Participation in the development of the methodology for a study on the needs of environmental migrants on the ground and the policy responses in Afric At Caritas France – Secours Catholique

1 – CONTEXT OF THE MISSION

Genesis of the study

Secours Catholique – Caritas France (SCCF) works on the issue of climate justice in a transversal way within its International Division, and is committed to the respect of the rights of people in migration. In this context, the SCCF has been carrying out various actions around environmental migration for several years, on the issues of disasters, environmental preservation and access to rights for migrants.

SCCF’s analysis and position paper on environmental migration, published in January 2020, was developed on the basis of work with a number of international partners. The note highlights the legal protection gap for environmental migrants, and calls for this legal gap to be filled to protect these people.

As a follow-up, the idea emerged to carry out a field study on environmental migration, the main objective of which is to better articulate the international advocacy carried out by the SCCF on environmental migration with the realities experienced by the populations on the ground. Exchanges with partners confirmed the relevance of exploring the subject in greater depth through a study, and enabled three main elements of analysis to emerge:

• There is an imperfect understanding of what environmental migration is
• Data on environmental migration is missing
• Those affected lack protection

The main objective of the study is to feed international advocacy on environmental migration. The secondary objectives of the study are to feed the advocacy of the study partners, to cross-check experiences and expertise between the study partners, and to explore the possibilities of carrying out joint advocacy actions at different scales. In this context, a resolutely political angle of work has been identified for this study. It will analyse the adaptation of policy responses to the needs of people identified on the ground.

This study is part of a 4-year Multiannual Partnership Agreement (MPA) with the French Development Agency (AFD), the public financial institution that implements France’s public development policy. This MPA aims to “strengthen the capacities of partners and communities within territories to design and promote a just ecological transition”.

The actors of the study

The study is coordinated by SCCF’s Working Group (WG) based in Paris. The study partners are based in Bangladesh, Honduras, Mexico and Senegal. There is no common language between all partners, and the working languages are English, French and Spanish.

The timetable of the study

The study was launched in January 2022 and is currently in a phase of defining the subject of the research, with the determination of the starting postulates and the research question. The timetable considered is to have the detailed methodology of the study ready by the end of June 2022 (detailed methodology for working with the partners, detailed terms of reference for the study, tools for data collection in the field, etc.). The data collection will then be carried out until the end of 2022 and the publication of the study is foreseen for September 2023. 2 – PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Under the guidance of SCCF, the consultant’s mission will be to develop the study’s methodology in order to ensure the rigor and quality of the study, by providing a methodological framework, proposing tools and models to advance the work, and critically review the documents produced.

More specifically, the consultant’s work will encompass:

Steering the elaboration of the working methodology with the study partners:

• WG support in finalising the research question and developing the research hypotheses
• Establishing the detailed methodology of the study with the WG (methodological approach, tools to collect, process and analyse the data collected in the field)
• Supporting the WG in defining the expected deliverables

Designing the methodological framework and ensuring the quality control of data collection in the field:

• Training the partners and the WG on the use of the data collection tools developed
• Ensuring the quality control of the data collected

Providing methodological support for the WG and carrying out the quality control of the processing of the data collected:

• Training of the WG members in the use of data analysis tools
• WG support in the analysis of the data collected, in relation to the research hypotheses and the research question of the study
• WG support for cross-checking collected data between targeted countries and regions
• Quality control of the processing of the data collected

Providing methodological support and quality control of the drafting of the study:

• WG support in defining the detailed plan
• Critical reviews of the study’s drafts

3 – ENVISAGED TIMETABLE, WORKLOAD AND CONDITIONS

The consultancy can be done remotely as long as the consultant has good internet connection and is available to work with a Paris based team (time difference maximum +/- 5 to 6 hours to have common working hours).

As an indication, the consultant’s assignments may be carried out according to the following schedule and workload:

• Support for the elaboration of the detailed methodology of the study including the data collection tools and their appropriation by the teams in the field: 4 days for the elaboration of the methodology of the study, including working time with the WG, finalisation after discussions; 4 days for the elaboration of the data collection tools; 4 days for the appropriation of the data collection tools by the partners (one day per partner). In total approximately 12 days over 3 months (May-July 2022)
• Support and quality control of collected data and their processing: 1 day per country (Mexico, Honduras, Senegal, Bangladesh) and 4 to 5 days for the training of the WG in data analysis tools, and WG support in analysing and cross-referencing of collected data over 8 months (August 2022-February 2023)
• Methodological support for drafting: 3 to 4 days (until mid-2023)

The consultant should be available for a field trip to one of the study fields in case a specific on-site support is necessary.**4 – EXPECTED DELIVERABLES**

The main working language will be English and all deliverables are expected to be in English.

• A detailed methodology meeting the formalities and methodological rigor of scientific research
• Data collection tools
• Training of field teams in data collection tools
• Tools for analysing the data collected
• WG training in data analysis tools
• Generate monitoring and progress reports
• Detailed feedbacks on study’s drafts and WG analyses
• PROFILE OF THE CONSULTANT
• Master Degree in Social Sciences, Political Science, Development, Migration, Environment, Cooperation or International Relations
• Proven pedagogic skills and capacity to accompany non-research actors on methodological aspects (both qualitative and quantitative methods, experience on creating, implementing and evaluating analytical frameworks for research/advocacy projects)
• At least one significant experience in conducting research and studies in a multi-country and multi-cultural setting
• Excellent analytical skills (including qualitative and quantitative data visualisation softwares expertise)
• Excellent command of English and of at least a second language (French or Spanish) is mandatory
• Experience of working with non-governmental organisations
• A good knowledge of migration (protection of people) and/or environmental issues in Africa, Asia and Latin America would be a plus
• Gender expertise would be a plus
• Consultants from the Global South are particularly encouraged to apply