TERMS OF REFERENCE – CONSULTANCY

Company or team of experts

Labor Market Assessment to Inform Vocational Training and Job Placement Strategy for Juvenile Rehabilitation and Reintegration

1. Terre des hommes Iraq – Access to Justice Program

Terre des hommes (Tdh) is the leading Swiss child rights organization. Since 1960, we stand together with children to uphold their rights, protect their lives and improve their well-being with a focus on those most exposed to risks. We are making a positive impact in their lives through innovative programmes focused on health, migration and access to justice. Active in more than 30 countries, we work with our own teams and/or local and international partners.

More information can be found here: https://www.tdh.ch/en

Since January 2019, Tdh has been a pioneering actor in justice for children programming in Iraq. Within the current Access to Justice program, Tdh aims at improving the justice process and the conditions of deprivation of liberty faced by children and youth deprived of freedom through the provision of specialized mental health and legal services, child and youth-friendly facilities, and improvement of child and youth detention standards. Specialized child-friendly legal aid has been at the core of the work to ensure children and youth involved in justice proceedings access, exercise the rights they are entitled to and work with authorities on justice reform. Likewise, Tdh programs contribute to reintegration by supporting an increased sense of security and community cohesion. Interventions foster social cohesion by preventing and responding to conflict, violence, and violent extremism at national, local, and community levels, including promoting youth engagement in conflict transformation, civic engagement, and governance mechanisms.

Tdh activities mainly focus on: providing specialized support to foster safe and sustainable reintegration processes for children in contact with the law and their families, reinforcing the child justice system through promoting their access to child-friendly legal aid, fostering synergies between formal and informal justice actors, reinforcing child protection community-based mechanisms, and providing specialized capacity building to juvenile judges pertaining to different stages/practices of child justice proceedings.

2. Rationale of the Assessment

This consultancy is part of a broader project, implemented by Terre des hommes foundation Tdh in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC under the STRIVE Juvenile project.

Children and youth deprived of liberty, especially those alleged as having been associated with terrorist groups, face compounded challenges upon release, including disrupted development, psychosocial trauma, social stigma, and limited access to education or vocational skills. Sustainable reintegration requires not only psychosocial and legal support, but also practical pathways to economic inclusion and self-reliance.

In line with the project objectives, conducting labour market assessment is a critical activity to support the design and implementation of vocational training and job placement strategies. These strategies must be evidence-based and responsive to both the interests of the children and youth, and to the economic realities in key target governorates including Baghdad, Nineveh, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, Diyala, Babil and Anbar.

The findings of this consultancy will be instrumental in advancing the project’s goal of promoting rehabilitation and reintegration by enabling former detainees to transition into meaningful economic roles, thereby reducing risks of recidivism and contributing to community stability.

3. Objective of the Assessment

Tdh seeks the services of a qualified company or team of experts to conduct a comprehensive labour market assessment that identifies the labor market's job needs, employment trends, and the vocational training institutions opportunities, to ensure proper alignment between vocational training education inside the reformatory schools, vocational training upon release in Iraq and job opportunities. The assessment will:

• Identify key stakeholders including government institutions, employers, and vocational training institutions within the targeted locations.
• Map in-demand professions and vocational sectors within the target locations.
• Support the establishment or enhancement of vocational workshops aligned with market needs.
• Provide actionable recommendations to align training programs with the labour market and the interests of juveniles in detention
• Contribute to the overall reintegration strategy of juveniles by identifying employment and self-employment pathways post-release
• Inform coordination and engagement strategies with public and private sector actors involved in youth employment, vocational training, and reintegration.

4. Scope of the consultancy and deliverables

The selected consultant will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive labour market assessment that directly contributes to the design of vocational training and job placement strategies tailored to the rehabilitation and reintegration of children and youth deprived of liberty. The assessment will include the following core activities:

• Conduct a literature review of the existing labour market and vocational training assessments in Iraq.
• Carry out a desk review of previous vocational training initiatives and relevant programmatic documentation.
• Design and implement data collection tools for FGDs and KIIs.
• Engage with stakeholders from MoJ, MoLSA, UNODC, vocational training centers, employers, and detained children and youth.
• Analyze vocational demand and trends across the target governorates.
• Conduct meetings using structured questionnaires focusing on skills gaps, wage levels, employment rates, experience requirements, etc.
• Meet with the heads of the reformatory schools in Mosul and Baghdad to evaluate gaps and opportunities within existing vocational training programs and infrastructure.
• Conduct FGDs with juveniles in two reformatory schools in Baghdad and one in Nineveh to explore their interests and vocational training needs.
• Develop a comprehensive final report including all collected data, analysis, and recommendations.

As a guidance, the data collection process will include a variety of key informant interviews KIIs and Focus Group discussions FGD such as, but not limited to, the General Manager of the Juvenile Department, managers of reformatory schools, managers of vocational training centers in each of the targeted governorates, and the Manager of the Aftercare Department. FGD will be conducted with juveniles in two reformatory schools in Baghdad and one reformatory schools in Nineveh, as well as with vocational training staff in each reformatory school adhering to Tdh's guidelines and safeguarding polices.

