UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion and gender parity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified candidates, irrespective of nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNICEF’s office is accessible to a certain extent, and employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations that are needed for ensuring equitable working conditions.

Children affected by migration and displacement are among the world’s most vulnerable populations. By the end of 2022, a record 43.3 million children worldwide lived in forced displacement, according to UNICEF estimates, many of them for their entire childhood. While high-quality data on migration is necessary for evidence-based migration policies, there are currently substantial gaps in the production of data on migrant and displaced children globally, in terms of quality of data, but also standards of data management.

In Serbia, in partnership with the Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and Migration (SCRM), UNICEF jointly with the IOM, UNHCR and UNDP, initiated the 2-year project “Promoting Evidence-based Migration Governance for Maximizing Development Potential of Migration” funded by the Migration Multi Partner Trust Fund with the overall goal to promote data-driven migration policy and planning in the Republic of Serbia, and to ensure migration management structures and mechanisms (including those for data management) take into account needs and rights of children affected by migration. This assignment provides technical assistance to the SCRM in strengthening standards of protection and sharing of data related to children in migration.

Work Assignment Overview:

The consultant will work in close collaboration with the SCRM and provide technical assistance to strengthening the standards of data protection and sharing of data related to migrant and displaced populations, especially children. The primary objective of this assignment is to conduct a comprehensive assessment and overview of the existing practices and internal regulations within the SCRM concerning data protection and sharing practices, and to assist the SCRM management in strengthening the standards in this field.

The assessment will be informed by a review of national legislation and existing relevant practices and procedures, the European directive on data protection, and other relevant international frameworks. The assignment includes providing recommendations to the SCRM on how to strengthen current practices and elevate the standards of protection of data on SCRM beneficiaries (with special considerations for data on children), and supporting the revision of relevant internal SCRM procedures. Subsequently, the assignment will focus on the organized roll-out and dissemination of the revised internal procedures among SCRM staff and local migration actors – local migration council members and municipal Trustees for Refugees to effectively communicate the assessment findings and introduced changes in internal procedures.

The consultant will be working in close collaboration with the SCRM and will be obliged to strictly adhere to the confidentiality principles in accordance with the SCRM regulations and procedures.

Duration of the assignment: February – August 2025 (part-time, remote)

Task description:

Task 1: Assessment/overview of the existing practice and internal SCRM regulation on protection of data on beneficiaries (including children), and data sharing procedures:

• The assessment should be guided by an examination of the national legislation, European directives on data protection, and other relevant national and international regulatory frameworks and good practices in migration management; the assessment will identify strengths and areas for improvement in the existing practices, and develop recommendations for enhancing the current practices and elevating protection standards, to be presented to SCRM senior management for validation. This assessment will inform the procedure for developing/revising the SCRM protocol for beneficiaries’ data protection and sharing.
• Organize a consultation with municipal trustees as main counterparts for the exchange of personal data, as well as with other stakeholders as necessary, to identify challenges and obtain feedback on proposed recommendations.

Deliverables:

1. Report on the assessment of current practices and internal SCRM regulations (including relevant national legislation that applies) regarding the protection of data on beneficiaries including children, as well as data sharing procedures, and documentation on the consultation process.
2. Recommendations for improvement of the current practices and internal procedures in SCRM and the proposed modality for their implementation.

Timeframe: February - June 2025

Task 2: Lead the process of updating the existing/formulating new SCRM procedures on migrant and refugee populations’ data protection and sharing:

• Based on the assessment and consultation process, develop a draft of the new/updated SCRM protocol for the protection and sharing of data on SCRM beneficiaries, and share it with SCRM management for validation and finalisation.

Deliverables:

1. Developed draft of the new/revised SCRM protocol for protection and sharing of data on SCRM beneficiaries (including children) with all accompanying annexes and templates.

Timeframe: June - July 2025

Task 3:  Roll out/dissemination of the new/revised SCRM protocol on data protection and sharing among SCRM staff, local trustees, and other users of data and monitoring of the implementation:

• Organise info sessions/dissemination events for the SCRM staff and trustees, and other users of data on the implementation of the new/updated SCRM protocol. This should include meetings/workshops, as well as other means of dissemination of the information through existing forums, including child protection working group, annual trustee meetings organised by SCRM, etc.
• Ensure comprehensive documentation of the dissemination process, including attendance records, and participant feedback.
• Prepare inputs for a brochure (short guidelines) related to data protection and sharing which will include a general overview and SCRM regulations.

Deliverables:

1. Two dissemination/roll out of the SCRM protocol on data protection and sharing organized and reports prepared.
2. Content for the brochure related to the new/revised SCRM protocol on data protection and sharing for SCRM staff developed.

Timeframe: July 2025–August 2025

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• University degree in a relevant field, such as social sciences, law, etc.
• At least five years of experience working in data protection.
• Experience in cooperation with the public sector.
• Familiarity with international standards and protocols for data protection in the context of vulnerable groups.
• Proven analytical skills, as well as report-writing skills.
• Experience in event planning and coordination.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Good digital literacy: facility with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and e-mail/internet.
• Fluent written and spoken Serbian and advanced knowledge of English language is required.

How to apply:

The application must include a financial proposal in RSD* as a separate document, providing a separate all-inclusive fee for the following items:

1. Deliverable 1.1
2. Deliverable 1.2
3. Deliverable 2.1
4. Deliverable 3.1
5. Deliverable 3.2
6. Daily travel allowance for travel within Serbia without overnight stay,
7. Daily travel allowance for an overnight stay in Serbia (including accommodation),
8. Transportation costs per km (for travel within Serbia).

*Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

Important notes:

• Please do not forget to specify your name in the financial proposal file while saving (to be uploaded online under the “Financial Proposal” tab).  
• Please do not indicate financials anywhere else in the online application form, please mark "n/a” or “00" under the fee-related questions in the online application form.
• Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be notified and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

For every child, you must demonstrate UNICEF's core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.