Terms of Reference (ToR)
For hiring a consultant for developing a documentary on UPR and Bangladesh’s engagement with the process

Context

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) was established in 1986 as a national legal aid and human rights organisation. Over the last thirty-four years, ASK has evolved a more comprehensive approach to promoting, protecting, and preventing legal and human rights throughout the country. ASK’s strategies are to promote human rights awareness and community activism; offer legal aid through mediation and litigation while survivors are given psycho-social counselling; conduct investigations and documentation into human rights violations and file public interest litigation for law and policy reforms supplemented by research which facilitates to media and advocacy campaigns to defend human rights of all, especially human rights defenders in Bangladesh. ASK also has a United Nations ECOSOC consultative status.

UPR Info is an international non-profit and non-governmental organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland. Established in 2008, the organisation aims to amplify the voice of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) by supporting their advocacy efforts to address human rights violations within their country. In addition, it works to build the capacity of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) stakeholders and raising awareness about the role of national actors to support each UN Member State’s obligation to respect, protect and fulfil human rights. The organisation also provides technical assistance to its country-based partners to reinforce their ownership to drive change and foster sustainable development. It also develops educational resources and monitoring tools, and shares the best practices to support the effective implementation of UPR recommendations.

The UPR is considered as one of the unique mechanisms of United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). As part of this peer-review process, the UNHRC examines each UN member state’s human rights situation every four and a half years. The UPR is one of the three main UN human rights mechanisms, together with the Treaty Bodies mechanism and Special Procedures, which assess member states’ human rights obligations and commitments. These mechanisms are mutually reinforcing and complementary with the ultimate objective being improvement of the human rights situation in every country. The UPR process has completed three cycles and currently the fourth cycle is ongoing. Starting a cycle later, Bangladesh has been reviewed thrice under this process in 2009, 2013 and 2018 respectively. The next review is scheduled to be held in November 2023. In this context, ASK with the support of UPR-Info, are planning to develop a short video on the UPR Process, its uniqueness and importance, how Bangladesh has been benefitted or can be benefitted from this process.

Objective of the Task

The overall objective of the task is to develop a short video/documentary on the UPR Process, its uniqueness and importance, how Bangladesh has been benefitted or can be benefitted from this process.

Length of the Documentary

600 seconds (10 mins)

Deadline:

30 October 2022

Deliverables:

• Share the outline of the documentary with ASK and finalise the outline incorporating ASK comments within one week of signing contract;
• Share the first draft of the documentary for feedback by 30 September 2022;
• Submit final documentary within the mentioned date in the contract.

Competency/Qualifications:

• Must have knowledge on human rights, communication, journalism, etc.;
• Must have adequate experience in developing documentaries, videos, etc. on human rights and relevant themes.

Budget and Mode of Payment:

The Budget for this service is BDT 287,000/- [Two lacs eighty-seven thousand taka only] (including VAT and TAX). Half of the payment will be done after sharing the first draft and the rest after the submission of the final documentary.

Submission of proposal and deadline:

Interested candidates (consulting / research firm / agency / organisation / individual) should forward their applications and express their interest with an outline of the documentary to admin@askbd.org, by 16 July 2022.

Ownership:

ASK will possess the full rights and ownership of the contents produced from the consultancy; this includes sharing the raw files used in the documentary.

• General Terms and Conditions and Disclaimers:
• ASK reserve the right to accept or reject any proposal without giving any verbal and/or written rationale;
• All reports and documents prepared during the assignment will be treated as ASK’s property;
• The reports/documents or any part cannot be sold, used and reproduced in any manner without prior written approval of ASK;
• ASK or its representatives reserve the right to monitor the quality and progress of the work during the assignment.
• Terrorism and money laundering issues: If there any proof of engagement in any terrorism and money laundering issues, ASK will reject the proposal without assigning any reason.
• Child Protection Policy, Code of Conduct and Sexual Harassment Protection Policy: The firm/organisation/individual shall comply with the Child Protection Policy, Code of Conduct and Sexual Harassment Protection Policy of ASK. Any violation/deviation in complying with ASK’s child protection policy, Code of Conduct and Sexual Harassment Protection Policy will result in termination of the agreement.
• Contact Person:

Tamanna Hoq Riti, Assistant Coordinator, Media & International Advocacy, Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), mia@askbd.org.