Review of Children on the Move in Latin America and the Caribbean

1. BACKGROUND Many children in Latin America are on the move. They may be 'migrants ', 'internally displaced' , or 'refugees' seeking asylum .

Some are unaccompanied , some separated from their parents , and others are travelling with families. Some are stateless. There are many factors that influence a decision to migrate or not, which can be environmental, economic, influenced by community violence and legal and social norms, and by access to key services. Some move for work including for child labour  , others to study, some are forcibly displaced or others seeking to reunite with their families. There are different motivations for migration and results of migration for different aged children, as well as between boys and girls. Migration can have both positive and negative implications for children depending on the context and including whether the change is voluntary, planned in advance, whether moving as an individual or family, as well as the experiences on route.

In some instances this is a revolving. door of migration, return and migration again, be that in country or cross border, and sometimes this was planned and other times it was determined by immigration services. Latin America and the Caribbean stretches from Mexico to Chile and includes the Caribbean. In the region there are 2 main cross border migration routes – the outflow from Venezuela and the migration from the Northern part of Central America through Mexico to the US. As of February 2021, approximately 5 million Venezuelans left their country, and many of them are in transit in countries within the region. In Central America and Mexico there is extensive movement northwards to the United States of America (USA). Moving through Central America are not only people from the region but also from Asia and Africa who travel to the region to then seek refuge in North America. As of December 2020, there were approximately 515,000 refugees and asylum seekers from the North of Central America.

 Another significant migrant flow is from Haiti to Dominican Republic, with some estimates as high as 800,000. Latin America and the Caribbean is the second most disaster- prone region in the world. Just 2 hurricanes, Eta and Iota, in November 2020, displaced an estimated 600,000 people. It is estimated that there are 318,000 internally displaced people in Honduras and El Salvador, and in many cases cross border migrants are first displaced internally. In Colombia 5,841,000 people were displaced by 2019.

 The internal migration flow, apart from IDPs is less well known, as is movement for child labour in country or across borders. UNICEF is responding to children in communities of origin, when they are in transit, reach their destination and when they return. Programmes are implemented with government and other partners, and target girls and boys of different ages and sometimes also their families. Many of the programmes for migrants are very similar, if not the same as programmes for children who are not on the move. These include programmes such as capacity building of the workforce, reducing child labour, strengthening care services, law and policy reform, violence response including gang violence, education services including schooling, back to school programming and skills development, parenting programmes, and strengthening health and nutrition services. Some services that are for all children are adjusted to target migrants such as psycho-social support programmes. There are other services that seem more specific to migration children such as reception centres, communication initiatives and legal support focusing on unsafe movement, non-custodial care, cross border collaboration initiatives, best interest determination, registration, and family tracing and reunification, as well as initiatives to combat xenophobia. There are some programmes that seem to focus on communities of origin, destination and return, that are specific to migrants, such as income transfers. UNICEF is developing its regional migration programming framework that looks at the types of programmes that may support children in each of the four contexts – community of origin, transit, destination and return – be that within a country or cross border. This framework will be evidence based, proactive, and aims to ensure that options are available for children on the move and potential migrants. It will consider rights-based and gender-transformative principles across the humanitarian-development nexus, noting the multitude of reasons a child may be considering moving or on the move. This review will contribute to the development of this programming framework.

The UNICEF Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office is based in Panama, operating in 36 territories, including 24 country offices. The UNICEF offices in the region have prioritised safe migration, including access to all services (health, education, WASH, social and child protection) that promote a child’s wellbeing, recognising this as critical for the fulfilment of child rights. PURPOSE: The purpose of this assignment is to conduct a review of migration, both internal and cross border migration, as pertains to children in Latin America and the Caribbean. Recognising that migration is affected by all aspects of the ecological framework  , it will:

• include understanding of the communities of origin, transit, destination and return, and the impact of migration on each

. • consider the nature of the migration including understanding the contexts a person leaves from, transits through and arrives in. This will consider the main cross border movements of children as well as internal movements. It will identify any differences for in these contexts for girls, boys and for different ages

• identify the requirements of children on the move and potential child migrants based on evidence. It can cover all sectors e.g. protection, education, health, WASH, social protection, nutrition, emergency preparedness. While many things are common to all children it will look at what is the specific need, including risks and consequences, of the migrant child that is ‘different’, and as appropriate the differences by gender and sex. This will continue with a ‘realistic review’ that will look at how specific evidence based interventions for girls and boys on the move may work in different contexts in the region, as well as the differences necessary considering the four potential settings (origin, transit, destination and return) The final result will be fully referenced and primarily based on academic and regional evidence. The assignment will include:

1 – Methodology. This will be informed by some key interviews and programming resources. This will be a virtual assignment.

