Call for Experts Senior Expert in Human Rights -ICMPD عودة إلى الفرص

Call for Experts 

Senior Expert in Human Rights 

CBC IBM NA 

Posting Date: 07/04/2025 

Reference number: CfE 0425/F494/ Senior Expert in Human Rights

Deadline for Applications: 30/04/2025 

Duty Station: Tunis, Tunisia 

Contract Duration: Time frame 31.12.2025/maximum # of working days 59 THIS CALL IS OPEN TO INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS ONLY 

Organisational overview 

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is an international organisation  with 21 Member States and about 500 staff members tasked with promoting innovative,  comprehensive and sustainable migration policies. Active in more than 90 countries worldwide, it  takes a regional approach in its work to create efficient cooperation and partnerships along migration  routes. Its three-pillar approach to migration management – structurally linking research, migration  dialogues and capacity partnerships – contributes to better migration policy development worldwide.  The Vienna-based organisation has a mission in Brussels, a regional office in Malta, and field offices in  several countries, including Tunisia. ICMPD receives funding from its Member States, the European  Commission, the UN and other multilateral institutions, as well as bilateral donors. Founded in 1993,  ICMPD holds UN observer status and cooperates with more than 200 partners, including EU  institutions and UN agencies. The organisation’s greatest assets are its 250+ staff members, who  personify its values of commitment, integrity, partnership, respect, and innovation in actions and  decisions. 

ICMPD’s roots in Tunisia dates back to 2002, with Tunisia’s participation in ICMPD’s Mediterranean  Transit Migration Dialogue (MTM). The first representative for Tunisia was appointed in 2011 and the  ICMPD office in the country was established in October 2015, following the signing of a Cooperation  Agreement with the Republic of Tunisia in June 2015.  

ICMPD’s engagement in Tunisia encompasses support in governance, the development of capacity  partnerships, the modernisation of equipment and facilities, and knowledge management in the  migration sector. The main beneficiaries include the National Guard, the Border Police, Customs, the  Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and  Tunisians abroad. 

Objective 

The Senior Expert will provide high-level strategic and technical support to the “Cross-Border  Cooperation and Integrated Border Management in North Africa” project, ensuring the integration  of human rights standards into all project activities. 

Tasks 

The main task of the expert is to assist the project implementation team in ensuring the respect of a  human rights-based approach in all project activities through the duration of the contract and to adjust  deliverables and recommendations based on ongoing monitoring of contextual developments, as well  as updated literature and data. 

Activities 

Legal and Institutional Analysis 

• Conduct a legal gap analysis of Tunisia’s national legislation and its adherence to international  human rights conventions; 
• Map relevant institutional and international cooperation stakeholders involved in human  rights protection; 
• Assess Tunisia’s existing mechanisms for preventing human rights violations and ensuring  accountability; 
• Present and analyse institutional partners’ record in taking effective steps and corrective  measures in response to human rights violations; 
• Adjust deliverables throughout the project implementation based on ongoing monitoring of  contextual developments, as well as updated literature and data. 

Risk Assessment and Compliance Monitoring 

• Perform a Human Rights Due Diligence Risk Assessment, identifying key risks and propose  mitigation measures; 
• Regularly monitor changes in legislation, policy, and migration trends to adjust project  activities accordingly; 
• Provide quarterly compliance reports in line with donor reporting standards; • Share the Human Rights Due Diligence Risk Assessment with the ICMPD Human Rights  Advisory Board (HRAB) for feedback and make necessary adjustments. 

Recommendations 

• Make recommendations to the project implementation team on how to ensure a human  rights-based approach in all project activities, including recommendations on how to  effectively monitor and evaluate adherence to this approach, and prioritise recommendations  based on feasibility, impact, and urgency; 
• Continuously update recommendations based on continuous monitoring of contextual  developments, along with updated literature and data. 

Professionalisation and Training 

• Develop content for (and if possible, deliver) a training aiming at enhancing the understanding  and application of human rights principles in border management operations for project  partners; 
• Adapt training content based on new challenges, updated legislation, and practical field  experiences.

Ongoing support 

• Identify areas where the project implementation team requires support and complete  corresponding deliverables; 
• Provide recommendations on how the project team can effectively monitor and evaluate the  adherence to human rights standards within border management practices; 
• Ensure that recommendations are continuously updated based on contextual developments; • Collaborate with the ICMPD Human Rights Advisory Board (HRAB) for feedback and validation. By undertaking these activities, the expert will provide the project team with a thorough  understanding of Tunisia’s border management practices in relation to human rights compliance and  offer practical recommendations to enhance compliance in the project. 

