Background to the Project

In January 2024, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and the Human Rights Development Foundation (HRDF) launched a 24-month project titled Strengthening CSO Capacity and Networks for Migrant Rights Protection, funded by the European Union. The project aims to promote and protect labor rights and promote a safe working environment for vulnerable migrant workers, for decent work and economic growth. It targets 4,000 migrant workers in and around Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand.

Thailand has been a key destination for low-skilled migrants from neighboring countries for decades, hosting approximately 3.9 million documented and undocumented migrant workers from Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, and Viet Nam (IOM, Protecting Migrant Workers in Indo-Pacific Supply Chains, 2022). Migrant workers make up over 10 percent of Thailand’s labor force, which totals 38.7 million. Nationals from Myanmar form the largest migrant group, with recent estimates placing their population at 2.3 million (International Migration Report, 2019).

Tak Province, in particular, is a common destination for Myanmar migrants due to its road linkages to Myanmar, porous border crossings, and the availability of jobs in its factories and growing agricultural sector.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, migrant workers in Thailand faced significant risks, including excessive recruitment fees and migration-related costs, restrictions on freedom of movement, poor working conditions, irregular work schedules, and lack of access to legal and social protection. Informal barriers further exacerbated these challenges. The pandemic has intensified these vulnerabilities (IOM, 2021).

The major problems facing Myanmar migrant workers include: (i) Weak law enforcement for labour rights protection. While the Labour Protection Act and related measures are intended to safeguard the labour rights of migrant workers, enforcement remains inadequate. Additionally, many migrant workers are unaware of their labour and human rights under the Act.  (ii) Limited Capacity of CSOs: CSOs struggle to effectively engage in national-level dialogue due to weak coordination, insufficient resources, low digital literacy, language barriers, and their location outside of the capital cities and in remote areas. (iii) Occupational safety and health concerns: Workplace injuries remain a significant issue for migrants, many of which could be prevented with the effective implementation of safety standards as outlined in existing laws.

Project Activities (According to the “Description of the Action”)

A.1.1.1 Improve the capacity of FTI to support its member factories to improve safety standards in the workplace;

A.1.1.2 Provide 4 workshops to FTI’s target factories to improve safety standards and reduce inequality in the workplace;

A.1.1.3 Technical support to LPO to enhance workplace safety monitoring;

A.1.2.1 HRDF train paralegals and migrant leaders on labour case referrals and develops a training curriculum to enhance knowledge transfer;

A.1.2.2 Migrant leaders conduct community outreach to raise labour rights awareness and engage in network building;

A.1.2.3 Provide legal aid and litigation support (50% women) to migrant workers by one sub-grantee and HRDF;

A.1.2.4 Provide capacity building to the taskforce comprising government agencies in MWAC concerning migrant labour/human rights, particularly rights related to migrant women;

A.2.1.1 Conduct Occupational Safety and Hygiene outreach to migrant workers by one sub-grantee;

A.2.1.2 Provide operational and management capacity building to CSOs;

A.2.1.3 Provide technical capacity building to CSOs and migrant leaders on human rights and migrant legislation and policy;

A.2.1.4 Provide technical support to two local migrant rights promotion platforms to enhance advocacy and networking;

A.2.2.1 Organize four multi-stakeholder forums among CSOs, local authorities, employers, and migrant workers to raise issues related to labour/human rights;

A.2.2.2 Hold policy dialogues and consultation meetings with central authorities;

A.2.2.3 Organize joint activities among different stakeholders (CSOs, local authorities, private sector, migrant workers) to strengthen collaboration.

Key Project Stakeholders

Migrant workers in Mae Sot who have participated in project activities, including safety and hygiene training, legal aid consultation, community outreach, and more.

The Labour Protection and Welfare Provincial Office (LPO) serves as an associate partner, providing guidance on the implementation of this proposed action. As a government agency dedicated to promoting and protecting labour rights, the LPO plays a key role in offering legal assistance to migrant workers and monitoring labour law compliance in the target factories.

The Federation of Thailand Industries (FTI) serves as an associate partner, coordinating with factories and offering guidance on project implementation. FTI is also part of a consultative team responsible for identifying target factories in collaboration with ADRA to promote a safe working environment.

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Mae Sot are local groups led by Thai and/or Myanmar workers.  Nine CSOs have been selected to receive technical support through the project, with two of them identified to receive sub-grants.  These sub-grants will enable the CSOs to provide legal assistance and deliver training on occupational health and hygiene promotion to migrant workers.

