Consultancy: Effective Law Enforcement SEC Prevention

October 2023- February 2024 (approx. 20 working days)

ECPAT International is embarking on a 3-year programme of international advocacy to contribute knowledge and practice base to inform policy recommendations for international police cooperation in the prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

Sexual abuse and exploitation of children is pervasive and highly prevalent around the world. In most societies, sexual abuse and exploitation of children is most common within the home or is committed by a person known to the family[1]. But sexual violence and exploitation of children also occur in schools, other educational settings, communities and workplaces[2], and nowadays online or through social media[3]. While travel, tourism, and technology can offer new opportunities and social and economic development, they also expose children to risks and increase vulnerabilities of children to sexual abuse and exploitation, trafficking, and transnational organised crime.

Sexual abuse cases have a high attrition rate due to factors inside and outside the justice system.[4] Attrition of sexual assault cases at the early point of the criminal justice continuum, including police response, is associated with the lack of support services compiled with the attitudes and behaviours of the police towards the victims; therefore, trauma-informed police justice is recommended.[5]

Many international standards guide human rights-based and child-sensitive crime prevention and criminal justice services, including, but not limited to the following:

• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
• Guidelines for Action on Children in the Criminal Justice System (1997)
• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography (2000)
• E/RES/2005/22, Action to Promote Effective Crime Prevention (2005)
• UN Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (2014) (hereinafter referred to as ‘UN Model Strategies on EVAC’)
• E/RES/2014/21, Strengthening social policies as a tool for crime prevention(2014)
• INSPIRE Indicator Guidance and Results Framework (2018)
• A/76/144, Gender dimension of the sexual exploitation of children and the importance of integrating a child-centred and gender-inclusive approach to combating and eradicating it (2021)

SDG 16.2 in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development also reiterates the importance of, not just response, but also prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation, by targeting ‘protection children from abuse, exploitation, trafficking and violence’.

Police, like other justice service providers, have the primary roles of responding to crime and ensuring the access to justice of victims and the perpetrators’ accountability. Police may come across children at risk of sexual abuse and exploitation, especially children who face intersecting vulnerabilities, such as undocumented migrant children, unaccompanied children, and refugee children and has the role to play in reducing the risk or preventing the crimes against those children.

Importantly, the international standards in recent years have shown some development of the roles of law enforcement in multi-stakeholder collaborations for preventing violence against children, including the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

While international police organisations can provide training and strategies on a ‘prevention’ approach to policing, for example, police can take a role in preventing sexual abuse and exploitation of children in vulnerable groups, conducting regular analyses of the nature of threats faced by children and referring the vulnerable children to essential services (health, social, justice) or child protection units, as a way to prevent sexual abuse and exploitation, much training efforts provided to member countries by Interpol and other international police organisations such as the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT), under National Crime Agency (NCA) in the past also focused on the response.

This work aims to:

• Identify relevant concepts and international standards and guidelines of prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation of children
• Identify the good practices worldwide for the police initiatives/programmes on effective crime prevention to tackle sexual abuse and exploitation of children
• Analyse the promising and gaps of international police cooperation at global level in effective crime prevention initiatives to tackle sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
• Provide recommendations for international lobbying and advocacy to strengthen international police cooperation in the prevention of sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

Geographical focus – Global with the desk review capturing global literature of international standards and guidelines in English, and a specific focus on good practices should be placed on Asia, Latin America, and other regions (if any) (a separate literature review is being conducted in Spanish and will be shared with the consultant).

ECPAT International is seeking an experienced consultant to conduct this work, aiming to

1. Analyse existing crime prevention theories, international standards, policy frameworks, strategies, programmes and promising models at global and regional levels for effective law enforcement prevention of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
2. Develop evidence-based research tools to assess practices and perceived opportunities, challenges and barriers to strengthen law enforcement and multi-stakeholder collaboration in preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse. Conduct 15-20 qualitative interviews with relevant international experts and global key informants to assess good practices, opportunities, challenges and gaps to promote better international police collaboration to prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation.
3. Participate in and provide technical support during the coordination calls with the ECPAT International team and partners in The Philippines and Indonesia (as first pilot study countries) as required.
4. Develop a synthesized report with key findings, insights and recommendations to inform advocacy and policy development.

Key deliverables/ Timeframe

Timeframe

Deliverables

16 October 2023

1. Research tools (including report structure, research questions, questionnaires)
2. List of proposed key informants for interviews

30 November 2023

1. A report of literature review (30-40 pages) covering:

• Crime prevention theories with a focus on child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Crime prevention international standards policy frameworks, strategies, programmes and promising models at global and regional levels with a focus on child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Good practices and perceived opportunities for policy development
• Challenges and barriers to strengthen law enforcement and multi-stakeholder collaboration in preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse

1. Participation in and technical support during the coordination calls with the ECPAT International team and partners in The Philippines and Indonesia

31 January 2024

Summaries of the key informant interviews to identify good practices, opportunities, challenges, and gaps

15 February 2024

Final report with recommendations (up to 30 pages)

Timeframe

This work would take place between 1 October 2023 and 29 February 2024.

Estimated amount of work

20 working days

Consultant Profile

• An advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in international law, criminal law, international relations, social sciences, or related field is required.
• A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in research or policy development and/or implementation, preferably in the areas of crime prevention and criminal justice is required.
• Proven experience of law enforcement collaboration or prevention of child sexual abuse and exploitation is desirable.
• Advanced drafting, writing, and editing skills in English.

Management and Reporting Arrangements

The consultant will report to the Director of Research, Learning and Communication and the Regional Coordinator for East and Southeast Asia.

Additional Information

This is a home-based position; the consultant(s) will work from home or own office but should be available online for pre-arranged meetings with the ECPAT’s team in Bangkok

• The contracted entity is expected to act at all times in a manner consistent with the values of ECPAT International and in compliance with the organisation’s policies and procedures including Child Safeguarding Policy and the Staff Code of Conduct.
• This Request for Proposals is open to individual consultants as well as agencies.

[1] Pinheiro, P. S. (n.d.). World Report on Violence Against Children. United Nations Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against Children.

[2] Ibid.

[3] ECPAT International (2018), “Trends in online child sexual abuse material”, April 2018, Bangkok: ECPAT International.

[4] Murphy-Oikonen, J., & et al. (2022, December 17). Sexual Assault Case Attrition: The Voices of Survivors. Sage Journals. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21582440221144612.

[5] Murphy-Oikonen, J., & et al. Ibid.

How to apply

How to Apply

Please send your application letter to vacancy@ecpat.org together with the following documents:

• CV
• Daily fee in USD
• Sample of work with similar nature

Deadline: please submit your application no later than 20 September 2023