Consultant in Bangladesh: Gathering data from children with disabilities to prevent online child sexual exploitation

Terre des Hommes is looking for a Consultant to complete data collection to explore how children with disabilities in Bangladesh can be empowered to be safe from online sexual exploitation. 

Background

Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) is a child rights organization and an international NGO. Our vision is that children can flourish in a world free from all forms of child exploitation. Our mission is to protect children by preventing and stopping child exploitation, and by empowering children to make their voices count. In executing our mission we seek to address the root causes of exploitation by creating scalable, evidence-based solutions and influencing systemic change rather than providing one-off remedies.

TdH NL is implementing a participatory action research project on online sexual exploitation of children (OCSE) in three countries. This research delves into the intersectional dimensions of online sexual exploitation through a deeper analysis of the data collected in a previously conducted research. The current research will consist of three additional case studies to examine the impact of OCSE risks and marginalized identities on the risk of exploitation.

Terre des Hommes Netherlands stresses the intersectionality angle in child protection, which focuses on overlapping or intersecting factors that can be empowering or oppressive, from gender and race to a limitless set of factors, including socioeconomic class, age, sexual orientation and disability. There is a significant gap in data on the specific links between intersectional factors and OSCE. 

Objective of the study

The objective of this study, as one of the case studies, is to explore the risk and protection factors of children with disabilities in Bangladesh and how they can be empowered to be safe from online sexual exploitation. The research aims to:

1. Gain insight into how children with disabilities in Bangladesh navigate the online world, including safety and risk;
2. Identify specific strengths and needs of children with disabilities in Bangladesh and their parents / caregivers in ensuring online safety;
3. Determine good practices and gaps in actions of relevant stakeholders to promote online safety from child sexual exploitation for these children.

Outputs

The consultant is expected to deliver the following:

1. Advise on the types and severity of impairment to include in the study sampling approach (October);
2. Technical advice to strengthen the research methodology and ensure that data collection and dissemination methods are accessible to children with the types of impairments sampled for (October);
3. A child safeguarding risk assessment and mitigation plan (October);
4. Qualitative methods with children (such as focus group discussions, based on advice of expert), interviews with parents and caregivers and interviews with stakeholders (between 15-25 participants for each group) based on guidelines and questionnaires prepared by TdH NL (November - January );
5. Providing all raw data and verbatim transcripts in original language of capture and with a translated version in English, as well as filled out note taking templates (End of January);
6. A context analysis of the position of power of children with disabilities in Bangladesh (November - January);
7. Setting up a validation exercise with research participants (Q2 2025).

The consultant may decide to collaborate with other researchers on this assignment. We suggest at least one person that could serve as a child safeguarding person as well as taking observational notes, in addition to the interviewer. All people working on this assignment should be detailed in the proposed work plan and their CVs should be added. 

Important to note: the assignment is primarily focused on data collection. The research methodology will largely be designed by Terre des Hommes Netherlands to ensure alignment with the case studies in other countries. The successful consultant will be engaged to 1) strengthen and adjust the methodology, 2) finding, selecting and preparing research participants, 3) carrying out the data collection activities, and 4) providing raw data and note taking templates to TdH NL. The analysis and report writing will be done by TdH NL. The successful applicant will also be engaged for validation activities with research participants. 

Profile

Desired consultants will have:

• Extensive experience in conducting participatory action research and qualitative research methodologies, including focus group discussions and (small group) interviews;
• Expertise in child protection and online safety;
• Extensive experience and/or expertise in working with children with disabilities and conducting inclusive research that makes specific accommodations for children with various impairments;
• Strong understanding of intersectionality, having a disability and its impact on child sexual exploitation;
• Preference for candidates from Bangladesh to ensure cultural and contextual understanding, speaking Bangla or local languages to facilitate communication with the target groups.
• Ability to communicate in English and translate reports into English. 
• A cleared police background check.
• Experience with co-designing research methodology with children is preferred. 
• Available to start from 1 October or ASAP with a foreseen end date of June 2025

Who can apply

Any individual or agency fitting the profile mentioned can apply. Agencies need to have no conflict of interest and a due diligence check will be part of the selection procedure.  

