Consulting for the Final External Evaluation of the Regional Project “Pro Rights”

Job Description

1. Context of the evaluation

The political and socio-economic situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (hereinafter, Venezuela) has led to the exodus of millions of Venezuelans to neighboring and other countries. As of November 2024, approximately 7.9 million Venezuelans had left their country, of which more than 6.8 million resided in the region[ 1]. Colombia hosts the largest number of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the region, home to more than 2.8 million Venezuelans, while serving as a transit country for migrants and refugees of various nationalities. Peru, for its part, is the country with the second largest number of this population, hosting 1.6 million as of September 2024 and is a transit country for migrants and refugees of multiple nationalities.

Among the challenges facing this population are gender-based violence (GBV); the protection risks faced by children and adolescents (NNA), especially those who are unaccompanied; the lack of access to protection and exposure to armed and criminal groups in the region; discrimination and xenophobia on the part of host communities; and changes in countries’ migration policies.

In Colombia, migratory flows of Venezuelans and other nationalities are characterized by extreme vulnerability, especially for unaccompanied children and adolescents, which increases their risk of commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents (CSEC) in virtual environments and in the context of human trafficking, primarily for exploitation purposes. This situation was exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased barriers to accessing institutional protection services, limiting the detection, referral, and management of sexual exploitation and trafficking cases. Globally, during 2020 and 2021, children and adolescents in confinement, due to school closures, spent more time using technological devices and browsing the internet and social media. The high level of internet use among children and adolescents increases the risk and threat of cybercrimes related to CSEC, as well as their susceptibility to being recruited for human trafficking, especially for sexual exploitation through pornography, with women and children being the most vulnerable.

In Peru, the Venezuelan migrant and refugee population faces obstacles in obtaining immigration documents and accessing regularization, including a lack of resources to pay the costs, limited administrative resources and technical capacity for efficient documentation processes, insufficient information and counseling for refugees, migrants, and public employees, lack of internet access , and discrimination by public employees. This most severely affects survivors of GBV, unaccompanied children, and victims of human trafficking, for whom regularization processes and referral to care can save lives.

In the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region, human trafficking continues to be a challenge for Venezuelan refugees and migrants and for those working to stop the crime, including governments, diaspora organizations, and civil society organizations. Based on a survey conducted within the framework of the Quito Process,[2] to gather information on response capacities to address human trafficking in participating countries, gaps were identified, such as the need for greater coordination among consultative offices to assist victims of trafficking. Likewise, it was identified that continued direct assistance is required for victims, as well as for organizations that handle trafficking cases.

 

In this context, IOM is implementing the Global Affairs Canada (GAC)-funded project, “Pro-Rights: Promoting the Rights of Refugees and Migrants in Latin America and the Caribbean,” which includes actions in Peru, Colombia, and at the regional level and has a budget of CAD 4,982,215. The agreement began in October 2022 and will end in January 2026.

The project seeks to contribute to improving the protection of refugees and migrants in Colombia, Peru, and other LAC countries, especially Venezuelan girls and women. To this end, in Colombia, IOM strengthens the prevention and response to the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents, within the framework of CSEC in virtual contexts and human trafficking. In Peru, IOM improves access to regularization for Venezuelan refugees and migrants, particularly women and girls, contributing to their integration and protection. At the regional level, IOM strengthens regional capacities to respond to the trafficking of Venezuelan refugees and migrants, especially women and girls, in LAC.

To achieve these final and intermediate results, the project implements the following immediate results:

1110: Enhanced capacities of civil society organizations and governments in intervention areas to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation. (Colombia)

1120: Increased awareness and access for children and adolescents, particularly girls , to initiatives and services that prevent sexual exploitation in the intervention areas. (Colombia)

1130: Greater effectiveness of response routes and protocols for sexual exploitation, particularly for girls and adolescents. (Colombia)

1210: Venezuelan refugees and migrants, particularly women and girls, receive information and support to access regularization and protection services. (Peru)

1220: Strengthening government institutions improves the provision of gender-sensitive regularization and documentation services for Venezuelan refugees and migrants, particularly women and girls. (Peru)

1310: Strengthening regional capacities to respond to trafficking in Venezuelan refugees and migrants, particularly women and girls, in Latin America and the Caribbean. (Regional Level)

The project is managed by IOM’s Regional Operations Office (ROO) in Panama City, Panama, in coordination with the IOM Missions in Colombia and Peru.

