Selection of Two (02) Individual Consultants to Conduct The Impa Assessment On Implementation of the ECOWAS Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons in ECOWAS Region

ECOWAS Commission

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen Countries, founded in 1975. Its mission is to promote economic integration in wall fields of economic activity, particularly industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, natural resources, commerce, monetary and financial questions, social and cultural matters.

Trafficking in persons poses serious challenges to state and Human security in West Africa in a variety of ways. It’s a complicated and multidimensional enterprise. As such, no country acting alone can successfully combat it. It also requires a multi-disciplinary approach and the cooperation of individuals, families, communities, security agencies, the local and international NGO Communities, professionals, development partners and donor agencies, neighbours and the international community at large; if it is to be successfully tackled.

The ECOWAS Commission is planning to hire the services of two consultants to conduct an impact evaluation of the implementation of the ECOWAS Trafficking in Persons Plan of Action 2001 which was extended in 2003 to 2007 and further to 2011 covering all the ECOWAS member states. The evaluation will be directly supervised by the ECOWAS anti- trafficking unit.

2. The services included under this project are:

• Assess the impact of the work of the Commission on trafficking in persons since 2001 in terms of rule and norm setting as well as behaviour change in Member States, individuals, families and communities What mechanisms and institutional structures have Member States set up since 2001 in compliance with the 2001 Plan of Action? Also to determine the effect of the support of international agencies and other external actors in the fight against trafficking in persons in West Africa,
• Evaluate the strategies and support mechanisms in place in Member States and at the Commission, for the prevention of trafficking in persons in the region. What awareness campaigns have the ECOWAS Commission and national governments embarked upon since 2001 to warm potential victims about the dangers in trafficking in persons, and what have been the impact? How sustainable have they been? What socio-economic opportunities have national governments created to make sure that women, children, and families are not lured to traffickers by false promises of lucrative employment opportunities abroad.
• Evaluate the legal frameworks and mechanisms available at the national level for the timely and effective prosecution of traffickers in accordance with domestic statues, and as provided for by the relevant ECOWAS instruments and decisions,
• Examine the region1s security (and insecurity) architectures especially as they affect vulnerable women, children and families. What are the impacts of trafficking in persons on the promotion and protection of human security in the region?
• Assess the ordinary citizens’ understanding of trafficking in persons against the back drop of the endemic poverty in Member States, and its implications for the fight against trafficking in persons in the region. What are the implications of the persisting informalisation of the economies of Member States and serious threats to the livelihoods of the individual, families and communities for a successful war on human trafficking?

Generate qualitative and quantitative data will inform policy at the ECOWAS Commission, national governments, international organizations and development partners; and also enrich available literature on the phenomenon of trafficking in persons.

3. The Consultants selected to conduct this mission shall, at least have the following:

• Have an advanced degree in Law, International Relations or any of the Social Sciences,
• Have relevant research experience in trafficking in persons or in any related field or in the social sciences,
• Have extensive knowledge of international and regional instruments on trafficking in persons,
• Have excellent report writing skills and must be computer literate,
• Must be fluent in at least one of the three ECOWAS languages,
• Must be a citizen of an ECOWAS Country.

4 The ECOWAS Commission now invites eligible Consultants (Individual) to indicate their interests in providing these services. The interested Consultants must provide all information supporting their qualification to perform the services (Kindly attach detailed Curriculum Vitae that highlights the following: Curriculum and Certificates; Past Experiences of similar jobs over the past five years; IT knowledge; knowledge of the area and any other information useful for the accomplishment of this project).

5. The selection will be done on the basis of a comparison of curricula vitae and the selected Consultants that will be invited to produce technical and financial proposals which will serve as the basis for negotiations for the conclusion of Contract Agreements with each of them (Method Based on the Qualification of Consultant).

6. Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours: Monday to Friday from 9:00a.m. (GMT+l)to 5.00p.m. (GMT+l).

ECOWAS Commission, Directorate of General Administration, Procurement Unit, 101, Yakubu Gowon Crescent Asokoro District, P M B. 401 Abuja Nigeria,
Email: nkuakor@yahoo.fr; kabirnfr@yahoo.fr; bangoura53@yahoo.com.

7. Closing Date
October 31 2012

8. Expressions of interest must be delivered in sealed envelope and clearly marked: “Recruitment of two (02) Individual Consultants to Conduct the Impact Assessment on Implementation of the ECOWAS Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons in ECOWAS Region, do not open except in presence of the Tender Committee” to the address below by Wednesday, October 31 2012 at 400pm GMT+1,

ECO WAS Tender Box located in the Office of Director of general Administration, 1 Floor ECOWAS Commission, 101 Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro District, P. M. B. 401 Abuja Nigeria.

Director General Administration