: 26 – 31 May 2024

Activity 3: Deliver the final draft of the Human Rights Policy incorporating the partner’s inputs and feedback

• Deliverable: Final draft of the Human Rights Policy
• Estimated number of days: 2 days
• Timeline: June 2024 (specific dates to be determined)

D. REPORTING AND COMMUNICATION:

The consultant will report to the IOM MBHR Project Manager and work closely with the MBHR project staff in charge. Regular progress updates and consultations will be scheduled throughout the consultancy.

E. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Education: Academic or professional background in Human Rights, Law, Migration Studies, Corporate Social Responsibility, International Relations, Social Sciences, or a related discipline.

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in human rights policy development, preferably with focuses on labour rights and migration issues
• Experience working with the private sector on human rights due diligence is highly valued
• Familiarity with drafting and reviewing policies is essential.

Knowledge:

• Indepth understanding of human rights principles, especially those related to forced labour, child labour, and migrant labour
• Indepth understanding of relevant international human and labour rights standards and guidelines, including the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, core ILO Conventions, OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct, and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
• Understanding of migration dynamics and their intersection with human rights issues

Skills:

• Ability to critically analyze policy documents, identify gaps, and propose improvements.
• Strong English written and verbal communication skills are essential for providing clear feedback and recommendations.

F. COMPETENCIES:

Values

1. Inclusion and respect for diversity: respects and promotes individual and cultural differences; encourages diversity and inclusion wherever possible.
2. Integrity and transparency: maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
3. Professionalism: demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.

Core Competencies – Behavioral Indicators

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

How to apply

Interested candidates are required to submit the following:

• A cover letter expressing interest and outlining relevant experience;
• Curriculum vitae detailing qualifications, experience, and references;
• Samples/links or examples of previously relevant work performed by the applicant;
• Proposed workplan and timeline for the consultancy;
• Financial proposal including detailed breakdown of fees per deliverable.

Applicants should submit their applications via email, addressed as “Application for Human Rights Policy Development Consultancy” or the reference code of CVS 2024/007 via email to the following address: iomvietnamhr@iom.int. All submissions with complete set of documents should reach IOM no later than 5 PM (GMT+7), 11 March 2024. Any questions regarding the call for applications should be sent to the following address: iomvietnamhr@iom.int.

Applications will be evaluated based on the qualifications and experience of the candidates. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further evaluation through interviews or other appropriate assessment methods.

Female consultants are encouraged to bid for this required service. Preference will be given to equally technically qualified female consultants.