The project is aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM). The project primarily contributes to Sustainable Development Goal targets 10.7 (facilitate safe, orderly, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies) and 5.1 (End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere). It also contributes to the following GCM objectives:

Objective 3: Provide accurate and timely information at all stages of migration.

Objective 5: Increase the availability and flexibility of regular migration pathways.

Goal 7: Address and reduce vulnerabilities in migration.

Goal 10: Prevent, combat and eradicate trafficking in persons in the context of international migration

Likewise, the project is being implemented within the framework of the Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RMRP), in the sectors of protection, GBV, and human trafficking.

IOM has implemented the project alongside strategic partners from the government and civil society. In Colombia, IOM has partners such as the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF), the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MinTIC), the Ministry of National Education (MEN), the Ministry of the Interior, local committees to combat human trafficking, child and adolescent groups, and civil society organizations. In Peru, the project has been implemented in partnership with the National Superintendency of Migration and civil society organizations representing refugee and migrant populations in Venezuela. The Regional Operations Office has coordinated its intervention with the governments of the Quito Process member countries and with organizations of the Venezuelan diaspora.

[1] R4V. Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants. May 2025. Available at https://www.r4v.info/es/refugiadosymigrantes

[2] IOM, July 2020. Available at https://lac.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl626/files/documents/N-10-Trata_de_personas_y_Covid-19.pdf

2. Purpose and objectives of the evaluation.

Given that the project will conclude its activities in October 2025, a final evaluation is required. The main objective of this evaluation is to provide information on the project’s effectiveness in contributing to improving the protection of refugees and migrants in Colombia, Peru, and other LAC countries, especially Venezuelan girls and women.

The specific objectives are:

• Verify that the activities have responded to the needs of the beneficiaries and that they were in line with the established objectives.
• Establish the extent to which the project results were achieved, as well as the factors that contributed to or affected the achievement of the results.
• Measure the project’s relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability, as well as the incorporation of cross-cutting issues such as the gender perspective.
• Provide evidence to inform future phases of the project or related initiatives.

Identify good practices, lessons learned, and/or innovations in the protection of refugees and migrants, especially girls and women, that can inform future actions in the protection of migrants and refugees. In particular, recognize innovative practices that could be replicated or scaled up in the future.

The evaluation findings and lessons learned will be used by the project team in the Missions and the Regional Office to review the project results and inform future IOM programs and activities. IOM will develop and monitor a management response matrix for the evaluation recommendations.

3. Scope of the evaluation

The evaluation will have the following scope:

• It will cover the formulation and implementation phases of the project.
• Intervention period: October 2022 – October 2025
• Geographic Coverage: The Evaluator is expected to collect information in person and virtually as follows:
  • In-person work: Peru
  • Virtual work: Colombia and Panama.
• Thematic:
  • Prevention and response to the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents (CSEC), particularly women, in the context of human trafficking in Colombia.
    • Capacities of civil society organizations and governments to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation, especially of girls and adolescent women.
    • Raising awareness and providing access for children and adolescents, especially girls and adolescent women, to initiatives and services that prevent sexual exploitation.
    • Response routes and protocols against sexual exploitation, especially for girls and adolescent women.
  • Access for refugees and migrants from Venezuela, especially women and girls, to regularization and protection services in Peru.
    • Support for refugees and migrants from Venezuela, particularly women and girls, through information and access to regularization and protection services.
    • Institutional strengthening to improve regularization and documentation services with a gender perspective for refugees and migrants from Venezuela, especially women and girls.
  • Access to protection and assistance for victims of trafficking, especially women and girls, in countries hosting refugees and migrants from Venezuela.
    • Strengthening regional capacities to respond to trafficking in Venezuelan refugees and migrants, particularly women and girls, in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Target population:
  • Colombia:
    • Public servants from institutions – at the national and local levels – and members of civil society organizations.
    • Girls and adolescents.
  • Peru:
    • Migrants and refugees.
    • Officials of the National Superintendency of Migration.
  • GOLD:
    • Public officials from consulates and other agencies of ten countries participating in the Quito Process.
    • Civil Society Organizations.
    • IOM Staff.

The evaluation faces the challenge of conducting data collection remotely in Colombia, which may limit the participation of some beneficiaries. This limitation must be taken into account in the design and implementation of the evaluation to generate an accurate analysis of the results.

