Consultancy: Migrant Workers' Rights Advocacy Expert

Consultancy: Migrant Workers' Rights Advocacy Expert

Background Information The American Bar Association Center for Global Programs (ABA CGP) is dedicated to advancing global justice, human rights, and sustainable development through three core initiatives: the Center for Human Rights (CHR), the Rule of Law Initiative (ROLI), and the United Nations Representatives. Specifically, ROLI focuses on promoting justice, economic opportunity, and human dignity by strengthening the rule of law. CHR mobilizes legal professionals to defend threatened advocates, protect vulnerable communities, and hold governments accountable under the law.

The Inter-Regional Action to Advance Migrant Worker Rights in the Gulf and Middle East (G&ME) Program Since December 2024, ABA CGP has implemented a comprehensive program addressing the violations faced by migrant workers in the Gulf and Middle East (G&ME) region. Migrant workers in this region are often subject to the sponsorship (or 'kafala') system, where their legal residency is tied to their employer. This system dehumanizes migrant workers, treating them as property to be bought and sold, which leads to widespread issues such as wage theft, confiscation of identity documents, deprivation of basic needs, physical or sexual abuse, and harassment. Workers whoattemptto escape abusive employersfrequentlyface deportation and risk being left without documentation. Many of these violations originate at therecruitment stage, where deceptive and exploitative practices—including contract substitution, excessive recruitment fees, and misinformation about working conditions—trap workers in debt and dependency before they evendepart their home countries. Domestic workers, in particular, arehighly vulnerable to exploitation due to the isolated nature of their work in private homes, which hinders their access to support services and the justice system. Many are afraid to report abuse for fear of losing their shelter and legal status. In cases of rape, women face imprisonment for engaging in sex outside of marriage or for becoming pregnant. African migrant workers, in particular, experiencesevere racism, whichexacerbatesdiscrimination and hinders their ability to seek protection or organize. Additionally, organizations offering protection services are often underfunded and face significant obstacles in reaching these workers. Despite thehigh levelsof abuse and exploitation, there are limited avenues for African migrant workers to access justice. Barriers include racial and gender biases within the justice system, inadequate legalprotections, a lack of qualified legal professionals, and under-resourced civil society organizations (CSOs) that are ill‑equipped to provide high‑quality legal support. A critical gap in protectionisthelimited capacity of home‑country governments and embassiestoprovide assistance. Many diplomatic missions lack the financial and human resources to offer legal aid, shelter, or emergency repatriation services. Coordination between labor ministries, recruitment agencies, and embassies is often weak, leaving workers without clear avenues for redress. Civil society organizations (CSOs) attemptingto fill these gaps are underfunded and often excluded from policy‑making spaces. Meanwhile, host‑country justice systemsremaininaccessible due to language barriers, restrictive labor laws, and systemic bias against migrant workers.

Objectives ABA CGP seeks to engage an advocacy expert with expertise in migrant workers' rights, preferably with experience in the G&ME region’s context. The expert will develop an advocacy plan based on the outcomes of the online forum, using the findings from the participatory mapping of recruitment agencies.

Tasks

The expert will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. In consultations with ABA and partner organizations within countries, as well as other stakeholders, develop a two‑prong advocacy plan that identifies regional advocacy opportunities for:
   • Improved regulatory frameworks for ethical recruitment and their implementation through national laws and regulations as well as bilateral agreements.
   • Improved capacities for legal aid and other services for migrant workers, including through embassies and consulates of the countries of origin.
2. Facilitate partner consultations to validate findings.
3. Prepare and present the report and draft advocacy plan during the second forum for feedback and validation, which will take place in person in Kenya (tentatively scheduled for the end of January to the beginning of February).
4. Provide technical guidance and mentoring to partners on integrating advocacy elements into their organizational workplans.

In developing the advocacy plan, the expert is expected to consult the following resources:

• Review findings from the participatory mapping and ABA ROLI‑led research to identify trends, risks, and gaps in relation to recruitment agency involvement in migrant worker abuses.
• Review mapping of the relevant country reporting obligations under international mechanisms.
• Analyze relevant legal, policy, and advocacy frameworks, including bilateral agreements, monitoring mechanisms, and opportunities for reform.
• Conduct stakeholder and power mapping to identify key state and non‑state actors, their roles, and influence on advocacy priorities.
• Identify strategic issues, risks, and opportunities that affect migrant worker vulnerabilities along the G&ME/African migration corridor.

Qualifications

• A first‑level university degree, preferably in human rights, law, international relations, or a related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience, with a focus on the protection of migrant workers' rights.
• Proven experience in advocacy, capacity‑building, and training, including expertise on human rights and the protection of migrant workers.
• Knowledge of regional contexts, particularly in the Gulf, Middle East, and sub‑Saharan Africa.
• Knowledge of MENA, Gulf, and Sub‑Saharan African migrant workers' rights is considered an asset. Demonstrated gender sensitivity, cultural awareness, and the ability to integrate a gender perspective into activities and tasks.
• Knowledge of Arabic is considered an asset.

Duration of Contract

The assignment is expected to take place from November 2025 to March 2026, and the expert will work for a total of ten days.