Final Independent Evaluation of the Project “Supporting the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Identification and Application of Best International Practices in Migration Policy-Making through the GCM and the Almaty Process”

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The project "Supporting the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Identification and Application of Best International Practices in Migration Policy-Making through the GCM and the Almaty Process" supports the Government of Kazakhstan in strengthening regional cooperation  by maintaining the regular functions of the Almaty Process (AP) and advancing coordinated GCM implementation to enhance migration policy development, through: 

• strengthening Kazakhstan's intergovernmental dialogue efforts to support the achievement of GCM objectives and the commitments of the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) Progress Declaration in Kazakhstan; and 
• continuous operations of the Inter-State Consultation Mechanism (ISCM) AP. Established in 2013, the AP is a regional ISCM focused on refugee protection and international migration to, from, and within Central Asia. It was designed to address the complex dynamics of mixed migration and to foster regional cooperation and coordination. The AP promotes sustained dialogue and information exchange on migration and refugee protection among its member and observer states, operating through Technical Expert Group meetings, Senior Officials Meetings, Ministerial Conferences, and regional thematic discussions. The unique nature of the AP lays in geographical proximity of its Member States (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye) and  visa free regimes between most of the Member States, similarity of history, cultures, traditions, and language, as well as willingness to build continuous dialogue and exchange of experience. The strategic directions and aims of the AP are closely aligned with the GCM and in particular its Objective 23 - Strengthen international cooperation and global partnerships for safe, orderly and regular migration. The project sought to build on these strengths by leveraging bilateral and multilateral consultations among AP Member States, with the support of relevant field missions, and by advancing GCM implementation initiatives. 

Evaluation purpose and objective

The purpose of this final evaluation is to identify what changes occurred and why they occurred, including whether and to what extent changes were achieved and the contribution made by the project to those changes (impact). The evaluation also aims at determining performance (efficiency and effectiveness) - how, why and how well the project was implemented in terms of its objectives, outcomes and outputs, as well as determining how meaningful the results of the interventions implemented within the project are, what are the strengths and weaknesses here, why some efforts worked better than others. In addition, the evaluation aims to assess relevance and coherence of the project, in terms of whether the intervention and its approach were the most appropriate to address the problem and considering, as well as the further impact and sustainability prospects.

The evaluation should identify best practices and aspects that could be improved in similar projects which will be implemented by IOM Kazakhstan, as well as lessons learned to be taken into consideration.

This evaluation is being conducted in accordance with IOM’s Evaluation Policy and Guidelines which sets out a number of guiding principles and key norms for evaluation in the organization following the Norms and Standards of the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG). 

The final evaluation aims to comprehensively assess and demonstrate progress achieved towards the expected results against those stated in the Project Documents and identify the lessons learned and recommendations relevant to the planning, preparation and implementation of activities under the subsequent phase.  The purpose of the external final evaluation is to provide a summative assessment encompassing all six core OECD-DAC criteria: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and likely impact (including early signs of results, whether intended or unintended, positive or negative) as well as cross-cutting issues. The intended evaluation users are IOM project staff and project partners. The evaluation should provide recommendations for implementation of future activities and identify other complementary or additional priority areas for IOM interventions. Moreover, the findings of the evaluation will be shared with the donor, MFA of Kazakhstan, to assess value for money for the funded activities.

Evaluation scope

The evaluation will cover the entire project implementation period of 02 January 2023 – 1 June 2026 and include during the data collection phase as minimum interviews with IOM project staff, project partners (Government of Kazakhstan; Government Members of the Almaty consultative process;  UNMN Secretariat; IOM Regional Office in Vienna; CSOs including NGOS), in Kazakhstan as well as Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) and other methods as required; this will be spelled out further during inception stage and reflected in the inception report to be delivered by the evaluator.

• The consultant is expected to meet the following requirements:

• Advanced university degree (Bachelor’s or higher) in Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, Development Studies, Migration Studies, or a related field from a recognized institution;
• Demonstrated knowledge of national and international frameworks related to migration governance, including labour migration, human rights, counter-trafficking, and relevant legal and policy frameworks;
• At least 5 years of professional experience in migration-related fields, including proven experience in conducting evaluations, research or analytical studies on labour migration or related topics; prior experience in developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) is an asset;
• Strong experience in engaging with migrants, government institutions, and other relevant stakeholders in the migration sector;
• Demonstrated knowledge of international standards on migration data, statistics, and monitoring and evaluation practices, with the ability to apply these in different contexts;
• Excellent command of English, Russian, and Kazakh;
• Strong analytical, communication, and report-writing skills, with the ability to present findings in a clear and concise manner;

• Proven organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently and effectively within multicultural and multidisciplinary environments.

   

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

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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