Project Context and Scope

Consultant

Uganda serves as both a significant host and source country for migration in East Africa, experiencing various migration flows including refugees from neighboring nations, Ugandan emigrants, and internal migrants influenced by economic and social drivers. However, migration data is fragmented across four key ministries and there is limited integration with health and labor sectors.

Currently, migration data in Uganda is fragmented and uncoordinated. While various sources exist such as UNHCR's refugee response data, UNDESA's Migration Report 2022, and UBOS's Census Report 2024, they are often not compiled with the primary purpose of measuring migration comprehensively. This leads to major gaps in understanding critical aspects like migration trends, routes, and the qualitative interconnections between migration and development. Crucially, there is a severe lack of comparative analysis between these disparate sources, preventing a holistic picture of migration in Uganda. Furthermore, the absence of gender-disaggregated data severely limits the Government's ability to formulate informed, equitable policies and targeted interventions.

IOM with funding from IOM Development Fund (IDF) will be supporting a 12-month project on Strengthening Migration-Related Planning, Programming, and Policy through Data and Research in Uganda. This project was funded on the background that, Uganda's last comprehensive Migration Profile was conducted over a decade ago in 2013, with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Since then, national and regional mobility dynamics have evolved significantly, rendering existing data largely outdated and insufficient for effective governance.

These data gaps collectively hinder efforts to:

• Understand the complex interplay between migration and development.
• Assess the coherence of existing policies with national development objectives.
• Effectively mainstream migration into national development planning (e.g., NDP IV) and sector-specific policies.
• Empirically substantiate the impact of migration policies and interventions on national development.

Recognizing these challenges, enhancing data collection, improving coordination, strengthening national data infrastructure and capacity, and harmonizing data collection tools and practices are paramount for Uganda to achieve effective migration governance.

To address these challenges, the Migration Profile Roadmap aims to improve evidence-based planning and ensure alignment with the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 2013 Uganda Migration Profile emphasized the need for a more comprehensive migration monitoring system and better coordination among government agencies and partners.

Organizational Department / Unit to which the Consultant is contributing

This consultancy falls under IOM Uganda Migration Governance, Data and Policy Unit. The objective of this consultancy is to strengthen Migration Related Planning, Programming and Policy Development through Data and Research in Uganda

Responsibilities

Tasks to be performed under this contract

The consultant will hold consultation workshops and conduct key informant interviews with stakeholders including the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Internal Affairs (NCIC & COPTIP), National Planning Authorities, UBOS, Ministry of Gender (Department of Labour), selected academia, selected district local governments, youth and women groups, and other relevant parties able to provide useful information. Specifically, the consultant will;

Context Analysis: Review Uganda’s migration trends, policy frameworks, and institutional arrangements and coordination frameworks.

Data Scope Definition: Identify priority indicators aligned with national and international frameworks (e.g., refugee flows, labor migration, social-economic and remittances, migration policy, GCM, IGAD free movement protocol, health impacts, Climate induced migration and any other relevant frameworks related to migration data and governance).

Source Mapping: Assess relevant sources of administrative data from ministries (Internal Affairs-NCIC and COPTIP, Labor, OPM, Health, Education, district local government etc), surveys, and international databases and review existing administrative data, surveys, and research reports from government agencies such as NHS, Census etc, Accademia, Research Institutions, NGOs, and international organizations.

Data Collection Plan: In consultation with UBOS, NPA and IOM, Develop methodology for data gathering and validation, including timelines and resource needs.

Stakeholder Engagement: Map key partners (Government-MDAs, UN agencies, NGOs, academia, Private sectors) and propose coordination mechanisms for collaborations

Gap Analysis: Identify data deficiencies and propose strategies to address these gaps, ensuring effective integration and long-term sustainability.

Conduct stakeholders mapping exercise: In partnership with IOM, the consultant will identify Ugandan stakeholders in migration data collection and use, following a desk review of existing migration profiles and data systems. The assessment will outline each stakeholder’s roles, data capacity, coordination, and gaps. Results will support the migration data TWG and inform updates to the Uganda Migration Profile and GCM activities.

