Research on Civic Freedom Violations in Myanmar’s Earthquake Response

The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) seeks an individual or organizational consultant to conduct research on the State Administrative Council (SAC)’s disaster response and its impact on civic freedoms in Myanmar. The research should focus on how the existing regulatory framework and de facto authority’s policies are hampering humanitarian aid via restrictions on non-profit organizations, among other barriers. All research and a short report or briefer summarizing the main findings should be completed by June 10, 2025. The deadline for applications is May 2, 2025. The ceiling for this consultancy is $7,500 USD.

Background

Myanmar’s military government has historically obstructed the delivery of aid and the operation of non-profit and humanitarian organizations, particularly in the aftermath of natural disasters (most notably, Cyclone Nargis in 2008). The devastating March 28, 2025 earthquake that hit Myanmar (and surrounding countries) during a protracted civil conflict has already killed thousands and injured many more. Despite calling for global aid, military leaders and the SAC have reportedly continued attacks on civilians in earthquake-affected areas, violated agreed-upon truces/ceasefires, shut down the Internet and telecommunications, and obstructed the work of non-profit organizations and humanitarian aid providers.

ICNL seeks a consultant to examine Myanmar’s response to the March 28 earthquake and its impacts on civic freedoms. In particular, ICNL would like to identify how existing legal and policy restrictions—such as those enforced by the SAC in respect to associations/non-profit organizations (e.g., the restrictive 2022 Organization Registration Law)—are hampering disaster response and exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.

The consultant should conduct research and draft a short report or briefer summarizing the most relevant impacts of the SAC’s emergency governance approach on civic freedoms. The research should focus on legal and policy measures impacting associations and civic space and can include recommendations for how to address and/or improve the restrictive civic space. In addition, as an optional focus of research, the consultant can choose to cover how restrictions on non-profit organizations or freedom of association in Thailand have also affected humanitarian efforts.

For greater policy impact, this project will have a relatively short turnaround period. The ceiling for this consultancy is $7,500.

ICNL works with governments, civil society organizations, and the international community in more than 80 countries to improve the legal environment for civic space around the world. ICNL has been active in Myanmar since 2012, providing technical assistance to local civil society partners and parliamentarians on Myanmar’s Association Registration Law and other laws affecting civil society. Since the military coup, ICNL has worked with civil society partners to navigate the hostile legal environment more effectively.  

Eligibility Requirements

This consultancy is open to an individual or organizational consultant with sufficient familiarity with the non-profit regulatory framework in Myanmar, civic freedoms, and the current situation. It may be carried out remotely.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following factors:

• Compliance with eligibility requirements and application procedures.
• Experience with Myanmar civic freedoms issues and legal research.
• Quality of proposal, including the proposed methodology/design.
• Proposed budget and value for money.

How to Apply

To apply for this consultancy, applicants must submit the following items by May 2, 2025:

• Proposal of not more than three pages, including line-item budget (which should include day rates, in USD, where relevant);
• Resume or curriculum vitae (cv) for individuals undertaking the research and writing the report; and any additional background information (e.g., website links, sample reports, informational materials) as desired.

Applications should be sent to asia@icnl.org, with reference to “Myanmar Earthquake Civic Freedoms Research” in the subject line. All application materials should be submitted in English. Questions related to this consultancy or any of the above can be emailed to asia@icnl.org.

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Consultancies

Civic Freedom Monitor Support Consultant

Are you interested in promoting civic freedoms around the world? The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) is soliciting applications for a part-time consultant to support our Civic Freedom Monitor (CFM). The consultant should have legal authorization to work in the U.S. The consultant is expected to arrange her or his own working hours and space.

ICNL promotes the freedoms of association, assembly, and expression and supports civil society, civic participation, and philanthropy in countries around the world. Our partners include civil society organizations (CSOs), academics, governments, and international bodies. The CFM provides up-to-date information on legal issues affecting civil society and civic freedoms, including the freedoms of association, expression, and peaceful assembly. We currently maintain more than 50 country notes.

Consultant Duties

Under the direction of ICNL’s VP-Legal Affairs, the Consultant’s duties will include:

• Managing relationships and overseeing contracts with local monitoring partners;
• Ensuring quarterly reports from local monitoring partners are submitted on a timely basis and contain relevant information;
• Editing CFM reports based on input provided by local monitoring partners and inputting edits to country notes on the CFM webpage; and
• Conducting supplementary research on country situations with respect to the legal framework for civil society and civic freedoms.

Qualifications

The Consultant should possess:

• A relevant degree from an accredited university (a law degree is an advantage);
• Excellent analytic, writing, and editing skills;
• Experience working or conducting research on the freedoms of assembly, association, and/or expression;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Strong attention to detail;
• Fluency in English (proficiency in another language could be an advantage);
• Experience working on a WordPress platform is an advantage; and
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

Application Instructions

To apply for this position, please send:

• Your curriculum vitae;
• A cover letter demonstrating how you meet the qualifications listed above;
• The number of days per month you are available for this consultancy; and
• Your proposed daily rate.

