**Short Description**

IOM, the UN Migration Agency, in Geneva, Switzerland, is looking for a Consultant to support the development of a foundational training course on missing migrants, tailored for government officials in The Gambia and Mauritania engaged in preventing and responding to cases of missing migrants and in supporting families of the missing.

**Introduction**

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM is committed to ensuring a workplace where all employees can thrive professionally, while working towards harnessing the full potential of migration. Read more about IOM's workplace culture at [IOM workplace culture | International Organization for Migration](https://www.iom.int/iom-workplace-culture).

**Project Context and Scope**

Development of a foundational training course on missing migrants tailored for government officials in The Gambia and Mauritania engaged in preventing and responding to cases of missing migrants and supporting families of the missing.

This training is part of the project “Capacity Building of Missing Migrant National Focal Points in Rabat Process Partner Countries”, Phase 1 (Mauritania and The Gambia), funded by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The project aims to strengthen the capacities of government-designated Missing Migrants National Focal Points (NFPs) and other key government officials in Mauritania and The Gambia, promoting a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response to missing migrants.

This is the first time IOM will deliver a training on all aspects of a missing migrant response, serving as a pilot initiative. While the training will take place in The Gambia and Mauritania, the materials and content will also be made available to other members of the Rabat Process Network of NFPs, helping them enhance knowledge and improve whole-of-government responses within their own administrations.

The course is designed to provide government officials in The Gambia and Mauritania with a solid baseline understanding of the issue of missing migrants—its drivers, implications, and required institutional responses.

The course will equip participants with:

- A shared conceptual and operational framework on missing migrants.
- Skills to prevent incidents, conduct search and identification processes, and support affected families.
- Common terminology and procedures to enable consistent and coordinated government-led action.

The course is expected to be delivered in person over approximately 2.5 days, using an interactive methodology combining presentations, case studies, group exercises, and facilitated discussions.

**Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing**

- Project: Capacity Building of Missing Migrant National Focal Points in Rabat Process
- Partner Countries, Phase 1 (Mauritania and The Gambia)
Project code: MS0103
- Department: Department of Humanitarian Response and Recovery (DHRR), HQ

**Responsibilities**

**Tasks to be performed under this contract**

**Category B Consultants: Tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignment**

Overview of key outputs

- Development of a 2.5-day training course for government officials on foundational aspects of missing migrants.

The course will cover key thematic and operational components, with final topics to be agreed jointly with the consultant. Tentative areas include:

- Key concepts and terminology: defining missing migrants.
- Understanding the experiences and needs of families of the missing.
- International, regional, and national legal and policy frameworks.
- Preventing migrant deaths and disappearances.
- Searching for and identifying the missing, including the information management systems required to support the search and identification.
- Supporting families throughout the search and identification process.
- Incident and statistical data collection.
- Mapping the institutional landscape and clarifying roles and responsibilities within and beyond government.

The course will integrate both countries of origin perspectives and perspectives from countries where migrant deaths and disappearances occur, ensuring a comprehensive and route-based approach. It will include presentations, case studies, group exercises, and adult learning methodologies to maximize practical application. The final deliverable will comprise a full training package, including the agenda, PowerPoint presentations, facilitator’s guide, and a participant workbook with practical exercises.

- Delivery of pilot training

The consultant will deliver a 2.5-day pilot training in English in Banjul, The Gambia for the National Task Force on Missing Migrants. Following the training, the consultant will hold meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad to support a training-of-trainers approach, enabling MOFA to deliver the course independently in the future. After the pilot, the consultant will revise and adapt the training materials based on lessons learned and participant feedback. The delivery of the training in Mauritania is not part of this consultancy.

**Schedule of deliverables and payments**

1. **First deliverable** – Inception report and detailed course outline - Deliverable by email. One week after the start of the contract.
2. **Second deliverable** –First draft of training material (power points, facilitators guide, participants workbook with practical exercises)- Deliverable by email. One month and one week after the approval of the inception report.
3. **Third deliverable** – Final version of training material- Deliverable by email. Three weeks after the approval of the first draft.
4. **Fourth and final deliverable** –Delivery of one pilot training; one meeting with the government to support training of trainer efforts and inclusion of lessons-learned of the pilot training into the learning packet- TBD based on government availability.

**Performance indicators for the evaluation of results**

- Timely submission of deliverables according to agreed schedule.
- Quality and professionalism of the documents, including clarity, logical structure, and relevance of content.
- Quality of the training and participant feedback.
- Responsiveness to feedback and integration of comments into final deliverables.

**Qualifications**

**Required Qualifications and Experience**

**Education**

Master’s degree in International Relations, Political Science, Law, Criminal Justice, or a related field from an accredited academic institution.

**Experience**

- Extensive experience working on missing persons, including missing migrants;
- Demonstrated experience liaising with government officials on issues related to missing migrants, particularly with governments in Africa;
- Experience working with humanitarian organizations addressing missing migrants issues is a strong advantage;
- Proven experience in developing training materials and/or delivering trainings; and,
- Experience working in Africa is a distinct advantage.

**Languages**

All staff members in all categories are required to be fluent in one of the IOM’s official languages (English, French, and Spanish).

For this Consultancy, fluency in English is required (oral and written).

Working knowledge of French and another official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish) is an advantage.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

**Travel required**

- One trip to Banjul, The Gambia for a maximum of 5 days.