I. Presentation of EuroMed Rights
EuroMed Rights is a non-governmental organisation that aims to promote cooperation and dialogue within and between countries on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea. It is a network representing 68 human rights organizations, institutions, and human rights defenders in 30 countries.
EuroMed Rights was founded in January 1997, in response to the Barcelona Declaration of November 1995 and the creation of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (MSP), by civil society organisations committed to the promotion of human rights and democracy within the framework of this partnership.
EuroMed Rights’ mission is to promote and strengthen human rights and democratic reforms at the regional and national levels. By creating networking opportunities and encouraging cooperation between civil society actors, EuroMed Rights aims to develop and consolidate partnerships between NGOs located in the Euro-Mediterranean region, to disseminate and promote human rights values, and to strengthen the capacities of its members to achieve these objectives.
II. Background and rationale
In recent years, “new technologies” have occupied an increasingly central place in the development and evolution of security and human mobility control systems, both within the EU and globally. Through the considerable funding of European agencies such as Frontex, as well as cooperation with universities, research institutes (such as the Polytechnic of Turin) and the GAFAMs[1], the budget for the development of technologies for monitoring and controlling people on the move continues to grow. This concerns both the control and biometric tracing of bodies, as well as the development of technologies for profiling and tracking virtual identities, often linked to the use of artificial intelligence.These technologies, which are still largely experimental, are not subject to homogeneous standardisation within the EU and in the countries that collaborate with the EU in the control of human mobility.
At the same time, “new technologies” are being tested and developed to support the search for families of disappeared persons in migration and the processes of victim identification: international organizations and forensic sciences are increasingly making use of experimental tools and methodologies as well as interdisciplinary approaches to increase their capacity in the search for missing persons (complex network analysis, collaboration with physicists, statisticians, oceanographers, etc. In the same way, body identification technologies are improving with the implementation of matching capabilities between ante mortem and post mortem (through an investment to standardize the use of DNA confrontations), and by the use of alternative comparison tools (e.g. 3D reconstruction of faces for facial recognition).
However, the use of these methodologies is not sufficiently standardized and legally regulated. It raises major ethical questions, particularly in relation to the role and agency of families, witnesses/survivors and the rights of the deceased. In addition, the question of missing persons, which is increasing exponentially at the global level, arises: how can their disappearance be objectified, and what legal framework exists, or remains to be built, to guarantee families a right to truth and memory?
The normative framework relating to the collection, storage, sharing and use of data concerning deceased or missing persons is not standardised and raises major questions both in terms of research methodologies, the legal framework, but also an ethical-political dimension (interoperability of databases, ownership of data, privacy and data protection). What is the access and what are the margins for action as well as what are the responsibilities of the different actors (national authorities, INTERPOL, IOM, ICRC, NGOs, researchers, civil society actors, families, etc.) involved in the use of certain technologies, in the collection and exchange of information, or in the material realization of body identifications? Within what normative framework and under what practical conditions is technical cooperation with the sole objective of identifying victims and supporting family searches desirable and can be built on the basis of the various skills?
[1] Internet giants such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft…
III. Description and purpose of the consultation
EuroMed Rights is looking for a consultant or a team of consultants to carry out a study on the use of new technologies in the identification and search for missing or deceased persons in migration, between June and August 2025. An individual or collective application for consultants can be submitted to EuroMed Rights, with the possibility of mobilizing specific expertise (e.g. in new technologies, IT, law, political science, etc.) in the context of research requiring a general knowledge of migration issues (border control, etc.), as well as in-depth knowledge on the issue of missing persons in migration. The work will be planned and carried out in coordination with the EuroMed Rights team, as well as an expert in charge of coordinating the study, specialised in the issue of missing migrants.
The research will take a hybrid approach, with a first part consisting of a quantitative literature review on the use and development of new technologies in the field of migration, in particular in relation to the issue of missing or deceased persons in migration. The second part will be a qualitative analysis, based on interviews with experts and specialists in the subject (list to be defined in consultation with the team). The aim of the research is to map how EU-funded technology (including those incorporating artificial intelligence) are deployed in the external dimension of its migration policies, with a focus on missing migrants. In other words, it is a question of analysing the use of these technologies in the context of the search for missing migrants and the identification of the bodies of deceased migrants, with a geographical focus on the Mediterranean area.
The study will lead to a critical evaluation of the use of technologies: on the one hand, by identifying and denouncing the risks and harmful uses of some of them; on the other hand, by examining the potential for the positive use of certain technologies for information sharing, dissemination of good practices, and support to civil society organizations (CSOs), researchers, and families in the search for missing migrants and the identification of victims. The research will also propose concrete solutions and recommendations for different actors, with the possibility of formulating a plan for the development of tools to support families and CSOs. It can be used as an advocacy tool to denounce the use of harmful technologies, which infringe on the rights and freedoms of people on the move and their families, as well as on the dignity and rights of people who have disappeared or died in migration. At the same time, it could also function as an awareness-raising and capacity-building tool for CSOs and families in search of their loved ones who have disappeared or died during their migratory journey. The study must be written in French or English.
IV. Profile of the consultant sought
- University degree in political science, law, computer science or any other relevant field
- Good understanding of the use of artificial intelligence tools in the context of migration
- Proven experience on the issue of missing migrants.
- Knowledge of the major migration policy issues in the Euro-Mediterranean region
- Knowledge of the civil society sector and the human rights framework.
- Experience and autonomy in analytical and writing work
- Fluency in English and/or French is desirable
V. Timeline
| Stage | Description | Maturity |
| Step 1 | Application Deadline | June 02, 2025 |
| Step 2 | Selection of consultant(s) | June 13, 2025 |
| Step 3 | Signing the contract | June 18, 2025 |
| Step 4 | Meeting with the EuroMed Rights team and validation of the methodological note | June 18, 2025 |
| Step 5 | Data collection (literature research and interviews) | June – July – August |
| Step 6 | Deliverable : Study | August 18, 2025 |
| Step 7 | Final revisions and submission of final report | August 29, 2025 |
VI. Application procedure
Interested candidates are invited to submit:
- One detailed CVs per applicant
- A detailed methodological note, including references to similar work or on the question of missing migrants.
- A provisional schedule for the completion of the study
- A financial proposal with a total amount not exceeding EUR 10 000
Applications should be sent by e-mail to the following address: [email protected] and [email protected] with the subject line: “Study on the use of new technologies in the identification and search for missing or deceased persons in migration” no later than 02 June 2025.