Two out of five international child migrants were in Asia, more than any other region in the world. While migration can benefit children and their families, it can also place children in situations of risk. This is particularly the case where children are moving outside of safe and legal pathways, thus, being vulnerable to exploitation by smugglers and traffickers. These migrating children are feared to be denied access to basic services and to legal recognition by host government; and where children’s right are violated in the context of repressive responses to immigration control. Children left behind by migrating parents may also find themselves in circumstances of inadequate care and protection. Children outside of their country of origin are too frequently excluded from national child protection systems as these systems are struggling to be relevant to the growing scale of migration on the continent.
Cambodia is a country that is home to various groups of children affected by migration – internally and cross border— as children’s families and children themselves search for better economic opportunities. From other parts of Cambodia, children who attempt irregular cross border migration (alone or with families) often become victims of trafficking or undertake such journeys facing protection risks related to their status as migrants.
As of October 2024, there are around 500,876 registered Cambodia migrant workers in Thailand. There is limited data available on Cambodia children who followed their parents or crossed the border alone. However, from the report of Damnok Toek, a Cambodia non-profit organization, which ran the Drop-In-Center at Thai‐ Cambodian border in Poipet, it was reported that in 2018, there were 3,042 children returned, while in 2017, there were 6,376 children returned, and among those, about 140 children who crossed borders were unaccompanied. In February 2023, Thailand reports that there are 271 registered dependent children of Cambodia migrant workers.
Related to children affected by migration, two relevant regulations have been endorsed by both countries, these are namely the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand on Bilateral Cooperation for Eliminating Trafficking in Persons and Protecting Victims of Trafficking superseded on 31 May 2013 and The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Case Management of Repatriation and Reintegration of Victims of Trafficking in Persons signed in April 2019. In addition, a Border Issues Group for Children (BIGC) mechanism was established between the two countries to further support the coordination on cross-border trafficking cases. However, there has not been any cross- border legislation framework formulated to protect children affected by migration.
There are also notable challenges in the protection and support to children left behind in communities by their parents/ caregiver migrants. For instance, most continue to live in poverty despite the majority of children remaining behind while parents migrate to earn money to support the family. Children remaining behind often are forced to engage in child labour to provide financial support to families. The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veteran, and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) recently launched the SOP on child protection (CP-SOP) which included children affected by migration or who are on the move.
The UNICEF background research about children in the context of migration in ASEAN member states- Cambodiacasestudy, found that the migration of parents resulted in their children remaining behind to face a number of challenges and are vulnerable to a range of protection risks. The study provided recommendations to MoSVY to protect children on the move including strengthening of the case management processes and ensuring that a comprehensive range of services are available at the local level to meet the needs of children affected by migration. Other recommendations included incorporating children remaining behind to be categorized as a distinct group, and therefore a unique data set, within the Primero (child protection case management) system of MoSVY; and strengthening the availability of targeted or customized services (including preventative services) to children remaining behind and their families1In the context of increased complexity regarding protection concerns for children affected by migration, especially in the cross-border context, there is a strong and urgent need for the Government of Cambodia to strengthen case management processes and broaden the scope of cross-border collaboration with the Government of Thailand. The cooperation of the two countries will ensure more success in combating trafficking in women and children to cover other categories of children affected by migration such as returned child migrant and children remaining left behind in communities.
There is also a recognized need to understand further the repatriation process of Thailand for Cambodian children who are sent back from Thailand. It is important to also understand the current experience of children who are being repatriated to assess whether the repatriation protocol of Thailand complements the reception on the Cambodia side.
In this regard, it is important for both Governments to embark on a series of bilateral dialogues at central and local level to revisit and redefine the scope of cross-border collaboration for the protection of children affected by migration and adopt further action to provide better support for the children. Therefore, the proposed evidence-generation activity this TOR covers aim to support the formulation of an official cross-border collaboration framework on children affected by migration and on the move to ensure that MoSVY have concrete evident which will contribute to the development, implementation and monitoring of an MoU between both countries aimed at ensuring the protection of those children at the destination and those who remained in the communities. MoSVY needs a knowledge paper to inform the drafting of the MoU which shall facilitate and support the cross border collaboration of the two countries to ensure protection of children on the move. This project is fund by EU through UNICEF, under Protection of the Rights of Women and Children in Labour Migration project (PROTECT Project).
II. SCOPE
The overall scope of this consultancy is to develop a knowledge paper on the experiences of children on the move in Cambodia focusing on the cross-border movements with Thailand. The paper will inform the ongoing efforts of the TWG on Cross Border Collaboration between the two countries to protect children on the move.
III. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY
The study methodology should elicit the following requirements:
- Understand the experience for Cambodian children in Thailand, in cross-border situations including their crossing of borders and access to services in both sides, and how these experiences are driven
- by existing policy framework, processes and mechanisms in Thailand and Cambodia.