 

Responsibilities

4. Evaluation Criteria and Questions

The project will be evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria: relevance, effectiveness, impact, efficiency, sustainability, and gender equality.

 

 

5. Methodology and evaluation methods.

The evaluation will be carried out in line with IOM’s M&E policies, in accordance with the IOM Guidelines on Monitoring and Evaluation . The evaluator will propose a methodology, which will be discussed with the project team and the evaluation manager.

Given the context and purpose of the evaluation, we suggest using a mixed methods approach (quantitative and qualitative) that allows for triangulation of data sources to answer the research questions. Among these, we propose:

• Document review of the agreement, the project proposal, the Logical Framework and the Project Measurement Framework, narrative and financial reports, and monitoring information.
• Interviews or focus groups with public officials, members of civil society organizations, child and adolescent beneficiaries, migrant and refugee beneficiaries, including women , project partners , and IOM staff. For beneficiaries and relevant stakeholders from Colombia and ORO, this work can be conducted remotely.
  • 5 interviews with key players in ORO
  • 5 interviews with key players from IOM Colombia
  • 5 interviews with key players from IOM Peru
  • 1 focus group with ORO beneficiaries, including women.
  • 2 focus groups with IOM Colombia beneficiaries, including women.
  • 1 focus group with IOM Peru beneficiaries, including women.

The number of interviews and focus groups will be defined according to the methodology proposed by the evaluator.

• Surveys of a representative sample of 284 migrants and refugees (95% confidence level and 5% error rate of the total records with valid contacts) who were beneficiaries of the project in Peru, which will allow for answering the guiding evaluation questions and reporting the indicator: % of beneficiaries who indicate that the assistance provided facilitated their integration and protection in Peru.

Additionally, data from the evaluation reports must be disaggregated by gender and age.

 

6.Ethics, norms and evaluation standards.

 

The evaluation must follow the norms and standards of the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG), and all evaluation team members are expected to comply with the UNEG Ethics Guidelines for Evaluations and the Code of Conduct. The evaluator must also follow the IOM Data Protection Principles.

In its design, execution, and dissemination of results, the evaluation must clearly integrate rights-based and gender-based approaches in accordance with UNEG and IOM guidelines. The methodology, methods, tools, and data analysis techniques are expected to be gender-sensitive. Additionally, the findings, conclusions, and recommendations must reflect an analysis from a gender perspective.

 

7. Deliverables

The following deliverables must be provided by the evaluator throughout the evaluation process, according to the schedule confirmed in the inception report (see the schedule section below):

1. An inception report in the standard IOM format defining the assessment methodology, adjusting and/or adding additional questions to the assessment matrix (questions, sub-questions, indicators, data sources and collection tools), the data collection instruments, and a detailed work plan. Language: Spanish.[1] Approval from the Assessment Manager is required to proceed with data collection, and data quality will be assessed using the inception report quality control tool.[2]
2. A presentation and discussion session on the initial evaluation findings, once the information gathering phase is complete and before beginning the preparation of the evaluation report.
3. A draft of the final assessment report in the IOM format ^{[ 3 ]} , presenting the findings and conclusions of the evidence found, as well as recommendations arising from the findings. The quality of the report will be assessed using the IOM Assessment Report Quality Control Tool. ^[4] The report will have a maximum of twenty-five (25) pages, excluding annexes, cover page, index and lists (acronyms, tables, figures, etc.). Language: English .
4. A final evaluation report , incorporating IOM comments, if applicable, and including all elements outlined in the IOM form. Language: English.
5. Two-page Evaluation Summary, according to the IOM format. ^[5]
6. A final hybrid presentation of the evaluation’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations to IOM and other relevant stakeholders as required.
7. A draft management response matrix, in accordance with the OIM format (Recommendations Section). ^[6]

8.Specifications and roles
The evaluation team:

• Carry out the assessment in accordance with these Terms of Reference.
• Prepares and carries out data collection and analysis and delivers the above-mentioned products according to the agreed dates.
• Organizes logistics for data collection (including the organization of surveys, interviews, focus groups, field visits, and other activities).
• Inform the evaluation manager about progress and challenges faced.
• Provide a report at the end of data collection to present initial findings and tentative conclusions. This will address any misinterpretations or information gaps identified before the evaluator begins preparing the report.
• Ensures quality throughout the entire process.