2 – Review. This will cover context, migration ‘stages’ and recognise the different migration flows in the region and countries as well as the typologies. It will look at some of the evidence on the needs of migrants and potential migrations and therefore potential programmes that can respond, nuanced for each context. This will be fully referenced, as far as possible from regional evidence, using primarily academic but also gray literature, and official statistics and data. It will also include quantitative data from robust sources. The report will also propose where there are research and evidence gaps.

3 – Realistic review. This will focus in on the programming that responds to each context. This will be fully referenced, as far as possible from regional evidence, using primarily academic but also gray literature. It will also include quantitative data from robust sources. The report will also propose where there are research and evidence gaps.

3 – Final report. Will be of publishable quality and will reflect the inputs of the reference group. It will also include an executive summary that could be a ‘stand alone’ document. It is expected to be no more than 200 pages, with an executive summary of no more than 15 pages.

4 – Presentation. A powerpoint to summarise the finding. UNICEF will organise a webinar for it to be presented to UNICEF staff and potentially other key actors. All outputs will be in both English and Spanish.

2. SOLICITATION

2.1 The purpose of this Request for Proposals for Services (“RFPS”) is to invite proposals for the " Finalization of UNICEF’s Theory of Change and Development of the Strategy to End Violence Against Children in Latin America and the Caribbean Approach and guidance development to detailed in the Terms of Reference/Statement of Work attached at Annex B]. 2.2 This RFPS document is comprised of the following: • This document

• The UNICEF General Terms and Conditions of Contract (Services) which are attached as Annex A

• The full Terms of Reference/Statement of work attached at Annex B

• MDM Vendor Template Annex C

• Online registration to UNGM -United Nations Global Market – link: https://www.ungm.org/Account/Registration

• e-submitions instruction to bidders.

2.3 This RFPS is an invitation to treat and shall not be construed as an offer capable of being accepted or as creating any contractual, other legal or restitution rights. No binding contract, including a process contract or other understanding or arrangement, will exist between the Proposer and UNICEF and nothing in or in connection with this RFPS shall give rise to any liability on the part of UNICEF unless and until a contract is signed by UNICEF and the successful Proposer.

PART II – PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PROCESS

1. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION SCHEDULE CONTRACTUAL PROCESS

The schedule of the contractual process is as follows:

ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE:

1. Send Proposal: 22.07.2021

2. Questions and Answer if necessary: Until July 29th, 2021 before 23:59 (Panama Time)

3. Consolidates Q & A posted in UNGM: August 02, 2021.

4. Deadline for Proposals: August 09th, 2021 before 23:59 (Panama Time)

5. Proposals Review: August 10th –16th, 2021. approximately

6. Award Notice send and posted in UNGM: August 19th,2021. approximately

7. Contract begins August 24th, 2021 approximately.

1.1 Acknowledgement of receipt of RFPS. Proposers are requested to inform UNICEF as soon as possible send it through the UNGM platform, see attached e-submitions instruction to bidders. And if you prefer you can also send by EMAIL to lacro-ops@unicef.org that they have received this RFPS

IMPORTANT: PROPOSALS ARE NOT TO BE SENT TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS STATED ABOVE – ANY PROPOSALS SENT TO THE ABOVE EMAIL ADDRESS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

1.2 Questions from Proposers. Proposers are required to submit any questions in respect of this RFPS send it through the UNGM platform, see attached e-submitions instruction to bidders. And if you prefer you can also send by EMAIL: LACRO-OPS@UNICEF.ORG with LRPS-2021-9168699.

1.3 The deadline for receipt of any questions is 29th July,2021 BEFORE 23:59 PANAMA TIME. IMPORTANT: PROPOSALS ARE NOT TO BE SENT TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS STATED ABOVE – ANY PROPOSALS SENT TO THE ABOVE EMAIL ADDRESS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.