Situation Analysis of Child Rights Issues in Indigenous Communities of Mondulkiri Province

Location: Mondulkiri

• Background and Context

My Village (MVi) is a Cambodian nonprofit, non-government organization that was founded in November 2006 and officially registered with the Ministry of Interior on 25th January 2007. MVi is operating its programs in the northeast provinces of Cambodia, particularly in Mondulkiri, Kratie, and Stung Treng. With financial support from Save the Children (SCi), MVi has a project: SIDA 2.0 CSO Project Civil Society Strengthening Programme for Children’s Rights which is effective from 1 Nov 2025 to 31 December 2028. This project aims to empower civil society actors, including children, to claim civic space and hold duty-bearers accountable for child rights through improved laws, policies, CSOs collaboration, and GEDSI capacity. This is achieved through enhancing the capacity of civil society actors and children to monitor, report, and follow up on commitments via shadow reports, monitoring initiatives, and joint actions and strengthening their ability to actively influence policies, laws, budgets, and services through strategic recommendations, regional advocacy, and core organizational support. As part of its commitment to safeguarding vulnerable populations, MVi is initiating a comprehensive study to examine the state of child rights among indigenous communities in 12 villages, four communes, and 1 district, Mondulkiri Province. To understand these child rights issues in indigenous communities, MVi is seeking a qualified national consultant/research team to conduct a situation analysis of child rights, including indigenous children related to environmental degradation, changing climatic conditions, limited access to quality social services, traditional social norms, Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (CEFM), and budget allocation for child rights.

• Research Title

Situation Analysis of Child Rights Issues in Indigenous Communities of Mondulkiri Province: Climate Vulnerabilities, Social Services, Child Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM), and Public Budget Allocation

• Research Objectives Main Objective

To investigate the child rights situation in 12 indigenous communities of Mondulkiri Province— with a specific focus on child, early, and forced marriage (CEFM); climate change; access to social services; and public financial allocation through a gender-disaggregated lens. Specific Objectives

• To analyze child rights issues, with a primary focus on Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (CEFM), alongside vulnerabilities related to climate, environment, and social services, applying a comparative gender analysis between boys and girls.

• To examine the extent and quality of children’s participation and engagement in addressing child rights issues—specifically Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (CEFM), climate vulnerabilities, and access to social services—through a comparative gender lens.
• To evaluate public investments and policy responses dedicated to preventing CEFM and safeguarding child rights within indigenous communities (in 2025).
• To examine the allocation and utilization of social sector budgets targeting child rights issues, with particular emphasis on funding for child protection, community awareness, and the prevention of CEFM and access to services (in 2025).
• Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for leading the entire research process, which includes

• Inception Phase: Reviewing relevant literature, international conventions (UNCRC), national policies, legal frameworks, and previous studies. Developing an research proposal with an introduction, research framework, a detailed methodology, research tools, and work plan.

● Data Collection (Primary & Secondary)

• Conducting qualitative and quantitative fieldwork in 12 selected indigenous communities in four communes (O’Bourn Leu, Sok San, Sre Huy, and Pou Chrey), in two districts (Koh Nhek and Pichreada) in Mondulkiri Province.
• Engaging key stakeholders: Indigenous children, youth representatives, women’s groups, community leaders, commune councilors, local authorities, and relevant provincial government departments.
• Conducting a budget/fiscal analysis of public sector allocations of commune administrations in targeted communes impacting child protection, social services, and climate resilience in target communities.
• Data Analysis & Validation: Processing and analyzing data through a gender-disaggregated lens and a human rights-based approach. Presenting preliminary findings to MVi for validation.
• Report Writing: Drafting and finalizing a comprehensive, high-quality research report complete with actionable policy recommendations.
• Methodology and Approach

The study must adopt a human rights-based approach (HRBA) and ensure ethical standards for research involving human subjects, particularly children and indigenous groups (obtaining informed consent/assent and ensuring confidentiality). The methodology

• Research Design: Mixed methods will be employed in this research, combining qualitative methods (focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and participatory community mapping) with quantitative data (household/community surveys where applicable) and secondary desk reviews.
• Sample Size and Sampling: 90 people (adults and children) from 12 indigenous communities, four communes, and two districts will be selected as the sample size with purposive sampling. Eighty community leaders and children (50% are females) from the Community Protected Areas (CPA) committee, indigenous women's groups (IWGs), indigenous youth groups (IYGs), and child and youth clubs who have knowledge on child rights issues in communities will be selected to join in group discussions, while key

informant interviews, including those with village heads, commune councilors, community leaders, and children, will be selected for in-depth interviews.

• Gender and Cultural Sensitivity: Ensuring active participation of both boys and girls and respecting indigenous customs and contexts.
• Child-Focused Public Financial Management (CF-PFM): Reviewing commune administration budget allocations and expenses to evaluate fiscal responsiveness to child rights related to CEFM, climate, and access to social services.
• Expected Deliverables and Timeline

The consultancy is expected to be completed within approximately 60 working days.

Outputs/Deliverables Produced

Description

Target Timeline

• Research project proposal

Introduction, research framework, detailed methodology, work plan,

and ethical protocols.

By 04 September 2026

• Draft Research Report

Comprehensive preliminary report including desk review, field findings, and budget

analysis.

By 15 th October 2026

• Validation Workshop

Presentation of draft findings to MVi team to

gather feedback.

By 26 th October 2026

• Final Research Report

Fully polished report incorporating feedback, complete with executive summary and policy

recommendations.

By 30 th October 2026

• Budget: 3.000USD
• Required Qualifications and Experience

• Education: Advanced degree (Master’s or higher) in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Gender Studies, Law, Public Policy, Economics, or a related field.

● Experience

• Minimum of 5–7 years of professional experience in conducting social research, situation analyses, or baseline studies, preferably in Cambodia.
• Demonstrated expertise in child rights, child protection, and specifically addressing Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (CEFM).
• Proven experience working with indigenous communities and understanding indigenous rights and cultural contexts.
• Expertise in public financial management, budget tracking, or policy analysis.
• Skills: Strong analytical, qualitative/quantitative research, and technical report-writing skills in English (proficiency in Khmer or local indigenous languages is a strong asset).
• Application Submission Requirements

Interested candidates/firms should submit the following documents to MVi

• Expression of interest (EoI), and curriculum vitae detailing score competency and relevant work experiences
• Technical Proposal: Outlining the understanding of the ToR, proposed methodology, work plan, and team composition (with CVs attached).
• Financial Proposal: Detailed budget breakdown, tentative work plan, and timelines for consultant fees. (consultant fees, travel, field costs, translation, etc.).
• Sample of Previous Work: A copy of a similar research report or publication authored by the applicant…and also included a list of previous assignments, highlighting those focusing on similar issues.

Please send CV and cover letter to Email: [email protected] Phone: 0968088933 Website: http://www.mvicambodia.org

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