SCOPE OF WORK

SENIOR EXPERT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INVENTORY OF LEGAL FRAMEWORKS AND STANDARDS RELATED TO SAFETY AND HEALTH IN THE INFORMAL SECTOR OF ASEAN MEMBER STATES

Position

Senior Expert for the Development of Inventory of Legal Frameworks and Standards Related to Safety and Health in the Informal Sector of ASEAN Member States

Period of Performance On/About (From – To)

16 January 2025

15 January 2026

Maximum Level of Effort

STTA (45 days)

Base of Operations

Remote from Home with travel to ASEAN countries as required

Project Background:

Collectively, the 10 countries that comprise the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) contribute more than 20 percent of global fish production. As the fishing industry has tried to meet growing global demand, oversight has not kept pace. As consumer demand has grown, competitive pressures and declining catch rates, coupled with insufficient regulation and minimal oversight, have created incentives for illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and allowed exploitative and abusive treatment of workers to proliferate, including treatment that rises to the level of forced labor and trafficking in persons. The Addressing Labor Exploitation in Fishing in ASEAN (ALFA) project aims to build the capacity to coordinate and collaborate across ASEAN to mitigate forced labor and promote responsible labor practices in the fishing industry.

The informal sector plays a significant role in the economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States. It comprises a wide range of economic activities, including street vendors, home-based workers, service workers, small-scale entrepreneurs, and migrant fishers. However, informal sector workplaces typically operate at a low level of organization and technology with the primary objective of generating employment and incomes. Activities are usually conducted without proper recognition from authorities and often operate under very unsafe and precarious conditions.

Despite its economic significance, the various sectors within the informal economy face severe challenges. For example, the fishing sector is plagued by labor exploitation, child labor, and human trafficking, often linked to illegal fishing activities. Informal domestic workers, street vendors, home-based workers, and small-scale entrepreneurs also encounter significant safety and health risks, poor working conditions, and lack of regulatory oversight.

To address these challenges, the 24th ASEAN-OSHNET Coordinating Board Meeting recognized the necessity of enhancing labor inspection and OSH procedures. This project aims to develop standardized and effective guidelines to address labor exploitation, eliminate forced labor and child labor, and strengthen OSH measures across ASEAN, with a particular consideration of the unique challenges faced by sectors within the informal economy.

Purpose:

The consultant will produce an inventory of legal frameworks and standards related to safety and health in the informal sector of ASEAN Member States (AMS) and compile a compendium of practical strategies and best practices for improving safety and health in informal workplaces. These outputs will then serve as the foundation for developing comprehensive guidelines. This project will span approximately 12 (twelve) months, involving close collaboration with the ALFA project team and the ASEAN Secretariat. 

OBJECTIVES AND DUTIES:

a.      Collaborate intensively with the Project Director, the ASEAN Secretariat, and other relevant consultants to develop a robust framework for the inventory and compendium.

b.      Conduct a comprehensive analysis of primary and secondary data, including academic literature, policy documents, and interviews with key stakeholders, identifying gaps, challenges, and opportunities in current labor inspection and OSH practices. This analysis should specifically focus on key sectors within the informal economy, such as:

·        Informal fishing

·        Informal domestic work

·        Street vending

·        Small-scale entrepreneurship

·        Home-base work

c.      Develop a detailed and practical inventory of legal frameworks and standards related to safety and health in the informal sector of AMS, with sector-specific insights and adjustments.

d.      Compile a compendium of practical strategies and best practices for improving safety and health in informal workplaces, ensuring particular consideration for:

·        Fishing: Differentiating between port-based and sea-based inspection protocols, considering vessel size, gear used, and artisanal versus industrial operations.

·        Domestic Work: Addressing unique safety and health challenges in household employment settings.

·        Street Vending: Focusing on urban safety and health standards.

·        Small-scale Entrepreneurship: Enhancing OSH in small-scale and informal business settings.

·        Home-base Work: Ensuring safe home working environments.

e.      Facilitate stakeholder engagement sessions with ASEAN member states, international organizations, civil society, and industry representatives to gather inputs and validate the inventory and compendium, ensuring representation from each targeted sector.

f.        Collaborate with advisory panels and experts to refine findings and recommendations, ensuring they are actionable, relevant, and aligned with ongoing ASEAN initiatives to improve labor conditions in each targeted sector within the informal economy.

g.      Assist in the dissemination of the finalized inventory and compendium through workshops, seminars, and other appropriate channels to ensure broad adoption and implementation across the different sectors.

LEVEL OF EFFORT/TIMELINE

The level of effort for this assignment is up to 45 days of LOE over a period of 12 (twelve) months.

REPORTING

The Senior Expert will report to the Project Director of ALFA for further conveyance to ASEAN Secretariat’s Labour and Civil Service Division.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

·        Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent degree), preferably in a relevant area such as international trade, labor studies, public policy, sociology, or economics.

·        A minimum of 12 years of prior experience in designing and conducting research projects related to labor rights, labor inspection, or occupational safety and health, with a focus on regional initiatives.

·        Strong familiarity with ASEAN, its labor policies, and the unique challenges facing labor standards in the region is highly desirable.

·        Demonstrated expertise in labor rights and human trafficking issues, particularly as they relate to the informal sector.

·        In-depth understanding of Southeast Asia and ASEAN is a strong asset.

·        A commitment to a consultative and collaborative approach in working with diverse stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector.

·        Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in English; proficiency in additional ASEAN languages is an advantage.