Applications must be submitted in English. Please send your application to jobs@icnl.org with the subject line “Civic Freedom Monitor Consultant.”  Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and, in any event, should be submitted by April 11, 2025.  Only finalists will be contacted.  No phone calls please.

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The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), with support from the U.S. Japan Foundation, seeks individuals or organizations to undertake research on Japan’s regulatory framework for non-profit organizations (NPOs), for a white paper focused on recommendations and strategies for reform to streamline and improve laws governing NPOs. The proposed consultancy period is from April 25, 2025 through September 25, 2025. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through April 25, 2025. The ceiling for this consultancy is $15,000 USD.

ICNL also seeks consultants for two smaller projects, one to update a Country Note on Nonprofit Law in Japan, and the other to create and maintain a Civic Freedom Monitor Report for Japan. Compensation for the Country Note is fixed at $1,400 USD. Compensation for the Civic Freedom Monitor Report is set at $2,750 USD. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through April 25, 2025.

Applicants may apply for one or more of these consultancies, via a combined application. More details are below.

Background

As a leader in civil society-government collaboration, Japan’s NPO regulatory framework remains one of the more open ones in Asia. That said, civil society and philanthropic actors who work in Japan have raised concerns around certain outdated provisions in Japan’s laws that could benefit from streamlining and potential reform. For instance, it has been noted that Japan’s NPO laws are relatively piecemeal and difficult for non-profit organizations to understand. Tax laws do not provide compelling benefits for donations to non-profit organizations, contributing to a less dynamic funding environment. Strategic reform of Japan’s non-profit regulations could help to address these barriers and enhance civic space and philanthropy in Japan.

ICNL seeks to support Japanese civil society to conduct research, share learnings and discuss different approaches to non-profit regulation based on international standards and best practice, with the end goal of identifying pathways to improve domestic non-profit regulatory frameworks.

To assist with these efforts, ICNL will support three resources for reform discussions. These include:

• A new Civic Freedom Monitor (CFM) report for Japan, detailing Japan’s regulatory framework for non-profits;
• An updated philanthropy “Country Note” on Japan;
• A white paper to examine civil society priorities for reform of Japan’s regulatory framework.

Civic Freedom Monitor Country Report for Japan

ICNL’s CFM is a web-based platform that provides the latest updates, background information, and legal analysis of civil society law for over 50 countries and 8 multilateral organizations around the world. The reports address issues including formation/registration, operations/activities, expression, assembly, and access to resources, as well as recent news items and country data.

ICNL seeks a consultant to prepare and maintain a CFM report for Japan. The consultant will prepare an initial CFM country research report and monitor legal developments affecting civil society in Japan by filing a completed CFM reporting form to ICNL recommending any revisions for the country report webpage twice in the contract period.

Application Instructions

To apply for the CFM consultancy, applicants should submit the following items before April 25, 2025:

• Cover Letter / Statement of Interest (no more than one-page, can be by email);
• Resume, Curriculum Vitae (CV), or other statement of work history and education.
• Background information about the applicant organization (e.g., website links, CVs, or informational materials)

Applications should be sent to asia@icnl.org, with reference to “Japan CFM Consultancy” in the subject line.

Please do not include cost information, as the compensation rate is fixed at $2,000 USD for the CFM country research report and $750 ($375 each) USD for the submission of two CFM updates, for a total of $2,750 USD.

Country Note for Japan

The Country Notes project is ICNL’s joint endeavor with the Council on Foundations to help US donors/grantors make donations to nonprofits abroad. More specifically, the Notes provide an overview of the legal framework governing non-profits in a specific country (e.g. Japan). This overview helps donors determine if potential foreign grant recipients are the equivalent of an American non-profit organization, for the donor’s tax purposes. This is the current Japan Country Note.

We are seeking a consultant to help update the Note this year. Ideally, the consultant will be knowledgeable about the laws governing non-profits and relevant taxes in Japan. Typically, the consultancy requires two updates during the year, for a stipend of USD $1,400. To update the Note, the consultant reviews the existing Note and makes any necessary edits to a Word document version of the Note. If no changes have happened since the last update, the consultant would let ICNL know, and would still receive payment for reviewing the Note. Usually, the review takes no more than 1 day’s work, especially if there have been no legal changes since the last update.

Application Instructions

To apply, please email your CV and a short cover note (can be by email) to asia@icnl.org, with reference to “Japan Country Note.” Expressions of interest should be received by April 25, 2025.

