Terms of Reference for the Consultancy of CSO Capacity Building

1.            Executive Summary

In January 2020, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and Human Right Development Foundation (HRDF) started a 36-month Project entitled CSO Development for the Promotion and Advancement for Migrant Rights funded by the European Union that aimed at increasing social and economic equality of marginalised and vulnerable migrant workers in the greater Mae Sot area, Thailand.  The project targets 5,000 migrant workers in greater Mae Sot, Thailand.

Thailand is a main receiving country in ASEAN hosting approximately 2 million registered migrant workers.^[1] In this regard, it is assumed that 80% of them are Myanmar migrant. Considering the number of female migrants, women migrant workers make up a significant proportion for approximately 50% of total migrant population.^[2] In Tak province, Mae Sot and Phob Pra districts are common destination for Myanmar migrants due to flexibility of border management and the impact of Special Economic Zone that create high demand of labour as well as the growth of agricultural sector. In Mae Sot, there are approximately 375 manufacturing factories locating in the district and it is seen as a pull-factor for migrants to come and seek better economic opportunities. However, migrant workers in the target areas are often encounter with different forms of exploitation and human rights violations, such as limited access to basic social protection and being exploited by employers and officials.^[3] Moreover, the agricultural sector in Phop Phra is considered as one of the most dangerous industries for health and safety and it is expected to employ a significant number of child labour.

The major problems facing Burmese migrant workers include: (i) the necessary legislation, policy, and enforcement required to ensure more rights, freedoms and protection from exploitation for migrant workers, are not currently in place. Under Thai laws, migrant workers are not allowed to form labour unions, therefore, they have limited capacity in voicing their concerns. Further, although there has been some law reform to increase protection of migrant workers, enforcement remains at a low level. (ii) Lack of capacity of CSOs to engage in the dialogue process at national level, language barriers, limited resources and travel restrictions, are among major factors that limit the ability of CSOs to engage directly.  (iii) Occupational health and safety is another issue affecting migrants, where injuries could be prevented through more effective regulation of the workplace. Migrant workers often encounter with ‘3 D-jobs’, Dangerous, Dirty, and Difficult, making this group highly susceptible to injury. The major health concerns of migrant workers include skeletal or muscular illnesses due to heavy workloads and poor occupational health and safety standards.

It is envisaged that these identified problems will be tackled through the “CSO Development for the Promotion and Advancement  of Migrant Rights” project. The stated objective will be achieved by three expected results described below:

• Result 1: Improved awareness of and adherence to labour laws among target employers and migrant workers;
• Result 2: Enhanced CSO capacity to engage in policy dialogue platforms and networks for migrant rights and advocacy and;

The individual consultant or the consultant team will undertake the following activity proposed by the project under Result 2:

By the end of the consultancy, it is expected that 75% of CSO partners will increase knowledge and skills in various areas of project management and organizational development based on the specific needs identified in the capacity assessment.

The consultant or the consultant team will conduct three capacity building workshops and provide technical support by performing the following tasks:

• Prepare and conduct a training needs/gap assessment form in Thai or English among training participants (CSO partners);
• Submit the training needs assessment  report (2-4 pages) in English  to ADRA;               
• Develop the training plan tailored for each CSO partner in consultation with ADRA;
• Prepare training materials such as presentations in power point or  training exercises in Thai or English version for each training session;
• Develop training evaluation tools (e.g. pre-post tests);
• Conduct  a two-day training for each session with a maximum of 3 trainings for the priority areas for development identified through the assessment;
• Provide periodic technical support to 3 sub-granting CSO partners following up the training such as give them feedback on development management tools.

Three training workshops will be organized by ADRA and costs related to the venue, food, and participants transportation will be covered by the project.

The capacity assessment is expected to be conducted in September 2020. The first training workshop is scheduled to take place the fourth quarter of 2020. The second and third trainings are planed to take place in 2021.  The relevant training materials need to be developed by the consultant and share with ADRA before each training. Pre and post training tests need to be administered for each training to monitor the effectiveness of the training.  The total payable working days for the consultant or consultant team for this consultancy is 35 days.  ADRA will cover travel and accommodation costs for three trips.

Applications should be submitted no later than 10 August 2020.

Applications in the English language, including i) a resume of not more than 3 pages; ii) a cover letter; iii) a brief proposal to describe how trainings will be carried out; iv) a draft budget outlines consultant fees and associate costs should be submitted by email to chaovalit@adrathailand.org