Key Components of the Mid-term Evaluation

The main objectives of this evaluation are: (1) to provide ADRA and the European Union (EU) with an assessment of the project’s status, relevance, progress and performance in comparison to the project proposal and logframe; and (2) to offer suggestions and recommendations of potential adjustments to ensure the project achieves the intended results and objectives.

The evaluation should summarize the technical and managerial experiences and recommend approaches and methodologies for the second half of the project, as well as strategies for ensuring its future sustainability.

To achieve the above objectives the Mid-term Evaluation will address the following:

• Assessment of the project progress towards attaining its objectives and results using the logical framework matrix and indicators, particularly outcome indicators; and provide concrete recommendations for the remaining duration of the project; (Note: The output indicator tracking table will be provided by the project team for the evaluator to review and analyze);
• Assessment of the performance of the project in terms of efficiency and effectiveness of the activities undertaken, as well as in terms of the quality of the relationships established with key stakeholders;
• Assess the prospects of the sustainability of the project outcomes and benefits and make concrete recommendations for its further improvement based on the evidence collected;
• Assess the relevance of the project in addressing the problems stated in the proposal;
• Assess the impact of the project in achieving the overall project goal;

Special attention should be given to the discussion and formulation of concrete recommendations for the remaining duration of the project.

Methodology of the Mid-term Evaluation

The evaluation is planned to be conducted by the external consultant. The following methodologies will be applied as appropriate.

Desk review of the most relevant documents including project proposal and logframe, activity report for the 1^st year, project Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning Plan, CSO capacity assessments report generated by Kobo Toolbox, etc.)

Quantitative survey

• A survey among CBOs focuses on capacity building provided by the project (sample size: less than 30; this can be done online or in person)
• A survey among migrant workers who received legal aid on negotiation with employers (sample size: less than 60; this can be done online or inperson)

Four Key Informant Interviews with the following stakeholders:

• Tak Labour Protection and Welfare Office (In person)
• Federation of Thai Industries (FTIs) (In person)
• Migrant Worker Assistant Center (MWAC) (In person)
• ADRA staff (in person and/or online)
• HRDF staff (in person and/or online)
• Others as requested by the consultant

Four Focus Group Discussions among the following stakeholders:

• Members of the Migrant Rights Promotion Working Group and Community-based Organisation Network (In person)
• CSOs who received capacity building from the project, including two sub-grantee organizations;
• Two or three groups of migrant workers (mixed and female only FDG, if feasible) who have participated in project activities (legal aid, community outreach, etc.) (In person)
• Other groups as requested by the consultant

Translators/interpreters during the Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions will be hired by ADRA.  ADRA will also cover the translation cost for the survey questionnaires.

Key Tasks carried out by the evaluator

• Review of key project documents
• Develop evaluation tools
• Data analysis
• Draft report (no longer than 40 pages) that includes the executive summary, purpose of the evaluation and the methodology, the main findings on the project relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact of project activities and sustainability, key recommendations for improvement for the remaining duration of the project, and appendices including evaluation tools.

Timeframe and duration of the evaluation

A total of 16 payable working days are planned for this evaluation:

• 1 day desk review
• 2 days designing evaluation tools
• 5 days field assessment (visit Mae Sot and interview key stakeholders) including meeting with ADRA staff
• 2 days for data analysis
• 5 days writing of the draft report (give two weeks for ADRA team to provide comments to the draft report)
• 1 day to address comments from ADRA and finalize the report

Qualifications of the consultant undertaking the evaluation

• At least 10 years’ experience in the development field- particularly in migration issues is preferred
• Strong knowledge of human rights;
• Technical experience in strengthening CSO capacity, including developing frameworks;
• Experience in conducting similar scale evaluations;
• Experience in working with migrant communities would be beneficial;
• Concrete experience in providing written reports in English.

Submission of application

Applications should be submitted no later than 5pm Bangkok time on 16 December 2024.

Applications in the English language, including i) a resume of not more than 3 pages; ii) a cover letter; iii) consultant fee including travel budget; iv) contact details of 2 references should be submitted by email to linda@adrathailand.org and cc’d to dararai@adrathailand.org

Evaluation of application

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee within five days of the application deadline, with a focus on the consultant's qualifications. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applicants who do not receive a response within seven days of the application deadline should consider their application unsuccessful.