Research Consultant – ECPAT Country Overview Mauritania (French Speaker)

April 2025 – July 2025

Organisational Context

ECPAT International is a global network of organisations working together for the elimination of the sexual exploitation of children in all its manifestations i.e. exploitation of children in prostitution, technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse, sale and trafficking of children for sexual purposes, sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism and some forms of child, early and forced marriage. The ECPAT Network currently consists of 135 members working at national and local levels in 111 countries.

Using the power of evidence to enhance advocacy on sexual exploitation of children

Since its inception over 30 years ago, ECPAT International has worked to galvanize world attention and action against sexual exploitation of children including by constantly monitoring the situation at the local, regional and global level on the implementation of actions to protect children. Today, along with submitting alternative reports and presenting thematic submissions to human rights mechanisms like the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Human Rights Council, we also annually produce up to five Country Overviews – reports on the scale, scope and context of sexual exploitation of children.

ECPAT Country Overviews are first and foremost, a desk review exercise that gather and present the existing publicly available information into a comprehensive summary of all forms of sexual exploitation of children in a country. The desk review is complemented with information retrieved through qualitative interviews with key informants. A detailed analysis of the legal and policy framework for addressing these crimes is also included. The overviews provide an assessment of achievements and challenges in implementation, existing counteractions, and suggest concrete priority actions to eliminate the sexual exploitation of children in the specific country. They cover all forms of sexual exploitation of children including in the context of prostitution, technology-facilitated child sexual abuse and exploitation, in the context of travel and tourism, through trafficking and some forms of child, early and forced marriage.

Objectives of consultancy:

ECPAT International is seeking a consultant with a background in research to:

• Undertake secondary research related to the sexual exploitation of children in Mauritania. This includes researching, collecting and analysing information on country contexts, preventive measures, coordination and cooperation mechanisms and child and youth participation measures on the exploitation of children in prostitution, technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse, trafficking of children for sexual purposes, child, early and forced marriage and sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism;
• If the selected individual has a legal background and legal research experience, undertake secondary research related to national substantive and procedural legislation on the sexual exploitation of children in Mauritania.
• Liaise and communicate with ECPAT network member in Mauritania to confirm information;
• Based on the information retrieved through documentary research, draft ECPAT Country Overview report for Mauritania in French language in line with established template and using as a basis an unpublished draft report produced by ECPAT a few years back.
• Incorporate in the ECPAT Country Overview report information retrieved through 1) key informants interviewed conducted by the ECPAT network member (the consultant will receive notes from these interviews); and 2) a national consultation to be organised by ECPAT and its network member.
• Draft a 5-page briefing on sexual exploitation of children in Mauritania summarising the information contained in the full report.

Consultant Profile

• Experience in desk-based research and report writing;
• Knowledge on child sexual exploitation and abuse;
• Experience in legal research and analysis (desirable but not required)
• Fluent in French language;
• Excellent writing skills in French;
• Time management;
• Ability to work in a team;
• Accountability.

Timeframe & working days:

It is expected that this short-term consultancy will require a maximum of 20 working days (increased to 25 if the selected candidate has a legal background and is able to also complete the legal sections of the report) the period April 2025 – July 2025 as per tentative timeline below.

Tasks and Tentative timeframe

• Review of unpublished draft, additional research and drafting of ECPAT Country Overview report (By end of April 2025)
• Address feedback from ECPAT’s team and integrate information from interviews (By end of May 2025)
• Incorporate information from national consultation and finalize the draft – including proofreading of PDF (By mid-July 2025)
• Draft and finalise 5-page briefing (By mid-July 2025)

Management and Reporting Arrangements

The Consultant will report to the Research Manager at ECPAT International.

Additional Information

• This is a home-based position, the consultant will work from home but should be available online for meetings with the ECPAT team.
• All discussions and documents relating to this Terms of Reference will be treated as confidential by the parties.
• The Consultant 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.
• Adherence to ECPAT International policies and procedures is required, including signing and abiding by the Staff Code of Conduct.
• The successful applicant will be required to have in place insurance arrangements appropriate to provision of the requirement in this Terms of Reference.