White Paper

ICNL seeks to commission a white paper from an individual or organizational research consultant to examine civil society priorities for reform of Japan’s regulatory framework. This paper will serve as the starting point for discussions among civil society in Japan around possibilities and preferences for reform, as well as potential advocacy strategies.

The white paper should build on ICNL’s analyses in the Japan Country Note and forthcoming CFM report and identify specific potential reforms of laws including the Association and Foundation Law, Law on Public Interest Associations and Foundations, Law to Promote Specified Nonprofit Activities, and tax laws. The white paper may also analyze relevant laws promoting public participation.

The consultant will also help organize and convene a virtual discussion with Japanese CSOs and other stakeholders to discuss the findings, in order to discuss the proposed reforms and identify concrete next steps.

Application Instructions

Interested applicants should submit a proposal, of no more than 4 pages, addressing the following topics:

• Describe the scope of the research to be undertaken, including research methodologies to be employed, recognizing that activities must be completed no later than September 25, 2025.
• Describe applicant’s experience dealing with policies and laws relating to civil society in Japan.
• If more than one person will be involved in this project, describe who will undertake different aspects of the project. ICNL reserves the right to approve or reject the use of any personnel. The cost proposal/line-item budget for this consultancy in USD. For personnel costs, please list each person to be involved in this project, the proposed day rate(s) and number of days. All other costs, if any, should be listed and explained. The proposed price should be inclusive of all taxes. ICNL expects to issue one Firm Fixed Price contract, for no more than $15,000 USD.

Applications will be evaluated based on the following factors:

• Compliance with eligibility requirements and application procedures
• Experience in non-profit legal research, particularly with respect to Japan’s laws.
• Quality of proposal, including the proposed methodology/design.
• Proposed budget and value for money.

To apply for this consultancy, applicants must submit the following items by April 25, 2025:

• Proposal of not more than four pages, including line-item budget;
• Resume or curriculum vitae (cv) for individuals undertaking the research and writing the report; and any additional background information (e.g., website links, sample reports, informational materials) as desired.

Applications should be sent to asia@icnl.org, with reference to “Japan NPO White Paper” in the subject line. All application materials should be submitted in English. Questions related to this consultancy or any of the above can be emailed to asia@icnl.org.

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国際非営利法センター（ICNL） は、米日財団の支援を受けて、日本の非営利団体（NPO）に関する規制枠組についての調査を担う個人または団体を募集します。本調査は、NPO関連法制度の簡素化・改善に向けた提言と戦略をまとめたホワイトペーパーの作成を目的としています。契約期間は2025年4月25日から2025年9月25日までを予定しており、応募は2025年4月25日まで随時受け付けます。契約金額の上限は15,000米ドルです。

またICNLは、日本の非営利法に関するカントリーノートの更新、日本版の市民的自由モニターレポートの作成および維持管理の2件の小規模プロジェクトについてもコンサルタントを募集しています。カントリーノートの更新に対する報酬は1,400米ドル、市民的自由モニターレポートは2,750米ドルです。これらの応募も、2025年4月25日まで随時受け付けています。

1件のみ、または複数のコンサルタント業務への同時応募が可能です。詳細は以下をご覧ください。

背景

日本は、市民社会の活動空間（シビックスペース）の確保や、政府と市民社会との連携においてアジア地域のリーダー的存在です。NPOに関する規制も、アジアの中では比較的柔軟な枠組となっています。一方で、日本で活動する市民社会やフィランソロピーの関係者からは、法制度の一部における時代遅れな条項について、簡素化や改革の必要性があるとの声も上がっています。たとえば、日本のNPO関連の法律は複数に分かれており、非営利団体にとって理解しづらいという指摘があります。また、寄付に関する税制が非営利団体にとって十分なインセンティブとなっておらず、資金調達環境の活性化を妨げているとも言われています。こうした課題に対応するために、日本の非営利に関する法制度の戦略的改革は、市民社会およびフィランソロピーの環境改善につながると期待されています。

ICNLは、日本の市民社会が自ら調査を行い、国際的な基準やベストプラクティスに基づいて規制制度のあり方を学び合い、議論を深めることを支援したいと考えています。その最終的な目標は、日本国内の非営利規制枠組の改善に向けた道筋を探ることです。

この取り組みの一環として、ICNLは改善への討論のための以下のリソースを支援します。

• 日本における非営利規制枠組の詳細を示す日本版市民的自由モニター（CFM）レポートの新規作成
• 既存のフィランソロピーに関する日本版「カントリーノート」の更新
• 日本の法制度改革に関する市民社会の優先課題を検討するホワイトペーパーの作成

1. 日本版市民的自由モニターレポート

ICNLが運営するCFMは、世界50か国以上および8つの国際機関を対象に、市民社会に関する法制度の最新情報や背景、法的分析を提供するウェブプラットフォームです。主に、団体の設立・登録、活動内容、表現・集会の自由、資金へのアクセス、最新ニュースや統計データなどのトピックを扱っています。