- Provide overview of how the Primero case management process, and Cambodia Child Protection
- system/ SOPs, including specific mechanisms and practices, are currently defining the repatriation or deportation process and whether these processes are addressing the best interests and needs of children in these cross-border situations.
- Provide recommendations for child protection measures (protective / protection / repatriation & reintegration) that should be adopted in the cross-border cooperation, including in the development of the MoU and SOP that are in line with international child rights standards.
- Provide recommendations on key actions to strengthen the existing Primero case management to include different categories of children affected by migration and improve SOPs and its implementation to better support the repatriation of children from Thailand and those children who remain or are left behind in communities.
IV. SPECIFIC TASKS
Under the supervision of the Director of Child Protection Department and UNICEF, the consultant will undertake the following tasks:
- Submit an inception report to be approved by MoSVY and UNICEF, proposing a methodology that will include (but not limited to):
- A review of the regulatory framework for and actual practice applied to children on the move in Cambodia and Thailand
- A review of existing research papers and studies
- A mapping and analysis of relevant stakeholders in Cambodia and Thailand, including policy makers.
Develop a knowledge paper addressing the noted objectives of this TOR. This includes a recommendation of key actions to strengthen the existing Primero case management to include different categories of children affected by migration or on the move and improve SOPs and its implementation to better support the repatriation of children from Thailand and those children who remain or are left behind in communities. To be assessed is whether in all of these processes, the best interest of the child is of primary consideration.
Organize consultative workshops and a final validation workshop to collect inputs for the knowledge paper Develop Final knowledge paper.
The consultancy is expected to be completed their job in 50 days for working days and will start in July to October 2024. The consultant will be located at MoSVY or outside based on circumstances.
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Task |
Timeframe |
Delivery |
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Submit an inception report as above described, including a work plan for assessment of develop a knowledge paper on situation of children affected by migration to inform the MoU drafting content of Cross Border Collaboration to Protection Children affected by Migration and key actions to strengthen the sustainable repatriation of children from Thailand and existed Primero case management that is already covered children affected by migration |
July 2024 |
Inception report approved by Department of Child Protection and UNICEF |
|
Undertake data collection including a review existing research papers, studies and legal documents and engagement of critical stakeholders potentially from both Cambodia and Thailand to better understand the experience of children affected by cross border migration. |
July- August 2024 |
Inception report of develop a knowledge paper to inform the MoU drafting content of Cross Border Collaboration to Protection Children affected by Migration and key actions to strengthen the sustainable repatriation of children from Thailand and existed Primero case management that is already covered children affected by migration |
|
Develop 1st draft report of a knowledge paper |
August-2024 |
1st draft of Reviewing Report |
|
Support Department of Child Protection, to organize the meeting to review and provide |
August 2024 |
Stakeholders provide input to the first draft of the report of a knowledge paper |
|
input for first draft of a knowledge paper on situation of children affected by migration |
|
|
|
Develop 2nd draft of a knowledge paper on situation of children affected by migration |
September 2024 |
2nd draft of the report submitted to MoSVY |
|
Support Department of Child Protection, to organize the meeting to review the report of a knowledge paper |
September 2024 |
Stakeholders provide input to the report of a knowledge paper |
|
Develop Final draft of the report of a knowledge paper for TWG, MoSVY and UNICEF for final review |
October-2024 |
Finalized knowledge paper and submit to MoSVY and UNICEF for endorsement |
Master’s degree in law, international relations, child protection or relevant field with Minimum five years of experience in child rights in particular child protection, child migration/child on the move.
Experiences in working with cross border, Inter-Ministerial, developing agreement and MoU, UN agencies and Government counterparts.
Familiarity with international and national child protection standards, equity, gender, and human rights
Strong analytical skills
Understand the child Protection, social affairs, and social welfare.
Excellent management, interpersonal, planning and coordination skills
Excellent proficiency in English communications and writing skills.
VII. PAYMENT SCHEDULE
The payment following the procedure of finance support from UNICEF and payments will be as follows:
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Deliverables |
Payment (including business travel fee) be directly linked with satisfactory deliverables |
Reporting requirement for each deliverable |
|
|
|
|
|
Submission of inception report, including work plan |
20 % of total consultancy |
Inception report with workplan |
|
Submission of first and second drafts |
30% of total consultancy |
First and second Report |
|
Complete Final draft of the report |
50% of total consultancy |
Report of Final of the report |
VIII. MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION
The consultant will work in close collaboration with the Department of Child Protection, TWG and UNICEF. The consultant will report to the Director of Department of Child Protection.
Interested qualified candidates are invited to send your CV to sovansideth@gmail.com
Please mention "www.Cambodiajobs.Biz" where you saw the ad when you apply!
