Consultant

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS – 22510

Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants. 

Context: 

Human trafficking remains critical challenges in Cambodia, with victims subjected to severe abuse and exploitation. Ensuring that trafficked and exploited people are accurately identified, referred and provided with appropriate, comprehensive support is essential to safeguarding their rights and dignity.

Despite notable progress in recent years to combat exploitation and strengthen victim protection, significant gaps persist in Cambodia. These include a limited understanding of trafficking dynamics, insufficient support services, and weak frameworks for standardized referral and reintegration. Current mechanisms for identification, referral, and (re)integration of survivors remain fragmented and inconsistent, leaving many victims without the coordinated timely assistance they require.

To address these gaps, Cambodia developed a draft Guidelines on the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of human trafficking in August 2023. The framework was designed to establish standardized procedures for identification, referral, and service provision to potential and confirmed victims of human trafficking across government agencies, civil society organizations, and international partners. The framework ultimate goal is to ensure that human trafficking survivors in Cambodia – from among both nationals of Cambodia and foreign nationals – are identified in a timely and rights-based manner, comprehensively supported and duly coordinated in their rehabilitation process.

However, despite this progress, the framework has not yet been finalized or operationalized. Stakeholders continue to rely on fragmented practices, resulting in inconsistencies in victim support and coordination. This gap undermines Cambodia’s ability to fully meet its obligations under international commitments, such as the Palermo Protocol of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, among other instruments.

Currently available only as a draft, the NRM Guidelines require comprehensive updating in line with MoSVY feedback, and the latest developments in Cambodia and the region. The updated NRM Guidelines should be reflective of and complimentary to the latest policy and operational frameworks in the counter-trafficking field in Cambodia, including the Victim Identification Guidelines (currently in the final revision stage, expected to be launched in August 2026), the Standard Operating Procedures for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, etc.

As requested by MoSVY, it is planned to update and finalize the draft NRM Guidelines, clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and coordination mechanisms among relevant stakeholders involved in the identification, referral, assistance and reintegration processes based on the findings of consultative workshops with relevant stakeholders; and support the rollout of the NRM through developing training curricula and the delivery of three training sessions. These will include one four‑day Training of Trainers (ToT) for up to 20 MoSVY officials followed by two three‑day cascade trainings for 25 officials each, led by trained MoSVY facilitators.

This initiative will be implemented under the regional project “Ship to Shore Rights in South-East Asia: Safe Migration and Decent Work in the Blue Economy” (S2SR SEA), funded by the European Union (EU). IOM Cambodia will engage a qualified consultant to lead the process.

Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Mission, direct supervision of the Program Officer, and in close coordination with the Senior Program Assistant at IOM Cambodia, the Consultant will be entrusted with the following tasks: