UNHCR MCO Thailand is advocating the State governments of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Viet Nam and Thailand under MCO coverage to strengthen data collection and system on stateless populations by introducing the International Recommendations on Statelessness Statistics (IROSS) – that were developed by the Expert Group on Refugee, Internally Displaced Persons and Statelessness Statistics (EGRISS) and were adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) on Thursday 2 March 2023.

Currently, the global estimated number of stateless persons and those with undetermined nationality is 4.3 million. However, this figure underestimates the number of stateless persons due to its reliance on incomplete national data. The definitions, concepts and classifications employed to measure statelessness statistics reflect country-specific legislation, policies and practices and therefore are not globally harmonised. The variation in the methods of data collection, compilation and presentation at national levels further limits the availability, quality, accuracy, and comparability of statelessness statistics internationally. Additionally, the lack of recognition of stateless persons and subsequent under-reporting of this group further contributes to the statelessness data gap. This has a direct impact on the opportunity and quality of advocacy interventions and other response mechanisms to address statelessness, as the starting question for most stakeholders is invariably: “how many people are affected”?

The IROSS seek to address these challenges by providing a common statistical framework and related definitions for countries and other stakeholders to use. By their very existence, they increase the visibility of stateless persons in discussions on official statistics among the population groups to be included. We expect that the IROSS will be instrumental in enhancing the quality and comparability of national statelessness data and will contribute directly to supporting the implementation of Action 10 (Improve quantitative and qualitative data on stateless populations) of UNHCR’s Global Action Plan to End Statelessness.

Therefore, in November 2023, UNHCR MCO Thailand had translated the IROSS into four languages (Khmer, Lao, Vietnamese, and Thai). With a limited in-house technical capacity in reviewing the IROSS in Vietnamese translated version, UNHCR MCO Thailand, Statelessness Unit would like to hire a suitable individual contractor who is a native Vietnamese with specific legal background and English proficiency to review the report.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment (concise and detailed description of activities, including measurable outputs and delivery dates, impact indicators (what qualitative and quantitative results would be achieved upon completion of the assignment), performance indicators (timelines, value of the service rendered in relation to the cost, timeliness) and work plan):

• Review the IROSS in Vietnamese translated version • Edit and correct the IROSS in Vietnamese translated version using appropriate level of native Vietnamese language that is easy to understand without changing an original meaning of the IROSS in original English version

Monitoring and Progress Controls (reports requirements, periodicity, format, deadlines):

Project monitoring will be conducted by UNHCR.

Definition of the Final Product (i.e., survey completed, data collected, workshop conducted, research documents produced, etc.):

The final product shall be prepared and completed by the individual consultant providing an accurate IROSS in Vietnamese version that is ready for publishing for further distribution.

The individual contractor is expected to submit the final product to UNHCR on 15 May 2024.

Qualification and Experience of the Individual Contractor (degree required, years of experience, field of expertise, language required):

Experiences & Qualifications: • Native Vietnamese with excellent written skills in English • Education: Master’s degree in the fields of Law, Social Sciences, Human Rights, Public Policy, Statistics, Journalism and Communications, or other similar fields; • Strong knowledge of statelessness, law on civil registration and nationality, statistics, data management