Deliverables  

The expected deliverables to the above-mentioned tasks are: 

1. Finalised legal analysis (i.e., analysis of the national legislation and the ratification record of  international law, conventions and treaties on human rights and their gaps) based on the draft  submitted by the project team; 
2. Finalised stakeholder mapping (i.e., mapping of institutional and international cooperation  stakeholders undertaking human rights-related activities), based on the draft submitted by  the project team; 
3. Finalised human right due diligence risk assessment, including the identification of risks and  their level, and proposed mitigation measures, based on the draft submitted by the project  team; 
4. Accountability record assessment (i.e., evaluation of existing institutional mechanisms and  procedures for preventing human rights violations in Tunisia, list of measures ensuring  accountability, identification of gaps, and analysis of institutional partners’ record in taking  effective steps and corrective measures in response to human rights violations); 
5. List of recommendations for the project implementation team on how to ensure a human  rights-based approach in all project activities based on feasibility, impact, and urgency,  including recommendations on how the project can effectively monitor and evaluate the  adherence to human rights standards within border management practices and  recommendations on how to effectively monitor and evaluate adherence to this approach; 
6. Adjusted deliverables (i.e., stakeholder mapping, human rights due diligence risk assessment,  accountability record assessment, recommendations) based on ongoing monitoring of  contextual developments, as well as updated literature and data throughout the contract  duration; 
7. Compliance reports in line with donor reporting standards; 
8. Content for a training aiming at enhancing the understanding and application of human rights  principles in border management operations for project partners; 
9. Adjusted training content based on new challenges, updated legislation, and practical field  experiences; 
10. Delivery of a training session on human rights for project partners;  
11. Identification of areas where the project implementation team requires support and  completion of corresponding deliverables.

The draft deliverables must be submitted no later than the pre-set deadlines defined in the tentative  work plan. The final deliverables must be submitted no later than 31 December 2025. 

Tentative work plan 

Reporting lines 

On a weekly basis, the expert will report to Ms Souha Badr, who will be in charge of the overall  supervision both in terms of administrative and content issues. S/he will coordinate with other relevant  actors within the ICMPD and provide inputs and comments on deliverables as needed. 

Qualifications and Experience 

• Master’s or PhD in international law, international relations, border management, or a related  field; 
• 15+ years of professional experience in research as well as field work in international relations,  human rights or humanitarian affairs; 
• Proven expertise in North African regional contexts or similar environments; • Thorough knowledge of international human rights standards and practices; • Direct experience in border management-related work, ideally in the framework of  international cooperation; 
• Knowledge of the Tunisian security sector and human rights context; 
• Language skills: fluency (academic writing level) in French and English; solid knowledge of  Arabic. 

Background Information/Documentation to be provided by ICMPD 

▪ ICMPD internal documentation related to the topic will be shared with the expert;

▪ Regular coordination with ICMPD regional/HQ offices and partners. 

Administrative Information  

ICMPD is committed to a respectful work environment. We thus require our employees to complete a  respective on-line training. Please follow the instructions attached to this document on how to  complete Respectful Work Environment courses on the LearnHub learning platform. The on-line  training is available at the following link: https://learnhub.icunet.group/. 

Please kindly contact hr@icmpd.org to receive the credentials. Once courses are completed, please  submit your training certificates to recruiting manager subject “E-learning on Respectful Work  Environment”. 

▪ Travel: 

The expert shall receive from ICMPD a travel itinerary for the foreseen activities abroad. Travel by the  most effective and economic mode of transportation shall be authorised. Deviations from the  approved itinerary reflecting private preferences shall be borne by the expert. Tickets for air travel will  be provided by ICMPD for the most direct and economic flight. For travel by train, a first-class ticket is  provided as standard. In case the self-purchase1 of tickets for the official mission is pre-authorised, the  traveller will be reimbursed upon submission of the tickets and a proof of purchase. Private car usage  may be authorised upon provision of the Private Vehicle Liability Waiver form ensuring adequate  insurance coverage for damage to third parties, the vehicle and transported passengers and goods.  The reimbursement entitlement is calculated based on a kilometric allowance rate applied by the  European Commission. The rate covers all vehicle travel costs including toll fees, parking and fuel costs. 

1For local travel, Project Manager can authorise the self-purchase; for international travel, self-purchase can be authorised by Project  Manager only if the authorised travel agency cannot provide the ticket

The expert shall be entitled to receive a daily subsistence allowance (DSA) from ICMPD for authorised  missions. The DSA shall be deemed to cover the costs of accommodation, meals, transportation  to/from airports, bus or train stations, in-town transportation (such as train, bus, tram, metro, taxi) at  the place of destination, gratuities and other incidental costs. A full DSA is applicable for each night  spent on official missions outside the place of residence, including travel time. In case where  accommodation and/or meals are provided free of charge by ICMPD, a government or a related  institution, the amount of daily subsistence allowance will be reduced accordingly. Upon request,  ICMPD can provide to the traveller an advance of funds for official travel in the amount of up to 50%  of the applicable DSA for missions longer than four (4) days. Other mission-related costs, such as  necessary visa or vaccination costs are reimbursed based on Project Manager approval and upon  submission of supporting documentation.  

▪ Payment: 

Fees for the assignment are paid upon satisfactory delivery of services and upon submission of:

• timesheet(s), duly completed in line with instructions, dated and signed; 

• counter-signed contract; 
• signed payment claim(s) reflecting the days worked as per submitted timesheets.
•  Validated report/project confirming the completion of tasks and services as outlined in the  assignment. 

For mission-related payments, the expert shall send the following documentation by email not later  than two (2) weeks following the return to the place of residence: 

▪ signed and completed statement of mission expenses with all relevant documents, such as  boarding passes (inbound and outbound), ETIX/flight/train ticket and receipts for expenditures  in addition to the DSA; 

▪ a completed, dated and signed travel report. 

The expert is therefore requested to submit all documentation together to souha.badr@icmpd.org. 

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Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The applicants  should be available for a face-to face meeting or an interview via videoconference. The assignment is subject to project funds availability and/or final approval by the donor. The invitation  to an interview does not establish any right to future employment.