In addition to the above, the consultant will enhance the assessment’s practical value by:

• Mapping Private Sector and Job Market Opportunities: Gather insights from business owners, newly established companies, and inclusive employers who have experience hiring vulnerable or disadvantaged individuals. Engage with job placement centers, entrepreneurship support hubs, and business development actors to identify hiring trends, required skills, and practical entry points for reintegrated youth.
• Exploring Business Development and Sponsorship Opportunities: Identify small business support programs, grants, microfinance schemes, and NGO/government initiatives that offer self-employment or entrepreneurship options. This information will inform additional reintegration pathways for youth who may face barriers in accessing employment.
• Explore emerging sectors related to green jobs, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and environmental services within the target governorates.
• Identify agribusiness and eco-friendly entrepreneurship initiatives (e.g., sustainable farming, recycling enterprises) that could offer employment or self-employment pathways for reintegrated youth.
• Map local or national programs supporting youth engagement in green economy sectors, including vocational training or start-up funding related to environmental sustainability.

The expected deliverables as the following:

5. Methodology

The consultant will strictly follow the work plan, and the time schedule agreed with Tdh in undertaking the consultancy assignment. An appropriate methodology will have to be determined by the consultant and submitted with the consultancy technical proposal. It will be reviewed by Tdh and adjusted accordingly with the consultant if needed prior to the signature of the consultancy contract.

6. Timeframe

The duration of the consultancy contract is subject to a realistic timeframe to be proposed by the applicant and should fall between Mid of May 2025 and Mid of June 2025. Final deliverable shall be submitted (on the agreed language with Tdh focal point) on the agreed timeline with Tdh and the relevant departments:

• Inception Report, technical tools and workplan – 20 May 2025
• Draft of the Market Assessment report – 02 June 2025
• Final Version of the Mark assessment report – 15 June 2025

7. Profile of the consultant: qualifications and experiences

• A post-graduate or equivalent qualification/degree in Economics, Social Science, Human rights, Political Science, Development Studies, Humanities or any other relevant discipline. Excellency level of statistics and analysis expertise in country would be prioritized.
• At least 6-9 years of prior work experience in Assessments and analysis
• Proven sound experience on drafting similar deliverables (providing concrete examples and when possible, excerpts/samples).
• Proven skills in producing evidence-based reports.
• Strong research and analytical skills for conducting literature reviews, needs assessments, and synthesizing information into actionable recommendations.
• Skill in facilitating workshops, training sessions, and focus group discussions with diverse groups of participants.
• Excellent written and speaking skills in English.
• Fluency in Arabic is strongly recommended.
• The consultant is expected to use own computer and other equipment required for the task.

8. Data Protection

As part of Tdh’s commitment to responsible data management, the successful candidate will be expected to adhere to the minimum standards for data collection. These standards are designed to be practical and achievable, especially in field settings, considering varying technical capacities and operational contexts across the governorates of intervention.

The aim is to ensure all team members are aware of and apply basic principles for the safe and responsible handling of personal data. This includes understanding and safeguarding:

1. Personal Data: Any information related to an identified or identifiable individual.
2. Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Any data that could potentially identify someone, which may vary depending on the context.
3. Sensitive Data: Information that could lead to discrimination if misused, such as data related to ethnicity, political or religious beliefs, union membership, health, sexual orientation, or criminal history.

9. Safeguarding

Tdh holds a zero-tolerance policy toward all forms of violence against children. Whether physical, sexual, psychological, or through neglect, such acts are unacceptable. We believe that a strong and consistent policy framework is essential to prevent and address these forms of abuse.

In every project we implement, we are committed to creating and maintaining a protective environment where children's rights are respected and upheld.

Our Child Safeguarding Policy outlines how we operate as an organization to protect the well-being of all children we work with—both directly and indirectly—and to ensure that our activities do not cause harm. This policy applies to everyone working for or on behalf of Terre des hommes, including staff, consultants, volunteers, and governing body members.

10. Application procedure

Consultants/firms that meet the requirements should submit expression of interest, which should include the following:

1. Cover letter including the consultant’s/firm’s suitability for the assignment and current contact information (max. 1 page)
2. Include 1-2 samples of previous similar work
3. Technical offer; detailed response to the Terms of Refence herein, with specific focus addressing the purpose and objectives of the assignment, methodology to be used and key selection criteria (max. 7 pages)
4. Financial offer; detailed budget breakdown based on expected daily rates and initial work plan. (max. 2 pages)
5. Initial draft of the proposed work plan (max. 4 pages)

Prerequisites for accepting financial offers:

• Prices are to be submitted in IQD and are valid for 30 days starting from the applications’ closing date. Prices have to be inclusive of taxes. The daily fee should be inclusive of travel costs and accommodation.
• The quotation must be detailed and based on the work mechanism proposed by the consultant.

All offers must be e-mailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than 14^th of May 2025 at 11.59 pm (Baghdad time). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, prioritizing the earliest received applications.

Mention in the e-mail object the title of the consultancy: Labor Market Assessment to Inform Vocational Training and Job Placement Strategy for Juvenile Rehabilitation and Reintegration

Only proposals that include all the required documents will be assessed. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Tender's File

68108bac8ce91-labor-market-assessment-tor-final-002-.pdf