Vacancy – Senior legal analyst at CMRS

Center for Migration & Refugee Studies (CMRS)
The American University in Cairo
Terms of Reference (TOR)
Lead Researcher (Grant Based)

Project title: Refugee Entitlements in Egypt
Donor: European Commission
Position title: Lead Researcher
Position type: Full time-grant based
Position Duration: 24 months
Report to: Principal Investigator
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Probation Period: 3 months

I.              Background:

Ascertaining the rights and entitlements of asylum-seekers, recognized refugees, and unsuccessful asylum applicants in Egypt is not a straightforward task. The interplay between international, regional, and domestic laws and policies creates different bundles of rights and entitlements on the basis of legal status and nationality. Stakeholders working in the field – whether the Government of Egypt, international organizations, non-governmental and civil society organizations, or most importantly asylum-seekers and refugees themselves – would benefit from greater clarity on rights and entitlements. In response to this need, the Refugee Entitlements in Egypt Project undertakes an in-depth mapping of the rights and entitlements of asylum seekers, recognized refugees, and rejected asylum applicants in Egypt under international, regional, and national laws. The project maps formal rights and entitlements and ascertains how accessible they are in practice; uses this information to raise stakeholder awareness on rights, entitlements, and accessibility; and builds the capacity of stakeholders to improve the access to and quality of rights and entitlements.

II.            Description of the Position:

Conduct rigorous legal analysis of existing international and regional conventions, bilateral agreements, as well as relevant Egyptian laws with regard to forced migrants in Egypt. On the basis of the project’s research findings, lead the field research and design the awareness-raising and capacity-building campaigns.

  1. Duties and Responsibilities:

In coordination with the Principal Investigator (PI), the Lead Researcher is responsible for:

  • Researching and analyzing international and regional conventions applicable to refugees, asylum-seekers, and failed asylum-seekers in Egypt, bilateral agreements between Egypt and potential countries of origin, as well as relevant Egyptian domestic laws.
  • Assessing deviations between law and implementation and providing recommendations for addressing such gaps.
  • Developing research methodology.
  • Developing data collection tools for research with the various stakeholders.
  • Training research associates on data collection tools
  • Planning and supervising the carrying out of interviews with policy makers, international and local civil society organizations; as well as planning and supervising the moderation of focus group discussions with different migrant groups.
  • Supervising data collection and ensuring that it is carried out in an ethical, efficient, and scientific manner.
  • Developing a comprehensive report on the basis of the findings of the research that maps the rights and entitlements of refugees, asylum-seekers, and unsuccessful asylum applicants in Egypt, including particularly the differences in entitlements on the basis of nationality and legal status. The report should also assess deviations between law and implementation and provide recommendations for addressing such gaps.
  • Developing in coordination with the PI the methodology of the awareness-raising campaign and capacity-building trainings that should include:
    • Designing standard operating procedures for international organizations, non-governmental, and civil-society organizations providing services to refugee and asylum-seeking communities.
    • Creating training tools and training materials for service providers in order to standardize methods of service provision and operating procedures based on legal rights and entitlements.
    • Developing training programs for stakeholders.
  • Assessing the project and drafting a ‘ways forward’ document to suggest future initiatives and research to be undertaken and to build on the work that has been done for this project towards a sustainable rights-based future for asylum-seeking communities in Egypt
  • Showcasing the project achievements and ways forward through a concluding event

III.         Required Skills and Expertise:

  • A Law Degree (LLB, JD, or equivalent) with a thorough knowledge of the Egyptian legal system;
  • A Master’s Degree in a relevant field such as law or human rights;
  • Proven record of at least 10 years of legal analysis;
  • Proven record of conducting qualitative research;
  • Excellent writing and editing skills;
  • Knowledge of human rights and refugee issues, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa; and
  • Fluency in speaking and writing in English and Arabic.

IV.          To Apply:

All interested applicants should submit before 15 March 2017 a resume, cover letter, and writing sample via e-mail to cmrs@aucegypt.edu with the subject title: Refugee Rights and Entitlements in Egypt: Lead Researcher Vacancy. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.