Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA

Evaluation of Alternative Media for Migrants, Thai-Myanmar Border

Terms of Reference 

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA was established in 1984 by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) as the Australian union movement’s global justice organisation. Our purpose is for Australian unions to work globally in partnership for the achievement of dignity at work, social justice, economic equality and the realisation of human rights. 

We work to achieve this through strong unions and social movements, sustainable development programs, global solidarity and support in times of crisis. We work with global union federations, local partner organisations and unions in Southeast Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East and southern Africa. 

Project context

The political and humanitarian situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate, driving a sustained flow of people across the porous border into Thailand. Many are seeking work in response to Myanmar’s economic collapse, while others are fleeing armed conflict, persecution, and the junta’s enforcement of its conscription law. This displacement has intensified following the 2025 cuts to US funding, which have further constrained humanitarian responses inside Myanmar and along the border. As a result, Thailand has become an increasingly critical, though precarious, destination for Myanmar nationals navigating overlapping crises of conflict, repression, and economic hardship. 

While the Thai government has allowed new arrivals to remain in informal temporary stay areas near the border, it has at times pushed people back. None of those who have fled since the February 2021 coup have been permitted to enter the existing refugee camps, and Thai authorities continue to impose strict restrictions on movement and access to humanitarian assistance and basic services. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than four million Myanmar migrants currently reside in Thailand, up to 1.7 million of whom are undocumented. In 2023 alone, 1.3 million Myanmar nationals crossed into Thailand. Although Thai policy tends to distinguish between “migrant workers” and “refugees,” these categories frequently overlap in practice. The absence of formal protection status leaves many people vulnerable to exploitation, extortion, arrest, detention, and deportation, often without appropriate screening procedures. 

Thailand is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and has no comprehensive refugee law or asylum system applicable to all nationalities. In 2023, the government introduced a National Screening Mechanism (NSM), under which certain individuals who cannot safely return to their countries of origin may apply for protection and, if successful, be recognised as “Protected Persons” under Thai law. However, the NSM excludes several nationalities in practice, including many migrant workers from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, and does not provide safeguards against arrest and detention under immigration law. As undocumented foreigners are deemed “illegal,” individuals who present themselves for screening remain at risk of detention, creating a strong disincentive to seek protection. Consequently, large numbers of Myanmar nationals in Thailand continue to live in legal limbo, without durable solutions or adequate protection frameworks.

Overview of the project

The project aims to empower migrant workers from Burma (Myanmar) and their families living in Thailand - particularly in and around Chiang Mai and Mae Sot - by providing accessible, reliable information on rights and key social issues in migrant languages through community radio and digital media platforms. 

MAP Radio operates two community radio stations (FM 97.5 (formerly 99.0) in Chiang Mai and FM 102.5 in Mae Sot), broadcasting five days per week, with linked weekend programming and was operating additional AM broadcasts through a government station when the project first started. Through FM, AM, and simultaneous online streaming, MAP Radio reaches thousands of migrants in Thailand and, where internet access permits, source communities in Shan State and other parts of Myanmar. 

The programming provides rights-based information in migrant languages, primarily Shan and Burmese, to promote social integration and protect migrant rights. Topics include migration policy updates; labour rights (including domestic worker rights and occupational safety and health); women’s rights (including sexual and reproductive health and genderbased violence); children’s rights (including education and identification); adolescent health; and public health information such as HIV, tuberculosis, and other communicable diseases. 

In addition to broadcasting, the project strengthens community-based organisations’ capacity to use radio as a communication tool and supports migrants to create their own media content, including citizen journalism and storytelling based on lived experience.

Purpose of the evaluation

Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA is undertaking this end term evaluation to better understand the impacts of the Alternative Media for Migrants project. 

The evaluation will cover the 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2026 project phase to examine progress towards the project goal to “Empower migrant workers with information about their rights and how they can act to redress rights violations” and the effectiveness of the project logic and approach towards this goal. 

The evaluation will review the whole project, including progress made since the last project review, conducted in 2023, and the last formal evaluation, conducted in 2021. The evaluation will review key lessons learned and direct outcomes for migrant workers from Burma and their families in areas of Thailand, namely Chiang Mai and Mae Sot, by providing information on a range of rights-related issues in migrant languages via regular programming broadcast over MAP’s two community radio stations.  