Important to note: as a child rights organisation, we want to uphold the highest level of safeguarding to protect children. This is reflected in our recruitment process. This includes checking two references, a cleared police background check, and signing our Code of Conduct with Child Safeguarding procedures. Methodology training with child safeguarding procedures will be mandatory before commencing with data collection. 

How to apply

Please apply here  by 16-09-2024 and include:

• CV (individuals)/Credentials (Agency), proving relevant expertise and experience of all people working on the assignment.
• Motivation letter detailing the applicant’s interest in the project and an explanation of how their skills and experiences align with the objectives of the assignment, taking into account the challenges and complexity of the target group and the topic
• A brief paper with the proposed approach and outline of a work plan, especially accessing the target group and ensuring safety and wellbeing of participants. 
• Financial Proposal in line with the approach and outline of the work plan

About Terre des Hommes Netherlands

Terre des Hommes Netherlands is part of the International Federation of Terre des Hommes organisations, a strategic partnership of member organisations sharing the same brand name and core values for joint lobby and advocacy around children’s rights. Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) protects children by preventing and stopping child exploitation, and by empowering children to make their voices count. Our work is grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and seeks to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Under our new Global Strategy (2023 - 2030), TdH NL is redefining and refining our role as a child rights organisation, with the strategic ambition that “by 2030, Terre des Hommes Netherlands is a catalyst for systemic change to stop child exploitation. We do this by empowering children and their communities, connecting them with those who have power to enact change, and utilising our knowledge and expertise to co-create sustainable, evidence-based solutions.”

TdH Netherlands is led by a two-headed Executive Team: the Executive Director and the CEO.

The values of TdH Netherlands are: Responsible, Bold, Human-Centred and Playful.

The organisation's core principles are: (1)Children at the Centre, (2) Intersectionality and Power Awareness, (3) Safety and Wellbeing, (4) Sustainability, and (5) Meaningful and Strategic Partnerships.

In line with our new strategy, TdH NL is in the process of establishing three thematic programmes under which our portfolio of humanitarian and development projects and programmes will be managed. These are: 1. Child Labour, 2. Sexual Exploitation of Children, and 3. Humanitarian Action. Our programmatic work is supported by two cross-programmatic units: Programme Development and Quality (PDQ), and Research, Expertise and Influencing (REI). Aligned to our new strategy, and based on many years of experience as a child rights organisation, we aim to consolidate our expertise and programme management, informed by research, to bring about sustainable and systemic change in the lives of children, and to hold duty bearers accountable.

The focus of TdH NL regarding humanitarian action is on child protection in emergencies (CPiE), with a particular focus on the protection of children from exploitation. 

Our Commitment to Diversity, Integrity and Child Safeguarding

We are not looking for just one type of person - we want to recruit people who can add fresh perspectives, innovative ideas and challenge our thinking. We are especially interested in people whose lived experiences help us to see things we might otherwise miss, and enable us to do better work with and for children. Whether or not you meet 100% of the criteria, we want to hear from you, because we know that different voices, ideas, perspectives and knowledge, working together will enable us to better the lives of children around the world.

TdH NL is committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation. We continue to learn about intersectional considerations and power distribution within our organisation and our work. We are dedicated to preventing and eradicating any type of misconduct including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, any other type of misuse of power, lack of integrity or financial misconduct.

Note: We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us, this includes a commitment to diversity and inclusion at all levels of our work. All offers of employment will therefore be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which include a valid criminal record check, terrorism finance checks, and/or integrity screenings/references relating to misconduct and disciplinary actions in prior employment.

TdH NL is particularly committed to keeping children and vulnerable individuals safe, and has zero tolerance on (child) abuse. Every TdH NL employee is bound by the TdH NL Code of Conduct that describes the expected behavior by staff, in particular with regards to Safeguarding children and (young) adults in our programs . Child safeguarding measures are part of our selection and recruitment process. By submitting your application you accept that TdH NL will conduct such pre-employment screening for successful candidates. TdH NL participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.