Participate in and not limited to the following key project activities to generate an inclusive and comprehensive migration profile roadmap and data framework.

• a) Knowledge Exchange and Best Practices workshop on Migration Data Harmonization for NCM and Migration Data
• b) Supporting and providing technical guidance to NCM, OPM, UBOS and NPA
• c) Consultative workshop to develop a gender inclusive data roadmap to guide migration profile elaboration.

Tangible and measurable outputs deliverables of the work assignment

• 1.Inception Report detailing methodology, consultancy work plan and budget that demonstrate how to deliver results.
• 2.Develop a comprehensive migration data and governance indicators compendium with standardized indicator definitions, aligned with government requirements, GCM, MGI, and international standards, including clear data sources and units of analysis.
• 3.Stakeholders mapping report
• 4.Draft Uganda Migration Profile Road Map and Data Framework
• 5.Final Report with recommendations for data governance and roadmap implementation.

Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

The following key performance indicators will be used:

• A revised Uganda Migration Profile roadmap that is gender-sensitive and inclusive, covering GCM implementation and a data governance framework. The roadmap should be thorough, address gender concerns, reflect stakeholder needs, and align with relevant frameworks like GCM, SDG, IGAD, and EAC.
• A Stakeholder Mapping Exercise Report that identifies Ugandan stakeholders involved in migration data collection and utilization, outlining their roles, data capacities, coordination mechanisms, and any existing gaps.
• A standardized migration profile tool capturing all key migration indicators relevant to national interests, designed to be gender-responsive and inclusive, serving as a guide for migration profile development.

Qualifications

Education

Advanced degree in Migration Studies, Statistics, or related field from an accredited academic institution with a minimum work experience of 2 years.

Experience

Proven experience in migration data analysis and policy development in one of the countries in East, Horn and Southern Africa.

Familiarity with Uganda’s migration context, trends, transit routes and international frameworks such as GCM, SDGs, IGAD free

• Context Analysis: Review Uganda’s migration trends, policy frameworks, and institutional arrangements and coordination frameworks.
• Data Scope Definition: Identify priority indicators aligned with national and international frameworks (e.g., refugee flows, labor migration, social-economic and remittances, migration policy, GCM, IGAD free movement protocol, health impacts, Climate induced migration and any other relevant frameworks related to migration data and governance).
• Source Mapping: Assess relevant sources of administrative data from ministries (Internal Affairs-NCIC and COPTIP, Labor, OPM, Health, Education, district local government etc), surveys, and international databases and review existing administrative data, surveys, and research reports from government agencies such as NHS, Census etc, Accademia, Research Institutions, NGOs, and international organizations.
• Data Collection Plan: In consultation with UBOS, NPA and IOM, Develop methodology for data gathering and validation, including timelines and resource needs.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Map key partners (Government-MDAs, UN agencies, NGOs, academia, Private sectors) and propose coordination mechanisms for collaborations
• Gap Analysis: Identify data deficiencies and propose strategies to address these gaps, ensuring effective integration and long-term sustainability.
• Conduct stakeholders mapping exercise: In partnership with IOM, the consultant will identify Ugandan stakeholders in migration data collection and use, following a desk review of existing migration profiles and data systems. The assessment will outline each stakeholder’s roles, data capacity, coordination, and gaps. Results will support the migration data TWG and inform updates to the Uganda Migration Profile and GCM activities.
• Participate in and not limited to the following key project activities to generate an inclusive and comprehensive migration profile roadmap and data framework.
  • a) Knowledge Exchange and Best Practices workshop on Migration Data Harmonization for NCM and Migration Data
  • b) Supporting and providing technical guidance to NCM, OPM, UBOS and NPA
  • c) Consultative workshop to develop a gender inclusive data roadmap to guide migration profile elaboration.

• Advanced degree in Migration Studies, Statistics, or related field from an accredited academic institution.
• Proven experience in migration data analysis and policy development in one of the countries in East, Horn and Southern Africa.
• Familiarity with Uganda’s migration context, trends, transit routes and international frameworks such as GCM, SDGs, IGAD free.