The evaluation will look at the broader political situation in Thailand and assess whether the intervention is adapting to meet the needs of the target population. The evaluation should also look at the use of social media platforms for broadcasting and assess the effectiveness of new channels of communication as well as the current platforms.   

The evaluation will incorporate an exploration of GEDSI factors present in the project in the project such as how gender, age, migration status and other intersecting vulnerabilities influence access to information, participation in media platforms, and ability to exercise rights. The analysis should identify any differential access, unintended exclusion, or emerging risks, and provide practical recommendations to strengthen inclusive outreach and participation. The analysis is not intended to be a standalone in-depth gender study but should provide practical insights to strengthen inclusive, safe, and context-responsive programming for the next design phase. 

Staff and program beneficiaries will participate in the assessment processes and contribute to the formulation of recommendations based on the evaluation findings. 

The evaluation should identify recommendations to inform the design of the next project phase and of other similar projects.   

Project staff and participants will actively participate in the process and contribute to shaping the evaluation’s findings.

Objectives of the Project 

Outcome 1

Migrants know about and can access their rights as a result of information provided in migrant languages by MAP Radio.

Outcome 2

Community-based organisations receive capacity strengthening that enables them to communicate effectively through radio.

Outcome 3

Migrants produce personal and community-based media that reflects lived experiences and informs migrant communities.

Evaluation questions

Effectiveness

1. To what extent did the project contribute to migrants knowing about and being able to access their rights as a result of information provided in migrant languages by MAP Radio?
2. To what extent did the project strengthen the capacity of community-based organisations to communicate effectively through radio and media platforms?
3. To what extent did the project enable migrants to create and share their own media, including storytelling and citizen journalism, reflecting lived experiences and informing migrant communities?
4. What were the enablers and barriers to achieving project outcomes?

Relevance:

1. How well suited is the project to the political operating environment?
2. To what extent is the project effectively responding to the needs of the target group?
3. To what extent are the media project activities complementing MAP Foundations other programs, including labour rights promotion/ solidarity work?

Cross-cutting issues

1. How could the project better approach cross cutting themes of gender justice, disability rights and environmental protection? 
2. What gaps in knowledge exist around our cross-cutting themes, and how could they be addressed? 

Methodology

The project evaluation will use a participatory methodology and analyse data from a range of qualitative and quantitative sources. Ethical data collection approaches will be used. A MEL Plan can be provided on request.   

Please outline your proposed methodology in your application.

Expected outputs

Outputs of evaluation consultancy include:

• An evaluation plan, including the final methodology and timetable before the start of the in-country data collection in English
• Evaluation tools including survey and focus group questions before the start of the incountry data collection. 
• a draft evaluation report, two weeks after the end of the in-country data collection in English
• a final written report in English (see details below) 
• Detailed recommendations for the next phase of the project, specific to all stakeholders with examples as to what this could look like for practical implementation in the next project phase.
• 1-2 case studies from participants demonstrating project impact, accompanied by photographs, confirmation of ethical data collection and consent for publication. 

The final report should include the following chapters:

• an executive summary
• a critical description of methods used (and potential limitations)
• findings of the study
• lessons learned 
• recommendations for future project design (with specific recommendations for all stakeholders). 

Selection criteria

The consultant should meet the following selection criteria:

• Strong international development project evaluation experience
• Experience in South-East Asia and ideally in migrant and workers’ rights highly regarded
• Demonstrated experience with a range of evaluation methodologies, including participatory approaches
• Experience in integrating gender analysis into evaluation approaches. 
• Ability to synthesize and communicate complex development project lessons, in written English
• Knowledge of Burmese desirable 
• Knowledge and understanding of DFAT/ANCP processes and requirements (desirable).

Timeline (flexible)

Logistics

APHEDA will facilitate the consultant(s) work in Thailand – Mae Sot and Chiang Mai with regards to introduction to partners and other key stakeholders.

Any travel or accommodation arrangements will be made by the consultant and should be included in the budget proposed in your application. 

Applications should include:

• CV of evaluator(s)
• An evaluation plan to include (no more than 3 pages):
  • Proposed methodology, scope
  • Planning/timetable 
  • Budget (clearly indicating number of days, personnel)
• Example of previous evaluation work

Contact

Jacinta Harford

jharford@apheda.org.au