ABOUT APRRN
The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network was founded in 2008 and is a membership network that works collaboratively to protect and promote the human rights of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), stateless people and other vulnerable people on the move in the Asia Pacific region. APRRN is an open and growing network of 300 individuals and organisations in 28 countries. We undertake joint advocacy to ensure that refugees and other people on the move have access to equitable protection, assistance, socioeconomic inclusion, and timely durable solutions. The APRRN Secretariat, with its main office in Bangkok, currently consists of eight staff and consultants in the region under the leadership of two Co-Secretaries General, one of whom has lived experience.
BACKGROUND
Meaningful Refugee Participation (MRP), which is intentional and diverse, is at the core of our work – embedded as a cross-cutting theme and focus across our 2023-2027 Strategy and Operational Plan.As we have shifted to a co-leadership model, between those with and without lived experience of forced migration, we are using this as a catalyst for change across the organisation, amongst our membership, and with external partners. We want to further strengthen our approach by looking deeply internally across our policies and practices to ensure we and our membership and partners – RLOs, civil society, iNGOs, UN agencies, are doing all we can to meaningfully include and promote the agency of those with lived experience within our network by building a collaborative, safe and inclusive environment.
At APRRN, while we have increased and diversified representation of those with lived experience in the last couple of years, we also believe and want that people with lived experiences have the additional support needed to navigate this space and share their opinions and influence decision making. To overcome the challenges to intentional, full and equitable participation is not only about addressing the number of people with lived experiences who get to sit around negotiation tables, but its about increasing their presence, diversity and voices, while addressing the barriers to creating space, and providing the confidence so those with lived experience can freely address gaps and influence decision making on policies and practices that affect them and many others.
At APRRN, in the last couple of months we have created a Meaningful Refugee Participation Advisory Group with eight experts to support and provide expert guidance on our internal transformation journey to MRP within APRRN. This group will provide key insight to support the MRP consultant with developing guidance on how we can work better with those with lived experience, especially with those in leadership positions. It will also include communication and engagement with members on this issue.
OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY
The MRP expert will lead and challenge us, alongside our MRP advisory board and governing bodies, to increase with intention and diversify meaningful refugee participation in everything that we do.
The MRP expert will lead on developing MRP within APRRN, in close coordination with the Co-SGs, Learning Lead and MRP advisory group. This will include facilitating learning and sensemaking workshops with the advisory group, conducting an assessment of APRRNs current situation, drawing on good and/or emerging practices from other networks and organisations, and developing practical guidance and training for all APRRNs constituencies on Meaningful Refugee Participation.
TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- With the Learning Lead, lead facilitate the MRP advisory group, developing learning and sensemaking workshops and following up on relevant tasks and actions
- Conduct an internal assessment of APRRNs current level of MRP across APRRN constituencies
- Coordinate and facilitate workshops and learning with the Advisory group, Steering Committee and Secretariat to develop guidelines, policies and procedures on MRP that improve inclusion, accessibility and safety across our working groups, leadership and governance.
- Develop and revise relevant guidelines and procedures on MRP, to embed across the organisation, while providing further recommendations for future development.
- Develop and deliver training and workshops on MRP guidance with APRRNs Steering Committee, board, Secretariat and further membership
- Coordinate and deliver additional training on MRP as needed
TIMELINE
We expect the consultancy to last around 5 months till May 2025.
EXPERIENCE NEEDED:
- Experience in working with NGOs/ network in developing DEI/MRP policy
- Experience in delivering training, in the Asia region on MRP/DEI
- Experience working in cross – cultural environment in the Asia region
- Excellent spoken and written English is essential. Other languages are a plus
- Lived experience of forced migration is a benefit
BUDGET AND PAYMENT
The maximum budget for this role is 10,000 EUR
Payment will be made upon success of each deliverable.
- 50 upon receipt of workplan
- 50 upon receipt of guidelines, policies, and predures and training
How to apply
Please send your application as a Word or PDF document to jobs@aprrn.org with the subject line
“Application: APRRN MRP Expert”
- Brief cover letter + CV
- Brief proposal on your approach and workplan in line with tasks and responsibilities (max 2-3 pages)
- Preliminary budget and timeframe
- Brief Written sample of your work
Please make sure these are saved in one document and the title of the document is
Application_APRRN_MRP Expert_(Your full name)
DEADLINE: Wednesday 20 January
Anticipated start of this consultancy: 1 February
Any question please contact Emma – Learning Lead ll@aprrn.org