Back ADDRESSING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN SPORTS IN GHANA

Project Context and Scope

The Ghanian National Youth Policy recognizes sports and recreation as key to national integration and overall wellbeing of the individual. For this reason, sport is an important mechanism for community and national development in Ghana. However, the area of sports has been characterized by episodes of human trafficking, where young individuals find themselves in situations of exploitation or migrate irregularly with the hope of pursuing opportunities in football or other sports clubs outside of their home country. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), more than 15,000 children are trafficked from West Africa into Europe every year, many with false hopes of making it as professional footballers.

Although the Government of Ghana has confirmed cases of young Ghanian athletes that have been found to be victims of trafficking abroad, there remains a need to analyze the nature and scope of this issue. Likewise, the opportunities provided by regular pathways often turn out to be unclear. Therefore, it is important for actors at all levels, especially government representatives and youth, to be informed about the existence of risks related to human trafficking in sports to recognize it and address it through policy, while also bringing greater awareness to youth and relevant stakeholders on the risks of sports-related human trafficking and the available pathways. 

For this reason, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the project steering committee through the Addressing Human Trafficking in Sports in Ghana project, aims to contribute to the Government of Ghana's efforts to address human trafficking in sports, particularly among youth, through improving the evidence base and expanding on regular pathways for youth in sport. Towards this end, the project has four Outputs: The first output will contribute to elaborating a gender sensitive baseline assessment on human trafficking in sports in Ghana, including the mapping of regular sports pathway available for sports men and women. The second output is focused on developing context specific communication strategy, plan and info booklet to arise awareness on human trafficking in sports. The third output are will support improving the knowledge of relevant stakeholders covering both sports and counter trafficking respectively have increased knowledge on the phenomenon of human trafficking in sorts including its risks, gender impacts and the regular pathways available to youth in sports in Ghana and finally, the fourth output will ensure young people and vulnerable communities have greater awareness of the risks of human trafficking in sports and opportunities for regular pathways through the organization of sensitization events through sports. 
To achieve the project objective, the project stakeholders propose to undertake a gender-sensitive baseline research study on human trafficking in sports. The study will map out regular sports pathways and identify vulnerabilities that may lead to trafficking risks, ensuring a data-driven approach to policy and intervention.

The objective of the consultancy is to conduct a Gender-sensitive Baseline assessment on Human Trafficking in sports in Ghana, inclusive of a mapping of the regular sports pathways for sports men and women. The assessment will provide insights into the regular available pathways for youth in sports migration and potential interventions to enhance protection. It intends to gather baseline data on the phenomenon of sports-related human trafficking in Ghana, which will provide quantitative data for stakeholders to understand and analyze the extent of the issue. Further, the assessment will seek to understand the dynamics of trafficking in sport particularly, the drivers, the common scenarios where sports men and women are likely to be trafficked. In addition, the assessment will aim to identify what options are available for sporting professionals to pursue their career outside of Ghana. It will seek to understand the stakeholders that are involved including clubs, recruitment agents, types of sports etc.

Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing PX - Protection and Assistance to Vulnerable Migrants, LM - Labor Migration (PX.0542 ) Tasks to be performed under this contract
The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:
I.    Stakeholder Engagement:
o    The consultant will leverage the sub-thematic group for Protection and Human Rights under the National Coordination Mechanism and the project technical committee as technical support in conducting the assessment.
o    The successful consultant will conduct consultations with relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, youth groups, academia, civil society, sports clubs, and survivors of human trafficking in sports.
II. Research and Analysis:
o    Develop an inception report outlining the research methodology and data collection requirements, to be approved by IOM/MoSR and the project stakeholders.
o    Conduct a desk review of existing literature on recruitment processes for sports clubs and available pathways for sports migration.
o    Conduct gendered, disaggregated qualitative and quantitative research to gather data on trafficking dynamics in sports, key risk areas, and potential policy interventions. 
III. Fieldwork and Data Collection:
o    Engage stakeholders across three selected regions in Ghana from the Northern, Southern, and Middle Belt of Ghana to ensure comprehensive data collection.
o    Conduct interviews with survivors to document experiences and understand the interplay between the informal networks and the regular pathways.
o    Map out key stakeholders involved in sports migration, including clubs, regions, agents, and regulatory bodies.
IV.    Report Development and Validation:
o    Develop a draft baseline research report highlighting key findings, gender and youth impacts, and recommendations.
o    Hold a validation meeting with TWG to review findings and collect feedback.
o    Finalize and submit the baseline report, incorporating feedback from stakeholders.
    Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

1. Inception report detailing research methodology and data collection plan. Desk review summarizing existing information on sports recruitment and migration pathways. Data collection report from stakeholder consultations, interviews, and field research.
2.    Draft assessment research report, including stakeholder mapping and risk analysis.
3.    Final validated baseline research report incorporating stakeholder feedback and a summary of the report to assist with policy decisions. 
 

Education

•     Advanced degree in social sciences, human rights, sports management, or related fields.

Experience

•     Proven experience in conducting baseline assessments, particularly on human trafficking, migration, or sports-related topics.
•     Strong research, analytical, and report-writing skills.
•     Experience working with government institutions, civil society organizations, and international agencies.
•     Familiarity with Ghana’s sports and trafficking landscape is an asset.

 

Skills

•    Ability to facilitate stakeholder consultations and validation meetings effectively Languages
  • IOM’s official languages are English, French and Spanish. Proficiency in English language is required for this consultancy.     Travel required
    • Yes

      The submission should include:

      • Motivation letter and CVs.
      • A financial proposal outlining the consultancy fee (training field trips included);
      • A proposal outlining methods and stakeholders to be interviewed for the assessment
      • A draft work plan indicating the proposed workflow and duration.
      • Summary and reference (including sample copies of previous projects) of similar or related work done in the past. Required Competencies   IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.   Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these three 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.