2022 Parliamentarians At Risk Annual Briefer

1. Background

Globally, parliamentarians’ right to freedom of expression is increasingly being restricted and MPs are facing greater risk of reprisals simply for exercising their mandate or freely expressing themselves. Asia follows the same trend: according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, it is the fourth most dangerous region for MPs. These attacks on MPs have significant consequences; for the individuals themselves who face threats to their right to liberty and physical integrity as well as to society as a whole.

In 2019, APHR published a report about reprisals faced by MPs in the Philippines, in 2020 APHR extended the scope of its research and publication to the entire ASEAN region in its report: Parliamentarians At Risk. In 2021, APHR published an updated briefer: Parliamentarians at Risk: Reprisals against opposition MPs in Southeast Asia 2021. These reports are part of APHR’s efforts to document attacks on lawmakers in the Southeast Asian region and to advocate for lawmakers to be able exercise their mandates free from threats or interference.

1. Scope of Work

APHR will continue its work on the issue by publishing an annual regional update that aims to report on the status of MPs at risk in the region.

APHR’s 2022 Parliamentarians At Risk briefer will review developments or regressions related to the human rights situation of MPs in Southeast Asia. It will analyze trends based on cases compiled from November 2021 to September 2022 and highlight them to understand how the attacks impact them individually and their work, and also how they shape the overall state of human rights and democracy in the country. The briefer will also draw comparisons from earlier years.

APHR is therefore hiring an external consultant to draft the 2022 annual briefer on Parliamentarians at risk. Updates to specific cases will be required and to that extent some desk-based research and some interviews with some of the MPs will have to be conducted by the consultant. The report should be in English, about 10/12 pages, written in Times News Roman 11 pt, visually engaging, and present the key findings for the year 2022 as well as highlight individual cases of MPs at risk in the region.

1. Expected Outputs and Deliverables

• Inception Meeting: presentation of the project, sharing of APHR’s findings, etc. (26 September 2022)
• Draft outline and structure of the briefer (30 September 2022)
• First draft of the briefer (20 October 2022 / APHR review – Incorporating first round of comments)
• Second draft of the briefer (10 November 2022 /APHR review – Incorporating final round of comments)
• Final briefer (30 November 2022)

1. Institutional Arrangement

The consultant will liaise closely with APHR’s Programs Director and Advocacy and Campaigns Officer on Democracy and Fundamental Freedoms. They will provide the consultant with the core of the research findings for the year 2022, as well as contacts for interviews and sources for desk research. They will decide with the consultant on the outline and structure of the briefer before he/she starts writing and remain available at all times for support and coordination. The consultant will report to the Programs Director.

1. Duration of Work

See timeline above. The consultancy will be considered finished once a final briefer has been provided by the consultant and approved by the Research and Advocacy Director.

1. Duty Station

Remote

1. Qualification of the Successful Contractor

• Previous experience in conducting research on human rights issues, preferably on restrictions of civic space and/or in liaison with parliamentarians.
• Excellent writing skills for a wide variety of audience as well as proven past record of drafting high quality research and advocacy outputs for publication.
• Fluency both oral and written in English.