International Consultancy for Migration, Environment and Climate Change Research

Terms of ReferencePosition Title: International Consultancy for Migration, Environment and Climate Change Research in Lesotho and Mauritius **

Type of Contract: Consultancy service **

Duration of Assignment: June 2021 to December 2021 (50 working days)

1. BACKGROUND:

Environment and climate change affect a wide range of migrants and populations throughout the migration process by limiting their livelihood options and available natural resources due to environmental degradation and/or disasters. These consequences may thus be experienced by populations in countries of origin, including internal migrants, migrants in countries of destination, as well as return migrants in their country of origin. The situation is particularly compelling in the Southern African region where the livelihoods in many countries depend essentially on natural resources, and where resources are often affected by tropical storms, prolonged droughts, or other disasters. These have direct effects on the local/community economy and can impede development and lead to unsafe, unorderly, and irregular migration.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is implementing a research project in Lesotho and Mauritius with the aim to support governments of the two countries to mainstream environmental dimensions in integration, reintegration and relocation initiatives. The focus on these two countries is motivated by their different geographical characteristics (an island (coastal), on the one hand, and a landlocked (mountainous) country on the other) that may influence the impacts of environmental degradation and climate change on migration and migrants in these countries and, ultimately, the types of policies and support responses needed. Both Mauritius and Lesotho are important countries of origin and destination of migrants that experience challenges resulting from climate change.

IOM seeks to recruit a qualified international consultant to undertake research which will explore: i) the impact of climate change on migration and reintegration in Lesotho and Mauritius (past trends, potential risks; opportunities); ii) how to empower and protect returnees, internal migrants including population at risk, those related to the health of individuals and migration affected communities as well as labour migrants and diaspora vis-à-vis existing and foreseen climate change trends; iii) schemes to reskill or upskill returning workers and integration of incoming labour migrants to local or national labour market and environmental needs; and iv) the reintegration of returnees, internal migrants inclusive population at risk, and planned relocations while having a direct and long-term positive impact on the local communities and the environment.

The international consultant is expected to take a leading role and work with two national consultants in Lesotho and Mauritius that the project intends to hire to assist with the research and collect the data from the field under the guidance of the international consultant.

2. OBJECTIVE:

The Project Goal is to ‘’**contribute to the sustainability of integration, reintegration and planned relocation programmes as adaptation strategies to climate change in Lesotho and Mauritius.**’’

The project will ultimately inform policymakers in the two countries, especially the Ministries of Environment, Economy, Labour, and Health, as well as various government entities, in designing and adapting policies and programmes on integration, reintegration and planned relocation, to more sustainably support internal and international migrants, returnees and populations who may be vulnerable to environmental degradation and climate change. The project seeks to answer the following four research questions:

i.) How does climate change and related environmental degradation impact migration and reintegration in Lesotho and Mauritius? (Exploring past trends and looking at future risks);

ii.) What do returnees and internal migrants perceive as their immediate and longer-term needs to become resilient to current and predicted climate change impacts? (Study to ensure inclusion of populations/groups who are especially vulnerable to environmental degradation and climate change, such as seasonal labour migrants and migrant-sending communities who depend on natural resources such as rain-fed farming communities, vulnerable migrant groups such as women and children, or those suffering from ill health, forthwith described as ‘populations at risk’);

iii.) What are the existing best practices in terms of schemes, programmes and policies that support the adaptation of returning workers to climate change and environmental degradation, as well as support the integration of incoming labour migrants to local or national labour markets in Lesotho and Mauritius? (E.g. reskilling or upskilling migrants and populations at risk or rehabilitating environments and developing green jobs.), and specifically, the implication of the environmental migration-related recommendations of the Lesotho National Climate Change Policy (Policy statement 3.22) and the Mauritius 2020 Climate Change Bill;

iv.) What policy and programming recommendations can support the sustainable reintegration of returnees and internal migrants, including populations at risk, that have immediate and long-term positive impacts on both the local communities and the environment? (E.g. planned relocation, reskilling, or upskilling migrants and populations at risk)

The project proposes to conduct mixed methods research to analyse the linkages between climate change, integration, reintegration, and planned relocation in the contexts of Lesotho and Mauritius, producing a research report including recommendations. The research findings and recommendations will include gender-equality concerns which must be integrated throughout the research methodology and tools. The report and recommendations will be validated by Government stakeholders in each country, and it is expected that policymakers utilize project-produced gender-sensitive research findings and recommendations to better mainstream environmental and climate change considerations into relevant migration-related policies and programmes.

The specific objectives of the assignment are as follows:

· Take the lead in the research process in Lesotho and Mauritius;

· Design the research methodology along with national consultants, that takes into consideration the context of Lesotho and Mauritius, this includes possible questionnaires. Gender considerations will be highlighted in the research methodology and disaggregated by sex (where relevant);

· Analyse data and draft a report which captures the key findings from Lesotho and Mauritius, and come up with the key policy and programme recommendations;

· Present key findings to the national stakeholders and revise the report; and

· Integrate any feedback/inputs received during the validation meetings to finalize the research report.

