Call for consultancy services
in the field of statistical studies for social sciences 

Assessment of EIN’s methodology concerning quantitative data analysis, in the framework of the new three-year cycle of its joint flagship report on the (Non-) Implementation of European Courts’ Judgments and the Rule of Law

 
 

Background 

Established in December 2016, the European Implementation Network (EIN) is Europe’s leading civil society organisation advocating for the full and timely implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.  

EIN is a Strasbourg-based organisation comprised of 41 individual and institutional members across 25 states. Through its research, advocacy, and capacity-building work, EIN supports civil society engagement in the supervision of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgment implementation and contributes to strengthening implementation structures at both national and European levels. 

Among its core outputs, EIN, jointly with its partner, Democracy Reporting International (DRI), publishes each year a flagship report on the (Non-) Implementation of European Courts’ Judgments and the Rule of Law, which provides a comparative, evidence-based assessment of implementation trends across Council of Europe EU Member States, to be contributed to the European Commission’s yearly Rule of Law report. Our pioneering report combines quantitative indicators with legal analysis in order to identify structural patterns, persistent challenges, and developments in states’ compliance with European courts’ judgments. The four editions of this report have received overwhelming support at pan-European level as a result of their added value for the overall evaluation of the rule of law on the continent. The report has also been praised for its innovative methodology, which allows the collection of versatile, reliable data, capable of bringing about an important analytical and advocacy impact. 

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Purpose of the consultancy

At the start of a new, three-year cycle of the relevant project (kindly supported by Stiftung Mercator) and in view of the continuous development of this report (which increasingly includes, in the last editions, elements of analysis of compliance with ECtHR judgments on the basis of their theme), EIN is seeking an external expert to review its methodology for the collection and analysis of quantitative data related to judgments of the ECtHR. This is with a view to ensuring that the current methodology continues to robustly support the ever-increasing needs of the target audiences and other users of our report, as well as that the quantitative findings continue to reflect, with the highest level of objectivity and accuracy possible, the reality of the legal and policy contexts that shape the implementation landscape.

 

Scope of work

The consultant will be expected to: 

  • Review EIN’s existing statistical data-collection methodology, as set out in the flagship report, including indicators, data sources, and aggregation methods; 

  • If necessary, propose methodological improvements aimed at increasing statistical accuracy and comparability across jurisdictions and time, in the light of the ever-increasing content of the report and of the evolving principles and constraints of socio-legal analysis of statistical data; 

  • Support the refinement of data analysis techniques, including descriptive and, where appropriate/ possible, inferential statistical methods; 

  • Advise on the presentation and visualisation of quantitative findings to enhance clarity and analytical value without oversimplification; 

  • Produce clear, written methodological guidance and recommendations that can be integrated into the report and applied in future editions.

 

What are we looking?

Required expertise and qualifications

The consultant should demonstrate the following experience and qualifications: 

  • Advanced academic training (at least Master’s level; PhD preferred) in statistics, quantitative studies for social sciences, sociology, political science, economics, or a closely-related discipline, with a strong statistical methodological focus; 

  • Demonstrable expertise in statistical analysis for social-science or policy-oriented research, including experience working with cross-national or comparative datasets; 

  • Proven experience in designing, reviewing, or refining quantitative methodologies used in research reports, indices, scorecards, or monitoring frameworks; 

  • Strong understanding of data quality issues, including missing data, measurement bias, comparability, and limitations inherent in institutional or administrative datasets; 

  • Experience in applying statistical methods in interdisciplinary contexts, particularly where quantitative data supports legal, human rights, or governance analysis; 

  • Ability to translate complex statistical concepts into clear methodological explanations suitable for non-expert audiences; 

  • Excellent oral and written command of English. 

Desirable experience

The following would be considered an asset: 

  • Prior work on human rights, rule of law or compliance-monitoring frameworks; 

  • Experience in collaborating with NGOs, international organisations, or academic-policy partnerships; 

  • Familiarity with data relating to international courts, treaty-body monitoring, or compliance mechanisms; 

  • Experience in advising on the long-term institutionalisation of research methodologies. 

 

Deliverables and timeframe 

The precise deliverables will be agreed with the selected consultant but are expected to include: 

  • A methodological review note assessing the strengths and limitations of the current quantitative approach; 

  • Concrete recommendations for methodological refinement and standardisation (if applicable); 

  • Revised or supplementary methodological language suitable for inclusion in the flagship report (if applicable); 

  • Technical annexes or guidance notes for internal use, including advice on the presentation/ visualisation of quantitative findings, and methodological guidance and recommendations that can be integrated into the report.

In principle, the consultancy is expected to be carried out over a week (five working days) on a full-time basis (two weeks’ part-time engagement would also be a possibility), in close cooperation with the EIN team. The allotment of an additional small amount of work time can be considered, if necessary.  All deliverables should be completed by 10 April 2026.  

 

Application procedure

Interested experts are invited to submit: 

  • A CV highlighting relevant methodological and research experience, including relevant examples of prior work (max. 3 pages); 

  • A brief proposal outlining their approach to the consultancy at issue (max. 1 page); 

  • An indicative daily fee.

Applications and any questions should be sent to contact@einnetwork.org by 10 March 2026, 11:59pm. Please be advised that bids will be assessed on a rolling basis, and that we reserve the right to close this call should a suitable candidate be identified.