Consultant(e) international(e) – Recherche sur la mobilité climatique des femmes, des jeunes et des personnes en situation de handicap, Hodh El Chargui, Mauritanie

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

Mauritania's territory is largely arid or semi-arid, and the country faces dune encroachment, desertification, recurrent drought, seasonal flooding and the degradation of natural resources. These dynamics are associated with population movements taking the form of internal migration, temporary displacement, forced relocation and international migration.

The Climate Vulnerability Assessment (CVA) conducted by IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix between December 2025 and January 2026 covered 196 localities across six moughataas of Hodh El Chargui and Guidimakha, representing 81,777 families. It recorded drought in 86 per cent of the localities assessed, sand and dust storms in 81 per cent, abnormally heavy rainfall in 46 per cent, rising temperatures in 45 per cent, desertification in 41 per cent and flooding in 39 per cent. It found that 30 per cent of localities had experienced climate-induced mobility over the previous two years, with marked territorial disparities ranging from 8 to 56 per cent depending on the moughataa. The CVA documented the scale and structural drivers of vulnerability at locality level through key informants. It does not capture the differentiated experiences of women, youth and persons with disabilities, whose adaptation capacities and mobility options are shaped by gender norms, age and disability-related barriers.

This consultancy fills that gap through qualitative, participatory and action-oriented research, in direct complementarity with the CVA. Fieldwork takes place in two moughataas of Hodh El Chargui: Bassiknou, where a high proportion of affected localities, 53 per cent, rests on a robust sample and a significant demographic weight, and Adel Bagrou, which offers a contrasting pattern at 19 per cent, spread across the largest number of communities in the area.

The consultant personally conducts all data collection: 16 in-depth individual interviews, of which 11 in person and 5 remote, 8 focus group discussions disaggregated by gender and target group, and 3 life stories. IOM identifies and convenes the participants, and provides interpretation, logistical coordination and advance scheduling of all appointments prior to the field mission.

The consultancy produces three deliverables over two months: an inception report, a findings note submitted to IOM for comment, and a final research report of 30 pages maximum excluding annexes, written in French. The research is expected to inform adaptation and protection policies, strategies and programmes, and to guide the targeting of subsequent interventions in the wilaya. It applies gender-responsive and disability-inclusive methods throughout, with documented informed consent, systematic anonymisation and an agreed referral pathway for participants disclosing protection needs.

Migration, Data and Research Unit (Displacement Tracking Matrix), IOM Mauritania,

Project: NC0161, Climate Change and Migration Data Programme (CCMD), funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

References to D1 through D60 are to calendar days from the date of contract signature. The consultancy runs over two months, with three deliverables due at D10, D45 and D60. The consultant organises their own working time, with the exception of the field mission, which runs for 18 consecutive days and is scheduled by IOM together with the appointment calendar.

1. Inception and desk review (D1 to D10)

Review the scientific and grey literature on climate change, human mobility and vulnerable groups in Mauritania and the Sahel. Analyse the CVA secondary data for Bassiknou and Adel Bagrou. Map institutional and non-governmental actors working on climate mobility and the protection of vulnerable groups in the wilaya, including organisations of persons with disabilities and women's organisations. Review the Mauritanian policy and legal framework. Design the data collection tools: interview guides, focus group guides, life story protocol, informed consent forms and sampling plan. Specify the accessibility and communication requirements for the sessions involving persons with disabilities, so that IOM can arrange venues and adaptations accordingly. Agree with the IOM Protection Unit a referral pathway for participants disclosing protection needs.

Deliverable 1, by D10: inception report including methodological note, data collection tools, actor mapping, accessibility requirements and work plan, annexing the confirmed participant list and appointment schedule provided by IOM.

2. Primary data collection (D11 to D35)

The field mission runs for 18 consecutive days, weekends included. Approximately three of them are travel between Nouakchott, Bassiknou and Adel Bagrou.