As evaluation manager, Peru’s Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant:

• Coordination of the implementation of the evaluation and the work plan.
• They will compile the project information required for the evaluation and make it available to the evaluator, in coordination with other project team members and the M&E teams from Colombia and the ORO.
• You will manage the evaluation process, including feedback and quality control during the initial phase, presentation of initial findings, and providing comments on the evaluation report.
• He or she will coordinate the distribution of evaluation products among the Evaluation Reference Group (ERG) members; he or she will collect comments and transfer them to the evaluator according to the agreed deadlines.
• The evaluator will present to the people from whom interviews or survey responses are expected , both those who are part of the IOM and those from other project stakeholders.
• The GRE will be convened to meet to present preliminary findings and present results, according to the agreed-upon schedule.
• It will formalize the approval/disapproval of the evaluation products based on these terms of reference, quality standards, and GRE inputs.
• He will coordinate the completion of the management response matrix in coordination with the ORO and the Colombian Mission, involving all involved areas.
• Together with the GRE, it will support the challenges identified by the evaluation team.

M&E teams in Colombia and GOLD:

• It will collect the project information required for the evaluation and make it available to the Evaluation Manager.
• As members of the ERG, they will review the evaluation products, gather feedback from the Mission and ORO, and submit them to the Evaluation Manager within the agreed timeframes.

Project Manager and Technical Teams for Peru and Colombia:

• Will deliver the required project documents.
• They will provide information on good practices and lessons learned.
• As members of the GRE, they will provide feedback on the assessment products.

Additionally, a quality assurance process must be integrated into the evaluation, as follows:

• A meeting will be held at the beginning of the evaluation process to facilitate understanding of the Terms of Reference, the process, roles, and responsibilities among the evaluation manager, the evaluation team, the project team, and the M&E teams.
• The inception report will be reviewed by the evaluation manager, the project manager, the technical teams, and the M&E teams in Peru, Colombia, and the ORO. It will then undergo a quality control process led by the Regional Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Officer (RPMO) or the Protection RTS. The report will then be reviewed by the evaluation team and finalized only after acceptance by the RPMO and the evaluation manager. The evaluation team will include in the inception report a detailed description of the data collection and analysis methods, as well as their validity and reliability, particularly with regard to qualitative data.
• The evaluation team will implement mechanisms to document the data triangulation that supports each finding presented and will explain the evidence available for each case in its report.
• The evaluator will apply the quality control tool to the initial report and the evaluation reports before submitting them to the IOM.
• Upon completion of data collection, the evaluation team will present preliminary findings to identify potential omissions, misinterpretations, and information gaps, and take steps to address them before writing the final report.
• When reviewing the initial report and the preliminary and final evaluation reports, the RPMO and the Evaluation Manager will apply the quality control procedures and tools specified in the Guidelines.
• The evaluator or the evaluation team will promptly communicate any emerging challenges or obstacles to the evaluation manager, who will provide support in finding appropriate solutions to facilitate the evaluation.
• The final report and summary will be reviewed by the evaluation manager and the project team, M&E teams, adjusted by the evaluator and finalized only after acceptance by the evaluation manager .
• The evaluation team will present the final findings to IOM, GAC, and all other stakeholders through a structured presentation, highlighting key findings and recommendations and incorporating the resulting feedback into the final version of the report.

9. Schedule

The evaluation will take three and a half months, starting from the date of contract signing, and is expected to begin on November 1, 2025. The proposal is expected to include a detailed work plan specifying the stages of the study, taking into account at least the following activities:

 

 

Qualifications

10.Budget

The estimated budget must cover all costs incurred by the evaluation team. The evaluator must include a detailed budget by line item and activity in the proposal. This should include transportation, maintenance, materials, equipment, and human resources costs.

IOM will not provide transportation or logistics, and the consultant must independently manage all necessary expenses during field visits to gather information, including accommodation, transportation, and food for the focus groups, as well as other necessary logistics. The IOM project management team will assist in identifying and contacting stakeholders and coordinating the implementation of planned activities.

PAY	AMOUNT	DATE
Payment 1: Within 10 days after submission of the inception report	25% of the total amount	15 days after the start of the consulting service.
Payment 2: Within 10 days after submission of the draft evaluation report	35% of the total amount	70 days after the start of the consulting service.
Payment 3: Within 10 days after submission of the final evaluation report and information sheet.	40% of the total amount	100 days after the start of the consulting service.

