Consultant for External Endline Evaluation of the Project “ENHANCING BORDER MANAGEMENT CAPACITY”

The International Organization for Migration, with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Japan, implemented the project “Enhancing Border Management Capacity” from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026. The project is aimed to strengthen the operational and institutional capacities of Pakistan’s immigration and border management authorities. Its overall objective was to contribute to the Government of Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration through more efficient and effective border and migration management practices. The project was implemented in close collaboration with relevant government institutions, principally the Federal Investigation Agency, the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, Police authorities and selected civil society organizations. The project included, among others, the following interventions: delivery of Training of Trainers programmes and specialized capacity-building activities for immigration and border management officials; participation of government officials in international training activities, technical exchanges and events to increase exposure to international standards and good practices; refurbishment and institutional strengthening of the FIA Training Academy; provision of vehicles and logistical support for the transportation and management of migrants in irregular situations; infrastructure, equipment and technology support for land border crossing points, international airports and Anti-Human Trafficking Circles; capacity-building on victim identification, screening, referral, trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling; and engagement with civil society organizations and relevant government stakeholders on protection-sensitive immigration and border management practices. The project covered locations across Balochistan , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad Capital Territory. Contextual Environment Pakistan has a complex migration landscape and functions as a country of origin, transit and destination. Regional geopolitical developments, particularly developments in Afghanistan, have influenced cross-border movements and placed additional operational pressure on Pakistan’s immigration and border management institutions. During the implementation period, the project operated within an evolving policy, security and operational environment. Government priorities and institutional requirements changed over time, while some initially planned interventions were affected by procedural requirements, feasibility considerations, security constraints, government austerity measures and the need for multi-stakeholder approvals. Government counterparts increasingly prioritized interventions capable of generating immediate and practical operational improvements at border crossing points, airports and Anti-Human Trafficking Circles. Consequently, the project adapted its intervention mix and placed increased emphasis on infrastructure, equipment, logistical support and practical capacity-building. The evaluation will examine the relevance and effectiveness of these adaptations and assess project performance in light of the operational and policy context prevailing during implementation. Purpose of the Evaluation The primary purpose of the evaluation is to support organizational learning and future programme development by independently assessing the performance of the project and identifying good practices, lessons learned and actionable recommendations. The evaluation will also provide accountability to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Japan, Government of Pakistan counterparts, IOM Pakistan senior management, the IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and other relevant institutional stakeholders. Evaluation Objectives The evaluation will: assess the achievement of planned outputs and outcomes against the approved Results Matrix and available project monitoring information; examine the relevance of the project design, intervention mix and implementation strategies to the needs and priorities of government border management institutions; assess the effectiveness of the project in strengthening operational, technical and institutional border management capacities; assess the efficiency of project implementation, delivery modalities, management arrangements, partnerships and use of financial, human and technical resources; examine the project’s contribution to improved border management, management of irregular migration, border security and protection-sensitive migration governance; assess the coherence of the project with relevant Government of Pakistan priorities, IOM strategic frameworks, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and other related interventions; assess the prospects for sustainability, institutional ownership, continued use and possible scaling of project-supported systems, infrastructure, equipment and capacity-building interventions; assess the extent to which gender, protection, disability inclusion, human rights, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse and do-no-harm principles were integrated into project design and implementation; analyze the project’s adaptability and responsiveness to changes in the implementation context; and generate evidence-based findings, conclusions, lessons learned and practical recommendations for future immigration and border governance programming. Evaluation Scope Temporal Scope The evaluation will cover the complete project implementation period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026. Geographical Scope The evaluation will cover project-supported interventions across Balochistan , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad Capital Territory. Field data collection will be undertaken at a representative selection of locations, which may include: the FIA Training Academy; FIA Headquarters and zonal offices; international airports; selected land border crossing points; Anti-Human Trafficking Circles; and offices or operational sites of relevant government and civil society stakeholders. The final geographic coverage and fieldwork modality will be determined during the inception phase in consultation with IOM, taking into account security, access, operational sensitivity, representativeness, available resources and the application of conflict-sensitive and do-no-harm principles. Thematic Scope The evaluation will assess performance under the project’s three outcomes: Border management agencies effectively manage borders and prevent irregular migration. Immigration and border management agencies demonstrate improved technological capacities to efficiently manage borders and curb irregular migration. Immigration and border management authorities support migrants in irregular situations through improved facilities, procedures and knowledge. Evaluation Criteria and Indicative Questions The evaluation will be guided by the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria. The indicative evaluation questions will be refined through the evaluation matrix during the inception phase. Relevance To what extent were project interventions relevant to the needs and priorities of the Federal Investigation Agency, Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control and other stakeholders? To what extent did the project remain relevant in light of changes in the policy, institutional and operational context? To what extent was the project aligned with relevant Government of Pakistan policies and action plans, IOM’s Strategic Results Framework, the UNSDCF, Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact for Migration? Coherence To what extent was the project coherent with other immigration and border governance interventions in Pakistan? To what extent did the project complement, duplicate or overlap with interventions implemented by government institutions, United Nations agencies, international