Conducted in person, in Bassiknou and Adel Bagrou in equal parts:

11 in-depth individual interviews: 4 female heads of household, 2 per moughataa; 4 young migrants or prospective migrants, 2 per moughataa, including at least 2 young women; 3 persons with disabilities who have experienced or face climate mobility, at least 1 per moughataa.
8 focus group discussions of 6 to 8 participants, disaggregated by gender and target group, 4 per moughataa: 2 groups of women, 1 per moughataa; 4 groups of youth separated by gender, 2 per moughataa; 2 groups of persons with disabilities, 1 per moughataa, of mixed composition where necessary to reach the minimum group size.
3 in-depth life stories reflecting the diversity of trajectories: one female head of household, one young person, one person with a disability, with at least one life story per moughataa.
Conducted remotely, by video or telephone, before or after the field mission:

5 interviews with institutional key informants from local authorities, technical services, non-governmental organisations and organisations of persons with disabilities, at least 2 of them covering each moughataa.
The sample therefore totals 16 individual interviews, 8 focus group discussions and 3 life stories.

Obtain documented informed consent before each session. Hold sessions involving persons with disabilities in the accessible venues arranged by IOM on the specifications set out in the inception report. Cover transport costs for participants unable to travel independently; the reimbursement is offered at the end of the session and is not mentioned during recruitment, so that it is not an incentive to participate. Audio-record sessions where consent is given, as a verification backup: recordings are stored encrypted on IOM-approved storage only, are accessible solely to the consultant and to the Migration, Data and Research Unit, are never transmitted through personal messaging or e-mail accounts, carry no participant name in their file names, and are destroyed once the final report is accepted, unless IOM instructs otherwise in writing. Expand and consolidate field notes on the same day as each session. Distinguish explicitly, in Bassiknou, between climate-induced mobility and other forms of displacement present in the area.

3. Analysis and findings note (D36 to D45)

Clean and analyse the data with systematic disaggregation by gender, age, disability and moughataa. Conduct thematic qualitative analysis of interviews, focus groups and life stories. Triangulate findings with the CVA locality-level results, in particular to account for the contrast between Bassiknou, where 53 per cent of localities report climate mobility, and Adel Bagrou, where 19 per cent do.

Deliverable 2, by D45: preliminary analytical report setting out the key findings, the proposed structure of the final report and draft recommendations, submitted to IOM for comment. It is a findings note, not a first draft of the final report.

4. Final report (D46 to D60)

Integrate the comments received from IOM on the findings note. Finalise the report, opening with an executive summary and including a limitations section and operational recommendations that are prioritised and addressed to identified actors. The three life stories are annexed to the report.

Deliver the final report in Microsoft Word, following the DTM Mauritania report template provided by IOM, with a clean and consistent structure: heading levels, numbered tables and figures, captions and sources. All figures are delivered separately in editable format, together with their underlying data, so that they can be reworked at layout stage. Any photographs are provided with captions, credits and documented consent. The consultant is not responsible for graphic design and layout, which IOM handles separately.

Deliverable 3, by D60: final research report, 30 pages maximum excluding annexes, in French.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Master's degree in social sciences, development studies, human geography, gender studies, migration studies or a related field from an accredited academic institution, with five years of relevant professional experience; or
• University degree in the above fields from an accredited academic institution, with seven years of relevant professional experience.

Experience

• At least five years of applied research experience in climate change, migration or the protection of vulnerable groups in African contexts; experience in the Sahel, and preferably in Mauritania or in West and Central Africa, is an advantage.
• Proven experience conducting studies on climate mobility or environmental migration, including the design of data collection tools and the direct conduct of fieldwork.
• Demonstrated experience in qualitative data collection and analysis, including in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and life stories, in research involving persons with disabilities or the use of accessible and inclusive methods, and in producing publication-quality research reports.
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Skills

• Mastery of qualitative research methods, including thematic analysis and systematic disaggregation of findings by gender, age and disability.
• Solid command of gender-responsive and disability-inclusive research approaches, and of ethical standards applicable to protection-sensitive settings: informed consent, the do no harm principle, anonymisation and data protection.
• Excellent analytical and drafting skills in French, the final report being written in French; ability to work with national authorities, civil society organisations and communities, to conduct interviews through an interpreter, and to work autonomously during an extended field mission in remote locations.

Languages

For this consultancy, fluency in French is required, both oral and written. Working knowledge of Arabic is an advantage.

Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

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.

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

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