Climate Change and Child Displacement – TOR

Migration and Displacement Initiative (MDI)

Important note: This consultancy was originally designed prior to the outbreak of Covid 19, and the expectation was that the selected consultant would travel to relevant regions to undertake research. This is no longer feasible so interested applicants are expected to adapt their approaches to the reality of the current Covid related context. Previous applicants are welcome to apply.

Applications should be submitted along with an indicative budget.

“Climate change disproportionally impacts children and young people, who face heightened levels of vulnerability during disasters and situations of displacement[1]”. Anecdotal evidence suggests that CC-driven child displacement is a big problem now, and will increase in the future, yet children displaced (or migrating) by climate change have typically been overlooked in research, programming & advocacy. There’s a pressing need –and clear opportunity – to respond to this gap.

As a starting point, Save the Children International’s (SCI) Migration and Displacement Initiative (MDI) is commissioning an introductory, ‘top line’ global research piece on climate driven child migration and displacement to build up Save the Children’s (SC) own knowledge base on the issue – and to inform the wider global debate. The research is perceived primarily as an ‘evidence synthesis, gap mapping, and orientation exercise’ leading to the development of a broader child-focused climate change/migraiton & displacement programming and research agenda. We will review (i) whether (as we suspect) there are any unique child vulnerabilities/impact caused by climate-induced migration & displacement, and if so, (ii) seek to identify the appropriate policy, research and programming responses.

This global overview will synthesise currently available research and evidence on the intersection between climate change-driven migration/displacement and children, further informed by information gathered directly from five SC regions. It will employ a methodology focused on desk-based review, supplemented by illustrative primary research via remote key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions with SC focal points across Members and country offices, and key stakeholders at the international and regional levels. In identifying existing knowledge gaps and opportunities, the report’s recommendations will additionally function as the foundation for an internal SC ‘road map’ for subsequent (and potentially child led) programme, policy, advocacy and research on climate change-driven child displacement/migration.

[1]https://www-cdn.oxfam.org/s3fs-public/file_attachments/bp-uprooted-climate-change-displacement-021117-en.pdf: Oxfam