3. SCOPE

Under the overall guidance of the IOM Lesotho Head of Office and under the direct supervision of IOM Lesotho National Programme Officer and Regional Thematic Specialist on Migration, Environment and Climate Change (MECC) based in IOM Regional Office in Pretoria, and in close collaboration with project staff in IOM Lesotho and IOM Mauritius, the consultant will be responsible for the following:

1. Conduct a desk review to analyze the existing literature on the links between climate change, migration, and (re)integration in Lesotho and Mauritius, as well on planned relocations initiatives, policies and strategies in place and to identify relevant “green project” in the two countries
2. Lead the development of research methodology, in coordination with the two national consultants – including interviews questionnaire template and field assessment guidelines, including specific questions/indicators on equality gender-sensitive inception analysis assessing the different needs and opportunities of women and men; outlining a gender sensitive research strategy and an analysis to maximise women’s participation including in the sample of interviewees; and ensuring the relevance of the research and gender dimension are taken into account when considering the relationship between migration, environment and climate change with the ultimate goal to empower women to participate, lead, manage and benefit from the outcomes of the research
3. Provide continuous guidance to the two national consultants who will collect data from the field in Lesotho and Mauritius, and ensure quality control of the data collected
4. Analyse data for the impact of climate change and environmental degradation on internal, cross border and international migration collected by national consultant in each country
5. Draft, edit and finalize the research report including recommendations to improve mainstreaming of environment and climate change into programmes and policies
6. Participate in the inception workshop and other meetings as required
7. Facilitate a roundtable consultation in each of the targeted countries, gathering relevant government stakeholders and partners to discuss and validate the findings of the research and coordinate the follow up actions.
8. Support the organisation of a sensitization session for policy makers and relevant stakeholders in each country.
9. Ensure the successful completion of research-related activities in accordance with the agreed work plan, outputs, and timeline against deliverables
10. Perform such other duties as may be assigned.

4. METHODOLOGY

A. Desk-based research: T**his will serve to analyse the existing literature on the relationships between climate change, migration, and (re)integration in Lesotho and Mauritius, as well to identify relevant “green project” in the two countries. During this phase, the methodology – including interviews questionnaire template and field assessment guidelines- for data collection and analysis will also be developed by the recruited Lead Researcher.**

B. Field Survey:** During this phase, data will be collected through direct interviews, to be conducted by National Researchers in the two countries of focus. Interviews will target relevant stakeholders from relevant ministries, other UN agencies, civil society, private sector and academia. Disaggregation by gender and age will be ensured throughout the data collection and analysis phase. Where possible, IOM will ensure gender balance among the national researchers, the stakeholders and sampling. In addition, the researchers will adapt the questions to capture the specific perspectives of both women and men.

C. Stakeholder Interviews: The Consultancy will hold extensive consultations with Government, academia, UN agencies, IOM, NGOs and civil society organizations active in the field of environmental and climate change and displacement and reintegration. Moreover, the Lead Researcher together with the national consultants will draft and share to IOM (for advice and clearance) a list of relevant ministries and parastatal institutions to be consulted, depending on the country setting;

D. Validation Workshop: The research report will be drafted and finalized by the Lead Researcher with recommendations as to improve mainstreaming of environment and climate change into programmes and policies.** After the consolidation of the research report, a roundtable consultation will be organised in each of the targeted countries, gathering relevant government stakeholders and partners to discuss and validate the findings of the research and coordinate the follow up actions.The methodology must guarantee inclusive participation of all the stakeholders involved. Coordination with the IOM Office in Lesotho shall be ensured throughout the process.

5. DELIVERABLES

The Consultancy will produce a final document – a research report on mainstreaming environmental dimensions and linkages with reintegration and integration support to reduce the effects of climate change on migration – with key policy recommendations. Deliverables will be in the following sequence;

1. Submit the inception report which includes research methodology to be used as to how he/she will approach the assignment, outlining the tools and methods, which will be reviewed and cleared by IOM. This report will include the breakdown of work, the timelines and an overview of stakeholders to be engaged during the assignment, as well as process, outputs, and reporting / coordination modalities as well as timeline
2. Provide two days training including guidance on data collection to the national consultants in Mauritius and Lesotho
3. Submit the final report after incorporating the feedback from national stakeholders in Lesotho and Mauritius
4. Present the key findings and recommendations during the High-level Dissemination and Sensitization Workshop (virtual meeting)

A typed final version of the Research report on mainstreaming environmental dimensions and linkages with reintegration and integration support to reduce the effects of climate change on migration is expected to be approximately 30 to 35 pages, excluding annexes.

The following Annexes should be attached to the final documents:

o Annex 1: Terms of Reference for the assignment

o Annex 2: Survey questionnaire and interview protocols

o Annex 3: List of people interviewed (organization, title)

The consultant can add other Annexes as appropriate.

The following does not have to be included in the report but shall be shared with IOM Lesotho:

· All notes from meetings with stakeholders, including a list of all respondents in consultations, interviews, and other meetings.

· All references and sources consulted.

· Any other material relevant to the assignment.

6. Qualifications and Experience

The successful consultant should have the following qualifications and experience:

a. Completed advanced University degree from an accredited academic institution preferably in Environmental Studies, Social Sciences, International Development, Economics, Migration studies, Statistics or a related field

b. At least 8-10 years’ experience in research-oriented project management, monitoring, and reporting

c. Experience in leading qualitative interviews and analysing data using both quantitative (SPSS, STATA, etc.), qualitative and mixed method techniques

d. Capacity to collate and synthesize qualitative and quantitative data in a comprehensible manner

e. Knowledge of relevant policies on migration, environment, and climate change and environmentally induced migration in African countries and preferably previous experience working in Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Countries

f. Proven previous working experience consisting of substantial involvement in assessments, research and/or policy reviews in related areas;

g. Working experience with senior officials within government, inter-governmental, and non-governmental organizations in Africa, preferably in SADC/IOC;

h. Proven capacity to lead and manage a research team

i. Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and establish harmonious and effective relationships.

j. Language(s): Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is an advantage.

7. Payment Schedule

Total fee, inclusive of all travel and related costs, not subject to any deductions, will be paid to the consultant as follows;

• 30 % upon submission of the Deliverable 1
• 50 % upon the satisfactory completion of Deliverable 2 and 3
• 20 % upon satisfactory completion of the Deliverable 4