Project Context and Scope:
Context and Scope
Lebanon faces challenges in the management of land borders, including the lack of adequate infrastructure and equipment; the porosity of borders; and the activities of trafficking and smuggling networks. Significant efforts have been made to reinforce national capacity to manage national borders according to international best practices and in line with Lebanonโs regional and global commitments, including the development of an Integrated Border Management Strategy and its action plan. Though the Government of Lebanon has made strides in addressing the technological and infrastructural challenges, there remain gaps relative to immigration and border management systems among others.ย
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Lebanon has developed an intervention that aims at enhancing and reinforcing the capacity the General Security Directorate (GSD) to efficiently manage cross-border movements by enhancing and rolling out a Border Management Information System (BMIS) at official land crossings points, at the International Airport of Beirut and ultimately in seaports. The BMIS will permit the collection, analysis, and archiving of biographic and biometric information found in travel documents, facilitating the sharing of this information across a network of border posts and GSD Headquarters, with the capacity to also cross-reference this information across existing databases, such as the national and international alert lists.ย
Objectives
The consultant will carry out a study that will aim to analyze the legal, institutional and operational mechanisms on the possession, protection and sharing of data in Lebanon in order to identify possible gaps and the need for reinforcement or harmonization.
S/he will examine the existing framework for data protection, including national provisions such as the Law No. 81/2018 regarding the Electronic Transactions and Personal Data, and relevant case law. It will include recommendations to ensure the BMIS is used in line the Lebanese Law, and follows relevant international frameworks such as theย UN Principles on Personal Data Protection and Privacyย and the EU General Data Protection Regulation, as well asย international protection standards and the rights of individuals under international human rights and refugee law. The assessment report will also provide an analysis of risks of misuse or abuse of personal data (e.g., profiling, exclusion, refoulement) and propose mitigation measures.ย
Category B Consultants:ย Tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignment:
The consultant, under the direct supervision of the IOM Lebanon Programme Manager (Immigration and Border Governance) and in close coordination with the Data and Research Unit and the Migrant Protection Unit, will produce a legal assessment reportย including the following elements:
The study will include:ย ย
The analysis of the actors and structures involved in the processing of personal data in Lebanon, such as the recording, retention, use, archiving and destruction of data, and the level of security to access this data; A review of all technical partners involved in data protection and their strategies, in reference to the implementation of national data protection legislation;ย An overview and review of all existing legal instruments governing the life cycle (creation, processing, storage, sharing/transfer, destruction) of personal data in Lebanon, including existing legislation on the data protection;ย An in-depth analysis of compliance with the applicable sub-regional, regional and international data protection instruments and their level of integration into the legal order applicable in Lebanon;ย Identifying the inadequacies and inconsistencies of the legal and institutional system in Lebanon and proposing recommendations to address them;ย Aย review of the existing accountability mechanisms for remedies in case of data misuse or abuse and assess their accessibility and effectiveness; A review of strategic priorities, needs and institutional arrangements established for strengthening data protection in Lebanon; Propose an action plan to ย integrate data protection principles in the implementation of border management information systems in Lebanon, including : Policy and legal reform recommendations to align the national legislation and institutions with international standards pertaining to the protection of personal data; Legal and data protection recommendations in view of the elaboration of standard operating procedures (SOP) guidelines on data protection related to the exchange of data between systems managed by General Security in view of ensuring consistency on border management data collection; Legal aspects to be included to the implementation and capacity building strategy to ensure the standardization on the collection and use of border management data throughout the country. First deliverable โ Detailed workplan validated by IOM - First instalment payment (20% of overall contract value) - Deliverable due by the 15th day of the contractย Second deliverable โย Draft legal assessment report โ Second instalment payment (40% of overall contract value) - Deliverable by 45th day of the contract.ย Final deliverable โ Final Report ready for publication โ Third and Final instalment payment (no 40% of overall contract value) - Deliverable by 60th day of the contract.Performance indicators for the evaluation of results:
Performance will be evaluated based on the technical quality and comprehensiveness of the report, understanding of national priorities, and the consultant's ability to consult stakeholders effectively.
Education, Experience and/or skills required:
Master's degree in public or international law, or a related legal field of an accredited educational institution; Minimum of 5 years of relevant legal experience. Strong critical thinking, legal analysis and writing skills. Experience in writing study reports is required; Knowledge of international laws and standards for the identification and protection of personal data is mandatory; Experience liaising with government authorities, other national and international institutions and civil society organizations, is a strong advantage; Experience of a similar situational analysis of the protection and management of personal data at the national level is a strong advantage; Experience in collecting and analysing secondary data and conducting semi-structured interviews is an advantage;Languages:
For all applicants, fluency in English and Arabic is required (oral and written)
IOMโs official languages are English, French and Spanish. Proficiency of language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments. ย Travel required:No travel is required.
Required Competencies ย IOMโs competency framework can be found atย this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process. ย Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these three values: Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion. Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct. Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges. Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance. Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected and fairly treated. Core Competenciesย โ behavioural indicators Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results. Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes. Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge and innovate. Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organizationโs priorities and assumes responsibility for own actions and delegated work. Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring and motivational way. Notes Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation. Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, verification of residency, visa, and authorizations by the concerned Government, where applicable. IOM covers Consultants against occupational accidents and illnesses under the Compensation Plan (CP), free of charge, for the duration of the consultancy. IOM does not provide evacuation or medical insurance for reasons related to non-occupational accidents and illnesses. Consultants are responsible for their own medical insurance for non-occupational accident or illness and will be required to provide written proof of such coverage before commencing work. IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. IOM does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training or other fee). IOM does not request any information related to bank accounts. IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM online recruitment system. The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application. For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website:ย IOM Careers and Job Vacancies.