CFA/UG/005/2026 - Support to the establishment, strengthening and operationalization of MHPSS referral mechanisms for vulnerable migrants and victims of trafficking in the Borderlands project area – Category B Consultancy

Introduction

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations and the leading UN agency in the field of migration. Working closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners, IOM promotes humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It saves lives and protects people on the move, drives solutions to displacement, and facilitates pathways for regular migration, while providing services and advice to governments and migrants. 

IOM is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and supportive workplace where all employees can thrive professionally and feel valued. By creating such an environment, IOM aims to better harness the full potential of migration and strengthen its support to people on the move.

IOM invites candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply and provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process when required. Learn more about IOM’s workplace culture at IOM workplace culture | International Organization for Migration

Project Context and Scope

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is implementing the European Union-funded project Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation, Stabilization and Resilience of Borderland Areas between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The project seeks to strengthen social cohesion and security in borderland areas through improved border governance, stronger protection systems, enhanced cooperation among border agencies, and better access to services for vulnerable populations.

Human trafficking and migrant smuggling remain significant concerns along the Uganda-DRC border corridor. Border communities and vulnerable migrants face protection and public health risks, including limited access to healthcare, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), protection services, referral mechanisms, and specialized assistance. Victims of trafficking (VoTs) often struggle to obtain timely medical care, psychosocial support, legal assistance, shelter, and other essential services.

To address these challenges, the project has planned interventions such as operationalizing health and MHPSS referral mechanisms, supporting stakeholder coordination, raising awareness among frontline actors and communities, and advancing implementation of recommendations from a recent study on the health implications of trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants.
Accordingly, IOM seeks a consultant to spearhead these efforts in the project area that includes, but is not limited to, Ntoroko, Nebbi, Zombo and Arua districts as well as Arua city.

1. Objective of the Assignment

The overall objective of the consultancy is to strengthen access to health, MHPSS and protection-related services for vulnerable migrants and victims of trafficking by supporting implementation of key health-related activities under the Borderlands Project, including MHPSS referral mechanism operationalization, awareness raising, delivery of key action points at the axis of protection and access to sound healthcare services.

2. Specific Objectives

• Strengthen health and MHPSS referral pathways and coordination mechanisms for vulnerable migrants and victims of trafficking.

• Support implementation of priority actions aimed at improving access to health services for victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants in borderland areas.

• Assess and strengthen existing service delivery structures, including MHPSS desks, health service providers and community-based referral systems.

• Improve the capacity of frontline actors, health workers, border officials and relevant stakeholders to identify, refer and support vulnerable migrants and victims of trafficking.

• Enhance awareness of trafficking-related health risks, psychosocial concerns, referral pathways and protection considerations among frontline actors and affected communities.

• Strengthen cross-border coordination and referral mechanisms between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to ensure continuity of health, MHPSS and protection services for vulnerable migrants and victims of trafficking. 

• Promote harmonized collaboration among health authorities, border management agencies and protection actors in the DRC and Uganda to facilitate timely, safe, survivor-centred cross-border referrals and information sharing.

3. Scope of Work and Specific Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of IOM Uganda’s Head of Programmes and Policy Development, direct supervision of the Health Programme coordinator and in close coordination with relevant Health, Protection, Border Management and Government stakeholders, the consultant shall undertake the following tasks:

1. Review and Inception

• Finalize the review of relevant project documentation, including the study on the health implications of human trafficking and smuggling of migrants, the draft public health action plan, project activity documents, existing MHPSS guidance materials, referral tools and relevant policy frameworks.

• Conclude consultations with IOM technical units and key counterparts to refine implementation priorities and identify immediate gaps requiring intervention.

• Prepare an inception report detailing methodology, workplan, stakeholder engagement strategy and implementation approach.

2. Assessments and Mapping

• Conduct rapid re-assessments at designated border locations and surrounding communities to determine requirements for the establishment and operationalization of MHPSS and health referral services, including the six designated Points of Entry (PoEs) and adjacent border communities.
• Re-assess available infrastructure, space requirements, staffing arrangements, infection prevention and control considerations, accessibility concerns and operational readiness, including WASH requirements and constraints that may affect establishment of MHPSS services.
• Re-assess the feasibility of deploying existing trained MHPSS volunteers and identify capacity-strengthening needs at Points of Entry and in surrounding border communities.
• Conclude the mapping of existing service providers and identify available health, MHPSS, GBV, protection, shelter, legal and other referral services within targeted border districts.
• Analyse existing formal and informal referral pathways and identify service delivery gaps, bottlenecks and opportunities for strengthening inter-agency coordination.