 

11.Requirements of the evaluator/evaluation team

• Minimum of five years of experience coordinating and managing evaluations of international cooperation projects with international organizations, United Nations agencies, bilateral donors, NGOs, and non-profit organizations in Peru or Colombia.
• Experience in evaluating protection projects or projects related to migrant populations.
• Experience in evaluations involving data collection from children and adolescents.
• Demonstrated experience training, facilitating, and coordinating interviewers and data entry teams to collect and enter survey data to high-quality standards.
• Fluency in Spanish and English (spoken and written) is required.
• In addition, the minimum roles and profiles that must be included in the evaluation team are indicated. If the evaluation is conducted by a natural person (Senior Evaluator), they must include at least one of the other profiles mentioned in the following table (Junior Evaluator and/or Statistician) in their team:

 

Role	Required profile
Senior Evaluator	Hold a university degree in economics, social and/or political sciences, or related fields. Master’s and/or doctoral studies in development, international cooperation or humanitarian action. Minimum of five years of professional experience and/or five consultancies leading evaluations of international cooperation projects. Demonstrated ability to analyze, systematize, present information, and write evaluation documents (include in your CV an example of previous work that demonstrates these skills). Knowledge of migrant protection in Peru and Colombia will be highly valued. Knowledge and experience in gender equality will be valued positively. Excellent command of English and Spanish.
Junior Evaluator	Hold a university degree in economics, social and/or political sciences, or related fields. Master’s studies in a related discipline will be valued. The professional must have at least three years of experience in evaluating international cooperation social projects. Knowledge of information collection and systematization methodologies. Demonstrated ability to analyze, systematize, present information, and write evaluation documents (include in your CV an example of previous work that demonstrates these skills). Experience in collecting information with children and adolescents.
Statistical	Have a university degree in statistics Master’s studies in a related discipline will be valued. At least three years of general professional experience in statistical methods and sampling for evaluations.

 

12.Remission Requirements

The interested evaluator or evaluation team must submit the following documents as part of the application, otherwise they will be excluded from the shortlist :

• A technical proposal demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of these terms of reference and the proposed evaluation methodology. The proposal (maximum 12 pages) should reflect a detailed plan of the specific activities, the timeline for their implementation, and the data collection and analysis activities. It should also include a proposal for the statistical approach and analysis methodology.
• A financial proposal that includes all costs necessary to conduct the evaluation. It should include details of the required cost components (e.g., human resources, travel, materials, maintenance, equipment, and taxes).
• An example of a similar assessment , preferably in Peru or Colombia.
• The resumes of the entire team involved , with examples of previous work, as requested in Section 11.
• Three client references and their contact information.

 

13. Required skills

 

The IOM competency framework is available at this link . Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

 

Values – All IOM staff must respect and demonstrate these values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respect and promote individual and cultural differences. Promote diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in accordance with the Organization’s principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates the ability to work calmly, competently, and with commitment, exercising careful judgment in the face of everyday challenges.
• Courage: Shows willingness to take a stand on important issues.
• Empathy: Shows compassion for others; makes people feel safe, respected, and treated fairly.

Core Competencies – behavioral indicators

• Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and between units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality, service-oriented, and timely results. Is proactive and committed to the agreed-upon objectives.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seek to learn, share knowledge, and innovate.
• Accountability: Assumes responsibility for achieving the Organization’s priorities and is accountable for his or her actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Promotes and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex issues in an informative, inspiring, and motivating manner.

Grades

1. Any offer made in connection with this vacancy notice is subject to confirmation of funds.
2. Appointment is subject to medical fitness certification, residency verification, visa, and government authorizations, as applicable.
3. IOM covers consultants against occupational accidents and illnesses under the Compensation Plan (CP), free of charge, during the consultancy. IOM does not provide evacuation or medical insurance for non-occupational accidents or illnesses. Consultants are responsible for their own personal medical insurance for non-occupational contingencies and must provide written proof of such coverage prior to commencement.
4. IOM maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward conduct inconsistent with the purposes and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religion, ethnic origin, or disability.
5. The IOM does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, paperwork, training, or other). The IOM does not request bank account information.
6. IOM only accepts fully completed applications through the IOM online recruitment system. The online tool also allows applicants to track the status of their application.