ICNLは、日本に関する市民的自由モニター（CFM）レポートを作成・維持を担うコンサルタントを募集しています。コンサルタントには、まず初回のCFMカントリーリサーチレポートを作成していただき、その後、契約期間中に2回、日本の市民社会に影響を与える法的動向をモニタリングし、それらの動向を詳述したCFM報告フォームのICNLへの提出とウェブ上のカントリーレポートページの修正提案を行っていただきます。

応募方法

CFMコンサルタントに応募するには、以下の書類を2025年4月25日までにお送りください。

• カバーレターまたは志望動機書（1ページ以内、メール形式可）
• 履歴書または職務経歴書、またはその他の職歴・学歴記載書類

応募書類はasia@icnl.org宛に、件名は「Japan CFM Consultancy」としてお送りください。

応募書類には費用情報は含めないでください。報酬は固定で、CFMカントリーリサーチレポート作成に2,000米ドル、CFM更新報告の提出（2回）に対して計750米ドル（各375米ドル）となっています。

2. 日本版カントリーノート

カントリーノートは、ICNLがCouncil on Foundationsとの共同事業であり、米国の寄付者が海外の非営利団体に寄付を行う際の判断を支援することを目的としています。より具体的には、日本など各国の非営利団体に関する法制度の概要を示すことで、寄付者が税務上、その団体が米国の非営利団体と同等と見なせるかどうかを判断する助けとなります。現在の日本版カントリーノートはこちらです。

業務内容：今年のカントリーノートの更新の補助を担うコンサルタントを募集しています。日本における非営利関連法や税制についての知見を持つ方を理想としています。年2回の更新が予定されており、報酬は1,400米ドルです。更新作業は、既存のカントリーノートを精査しWord文書に必要な修正を加える形で作業していただきます。前回の更新より変更がなかった場合は、ICNLにその旨を伝えていただければ精査作業に対する報酬が支払われます。特に前回の更新以降に法改正がなかった場合、精査作業は通常、1日以内で完了する量です。

Application Instructions

応募するには、履歴書と短いカバーレター（メール形式可）を、件名を「Japan Country Note」として、asia@icnl.org宛にお送りください。ご関心のある方は、2025年4月25日までにご連絡ください。

3. ホワイトペーパーおよびオンラインディスカッション

ICNLは、日本の市民社会における法制度改革の優先課題を検討するホワイトペーパーの執筆を担う個人または団体の研究者・調査機関を募集しています。このペーパーは、日本の市民社会における改革議論の出発点として活用され、今後のアドボカシー活動の戦略策定にも貢献することが期待されています。

本ペーパーは、日本版カントリーノートおよび今後作成されるCFMレポートの分析を踏まえ、一般社団法人及び一般財団法人に関する法律、公益社団法人及び公益財団法人の認定等に関する法律、特定非営利活動促進法（NPO法）、税法に関する具体的な改革案を提示するものです。市民参加を促進する関連法制度についても分析に含めることが可能です。

また、ペーパー作成後は、提案された改革案についての議論、そして次の具体的なアクションを特定するため、日本の市民社会団体や関係者とのオンラインディスカッションの企画・実施の補助もお願いする予定です。

応募するには、以下の項目をまとめた4ページ以内の提案書をご提出ください。

• 2025年9月25日までに完了する調査の範囲および使用する調査手法
• 応募者の日本における市民社会関連の法制度・政策に関する知見・経験
• 複数名で取り組む場合は、担当者の役割分担（ICNLは関与人員の承認権を留保します）
• 項目別の費用見積（米ドル建て）。人件費については、プロジェクトに関与する各人員をリストアップの上、日当および作業日数を明記し、その他費用がある場合は全て記載し、詳細に説明してください。税金を含めた総額でご提出ください。ICNLは、契約金額上限15,000米ドルの固定価格（Firm Fixed Price）契約を1件締結する予定です。

応募書類は、以下の観点から評価されます。

• 応募資格および応募手順への適合性
• 特に日本の法律において、非営利法制研究に関する経験
• 手法・設計を含む提案の質
• 費用対効果

このコンサルタントに応募するには、以下を2025年4月25日までにご提出ください。

• 4ページ以内、項目別予算含む提案書
• 調査・レポート執筆担当者の履歴書もしくは職務経歴書、及び任意で追加関連資料（例：ウェブサイトのリンク、過去の報告書、参考資料）

応募書類はasia@icnl.org宛に、件名は「Japan NPO White Paper」としてお送りください。全て応募書類は英語で提出してください。本コンサルタント業務やその他の募集内容に関するご質問は、asia@icnl.orgまでメールでお問い合わせください。

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