ThaiNGO

VACANCY

 PROJECT COORDINATOR (PART TIME CONSULTANT)

PROJECT: THAI NATIONAL SCREENING MECHANISM IMPLEMENTATION  SUPPORT

The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) is seeking an energetic and dedicated person to join our programme team as a part time consultant. The ideal candidate will be discreet, passionate about advancing the rights of refugees and other people in need of protection, and will be equipped with a strong sense of social justice, excellent research and drafting skills, an interest in learning, a creative approach to problem solving, and a willingness to actively support the collaborative efforts of our membership towards increasing access to fundamental rights. The Secretariat works as a team of independently driven people and expects the part time consultant to maintain excellent teamwork and communication skills while being independently motivated with a strong work ethic.

APRRN is looking for an applicant who is able to commit for a twelve months term.

ASIA PACIFIC REFUGEE RIGHTS NETWORK (APRRN)

APRRN is a network of more than 400 civil society organisations and individuals from 29 countries, committed to advancing the rights of refugees in the Asia Pacific region. The network is supported by a Secretariat of seven staff based in Bangkok. APRRN's activities are structured into key areas of information sharing, mutual capacity building, and joint advocacy.

Our members are diverse. They include refugees, service providers, human rights advocacy groups, research institutions, law firms providing pro-bono legal aid, refugee community-based organisations, and dedicated individuals. Almost all APRRN members are working in their specific local contexts, advocating for advancing policy and practice to ensure and protect the rights of people in need of protection.

APRRN’s vision for the Asia Pacific region is one in which all people affected by displacement and statelessness have meaningful access to assistance and protection, and to timely durable solutions as needed. Our goal is to work towards a future in which refugee communities, civil society, states, UNHCR, and other actors collaborate effectively towards the common purpose of protection.

CONTEXT

Despite a lack of any legal framework for refugee rights, the Royal Thai Government has recently taken several positive steps toward ensuring better protection for refugees and asylum seekers in the country and respecting refugee rights. These steps follow pledges made by Prime Minister Chan-o-cha at the 2016 UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants and the Leaders’ Summit on Refugees convened by US President Obama. Significantly, they led to a 2017 cabinet resolution to develop a National Screening Mechanism (NSM) to identify and legally recognize refugees—a major development in Thai refugee policy. The NSM was announced through the official Gazette on 24 December 2019 and must be implemented within 180 days. Due to Covid-19 pandemic and various preparations such as setting up the committee, preparing  standards of operation, and having all related forms in place, the NSM implementation has been delayed.

APRRN and the Thai Coalition for the Rights of Refugees and Stateless Persons (CRSP) have engaged the NSM process from the start, aiming to ensure the mechanism defends fundamental rights, ensures uniform access, and is effectively implemented by qualified officials. We are at a critical juncture to leverage APRRN’s capacity building, coordination, and advocacy experience with civil society members (i.e., CRSP) to ensure the NSM meets international standards, and that avenues remain open for reinforcement and development.

SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

The Project Coordinator (PC) will facilitate multi-stakeholder involvement in a year-long assessment of the implementation of the NSM and the production of a public assessment report examining implementation and effectiveness. The PC will ensure an active and engaged role for Thai civil society members in direct advocacy with national authorities towards greater refugee protection in Thailand.

The PC will ensure substantive meetings between Thai authorities, civil society, and affected community members (where appropriate) to assess the progress of the implementation of the NSM and effectiveness in increasing identification and protection of migrants under threat. The consultant will also produce a public assessment report detailing the implementation of the NSM, mapping actors, detailing challenges and opportunities, and providing clear and targeted recommendations for steps forward.

The PC will also assist APRRN in development of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework based on the organisation’s theory of change by ensuring the process remains participatory. Based on the M&E framework, PC will also be responsible for collecting and evaluating information regarding this project.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or higher, preferably in international relations, law, politics, development or social science disciplines
• Experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Research
• Experience in advocating refugee rights, human rights, or another closely related field strongly preferred
• Demonstrated experience organising workshops, consultations, and other meetings (including conceptualisation and logistics) preferably between stakeholders from varied backgrounds
• Experience consulting with multiple partners/stakeholders in order to design and implement coordinated activities
• Demonstrated ability to deliver research and assessment reports on focal areas, with clear analysis and insight for future advocacy interventions for stakeholders

SKILLS

• Ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines
• Ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders to complete tasks
• Ability to work independently

• Understanding of human rights and protection frameworks is an asset
• Experience working with displaced populations is an asset
• Experience with policy advocacy/legal experience or training

REQUIRED

• Fluent in Thai (listening, speaking, reading and writing)
• Fluent in English (with demonstrable professional English writing ability
• Reside in Thailand

POSITION DETAILS