Back Consultant - Functional analysis of the capacities of social protection system for protection of migrants

In line with the Joint Strategic Planning document, this Action aims to support further strengthening and sustainability of protection response to mixed migration in the areas of reception, education, and social protection, through a coordinated and more effective migration management approach and inter-sectoral coordination. The Action is designed to ensure smooth transition of interventions to institutions to enable them to deliver services independently. The overall objective of the Action is to support the Government of the Republic of Serbia in addressing the needs of migrants and refugees in reception, education, and social protection, by contributing to further development of sustainable inter-institutional migration management, building on the lessons learned and best practices obtained in previous years.

The overall objective of the Action is to support the Government of the Republic of Serbia in addressing the needs of migrants and refugees in reception, education, and social protection, by contributing to further development of sustainable inter-institutional migration management, building on the lessons learned and best practices obtained in previous years. While building on the findings and incorporating the lessons learned, the project aims to address remaining gaps and may lead towards the institutional sustainability, by strengthening institutions to possible take ownership of intervention in their own sector.

To continue with further strengthening the delivery of essential protection services, including social protection, information and educational services by various institutions, this Action will support sustainability-oriented, institutional delivery of social protection and educational services, their quality, efficiency, and standardization as foreseen under the national legislative framework and EU/international standards. The Action will also support further capacity building of service providers to increase knowledge, skills, and competencies in priority areas. 

Based on findings from previously conducted research and analysis on social protection of migrants, unaccompanied and separated children (hereinafter: UASC), this Action aims to contribute to the sustainability of the current social protection system, structure and resources for providing social protection services for migrants. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment of the functionality of the current system should provide a clear roadmap on how to ensure social protection in the given setting and beyond the duration of the action, as well as how to introduce timely adjustments in the medium term. 

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and under overall supervision of the Chief of Mission, the incumbent will be responsible for the following tasks:

TASK I (10 days)

• Preparation of methodology for creation of functional analyses on available capacities of relevant social protection institutions for provision of services in domain of protection of migrants with particular focus on UASC. The final methodology will be confirmed based on consultations with the relevant departments of MoLEVSA and project partners.
• Develop and prepare all necessary qualitative research tools and materials, including timetable of the activities, planned interviews of mapped actors and focus groups with relevant mapped actors in the system (decision makers, professional guardians, fields workers, case managers and other relevant professionals within social protection system, migrant beneficiaries), literature list for desk research.

  TASK II (35 days)

  • Preparation of functional analyses of available capacities of relevant social protection institutions for provision of services in domain of protection of migrants with particular focus on UASC, including recommendations for optimisation of existing and modalities for securing necessary resources and professional competences for the mapped gaps.
  • Conduct the analysis based on comprehensive research methodology including but not limited to: 1) Desk research of prior existing analyses and reports created as part of EU financed projects and other relevant sources (including but not limited to analyses published by IOM, MOLEVSA, UNICEF, IDEAS, Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, etc). 2) Consultations/in depth interviews or surveys (online and field visits upon need) with the relevant stakeholders, decision makers and experts from Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, Ministry for Family Welfare and Demography. Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, international organisations (such as IOM, UNHCR, UNICEF) and other relevant NGOs, experts and actors. 3) qualitative analyses through online (field visits upon need) focus groups with decision makers from centres for social work and institutions for accommodation of UASC (managers and heads of relevant departments), as well as professional guardians, field workers, case managers and other professionals from the social protection system. 
  • Preparation of the draft functional analysis for comments and feedback of project partners and other relevant stakeholders as needed.
  • Creation of the final analyses of capacities of all relevant actors for social protection of migrants within social protection system with focus on UASC which will clearly present the following of: 
  • Results of the analyses of management of current resources and capacities of the social protection institutions in enabling access to social protection for migrants, including vertical and horizontal alignment and coordination based on the mandate of the national and local social protection institutions.
  • Mapping of examples of good practices as well as deficiencies and opportunities within the social protection system for more efficient management of existing institutional capacities (material and professional).
  • Conclusions and recommendations for modalities of establishing more efficient and sustainable setting for social protection of migrants at national and local level, within the present and existing institutional operational, technical and expert capacities.

    Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

    • Attendance sheet in English.
    • Creation of functional analyses of current capacities of social protection system for protection of migrants (with particular focus on UASC) and recommendations for improvement of management and material and professional resources as described in section 6.
    • Publication must be submitted in both Serbian and English language. 
      • University Degree in Social Sciences (preferably social work, psychology, law degree).
      • Working experience in social protection for at least 5 years.
      • Working experience in protection of refugees, migrants and other vulnerable groups including unaccompanied and separated children for at least 3 years.
      • Knowledge of international standards in protection of human rights, rights of the child and migration management. 
      • Excellent knowledge of social protection system and relevant legal framework in the Republic of Serbia. 
      • Experience in working with state institutions, civil sector, local self-government and international organisations and ability for multisector coordination.
      • Well knowledge of social protection in local context.
      • Excellent knowledge of English and Serbian native speaker level.
      • Excellent reporting and analytical skills and experience in writing strategic/analytical documents. 
      • License for work in social protection system will be considered an asset.