3. Referral Systems Strengthening

• Complete ongoing efforts to Support the establishment and operationalization of health and MHPSS referral systems for vulnerable migrants and victims of trafficking.
• Review existing referral tools, protocols and guidance materials and recommend improvements where necessary.
• Develop or refine standard operating procedures, workflow arrangements and coordination mechanisms to facilitate effective referral and follow-up.
• Facilitate linkages among government institutions, health facilities, service providers, civil society organizations and community actors participating in referral processes.
• Support the establishment of a functional cross-border coordination mechanism to regularly review referral cases, address operational challenges and strengthen collaboration among health, border management and protection actors from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

4. Volunteer Framework Development

• Develop comprehensive Terms of Reference for MHPSS volunteers operating within project-supported locations.
• Define volunteer roles, responsibilities, supervision structures, reporting arrangements, code of conduct, capacity-building requirements and performance expectations, including minimum qualifications, refresher training requirements and proposed volunteer allowance arrangements where applicable.
• Propose practical arrangements for deployment, mentoring, monitoring and support of volunteer networks.
• Review existing volunteer activity reporting tools and reporting arrangements and recommend improvements where required.

• Develop a practical volunteer monitoring and reporting framework, including reporting templates, key performance indicators, reporting schedules, data management processes and user-friendly dashboards to support routine supervision, monitoring and decision-making.

  5. Implementation of Health Action Plan

• Analyze the recommendations and draft action plan from the study on health implications of TiP and, in coordination with relevant government stakeholders, develop a 3–4-month rollout plan.
• Oversee/coordinate the implementation of the action plan on access to the health care system for VoTs.

6. Capacity Building and Awareness Raising

• Develop and deliver awareness-raising sessions for border officials, healthcare workers and other frontline responders on the health and mental health implications of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, as per the project proposal and logical framework, including referral procedures, available support services and protection considerations for vulnerable migrants and victims of trafficking.

7. Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

• Facilitate consultations involving government institutions, health authorities, protection actors, UN agencies, civil society organizations and community representatives.
• Present assessment findings, proposed referral arrangements, implementation approaches and volunteer frameworks for validation, including validation of proposed SOPs and operational guidance documents developed under the assignment.
• Support coordination and consensus-building processes necessary for sustainable implementation of health and MHPSS interventions.

8. Monitoring and Reporting

• Submit periodic progress updates to IOM on implementation progress, challenges encountered and recommendations.
• Submit all agreed deliverables in accordance with the approved workplan and timelines.
• Prepare and submit a final consultancy report consolidating findings, outputs delivered, lessons learned, recommendations and proposed next steps.

4. Category B Consultants: Tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignment

    

6.  Performance Indicators for the evaluation of results

   Successful performance will be demonstrated through:

   • Completion of all agreed deliverables to the satisfaction of IOM.
   • Comprehensive mapping of relevant service providers and referral mechanisms.
   • Practical and operational referral framework developed and validated.
   • MHPSS volunteer ToRs and management arrangements finalized.
   • Monitoring and reporting tools successfully developed.
   • Awareness raising activities completed and documented.
   • Action Plan implementation framework developed in coordination with Government stakeholders.
   • Agreed Action Plan activities implemented and documented.
   • Clear recommendations provided for sustainability and future scale-up.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Advanced university degree in Psychology, Psychiatry, Social Work, Public Health, Mental Health, Humanitarian Protection, Migration Health, Community Health or a related field.

Experience

• Minimum six (6) years of progressively responsible professional experience in humanitarian, migration, public health, protection or cross-border programming. 

• Demonstrated experience designing or strengthening referral mechanisms, coordination frameworks and service delivery systems. 

• Proven experience conducting assessments, mapping exercises and stakeholder consultations.

• Strong experience developing ToRs, SOPs, implementation frameworks, monitoring tools and operational guidance documents.

• Demonstrated understanding of MHPSS, trafficking in persons, vulnerable migrant protection, GBV response and inter-agency referral systems.

• Experience working with Government institutions, UN agencies, civil society organizations and local communities.

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of local languages spoken in the project areas is an advantage.
   

Skills

• Strong analytical, report writing, facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.

Languages - English

Travel Required

1. The consultancy will require travel to selected border districts and points of entry within the Uganda–DRC borderlands, including consultations with relevant stakeholders and service providers.

Required Competencies

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these five values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
• Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
• Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators

• Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate.
• Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way.

Notes

IOM covers Consultants against occupational accidents and illnesses under the Compensation Plan (CP), free of charge, for the duration of the consultancy. IOM does not provide evacuation or medical insurance for reasons related to non-occupational accidents and illnesses. Consultants are responsible for their own medical insurance for non-occupational accident or illness and will be required to provide written proof of such coverage before commencing work. 

Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.

Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, security clearances.

IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims 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, religious or ethnic background or disabilities.

IOM does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training or other fee). IOM does not request any information related to bank accounts.

IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM e-Recruitment system (for internal candidates link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.

No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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