Deadline: 30-Jul-2026
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is seeking organisations to support emergency preparedness and response activities in health and nutrition in Ecuador. The initiative aims to create a registry of potential partners capable of delivering rapid humanitarian assistance, including emergency health services, immunization, nutrition support, and child-focused interventions in vulnerable areas.
About the UNICEF Health and Nutrition Emergency Response Opportunity
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has launched a call for expressions of interest to identify organisations that can support emergency health and nutrition programmes in Ecuador.
The opportunity aims to establish a network of potential partners through contingency programme agreements that can be activated during humanitarian emergencies.
UNICEF is seeking experienced organisations that can provide timely, effective, and quality health and nutrition assistance to children, adolescents, mothers, and vulnerable communities.
Purpose of the Partnership
The partnership aims to:
- Strengthen emergency preparedness and response capacity.
- Ensure rapid delivery of health and nutrition services during crises.
- Improve access to essential healthcare for vulnerable populations.
- Prevent and treat malnutrition during emergencies.
- Support child survival and wellbeing.
Key Focus Areas
The programme focuses on emergency health and nutrition interventions, including:
Child and Adolescent Health
Activities may include:
- Adolescent health services.
- Child healthcare support.
- Community health promotion.
- Emergency health interventions.
Maternal and Newborn Health
Support may include:
- Maternal healthcare services.
- Newborn care.
- Emergency obstetric care.
- Referral mechanisms for critical cases.
Immunization Support
Activities include:
- Emergency vaccination campaigns.
- Immunization outreach.
- Support for vaccine delivery systems.
- Community awareness activities.
Nutrition in Emergencies
The programme supports:
- Malnutrition prevention.
- Acute malnutrition treatment.
- Infant and young child feeding.
- Breastfeeding support.
- Micronutrient supplementation.
- Nutrition assessments.
Who Can Apply?
The opportunity is open to organisations that have:
- Experience in health and nutrition emergency response.
- Capacity to operate in vulnerable areas.
- Technical expertise in humanitarian programmes.
- Operational systems for rapid response.
Eligible organisations should demonstrate their ability to provide emergency assistance according to UNICEF humanitarian standards.
Required Organisational Capacity
Applicants should demonstrate:
Emergency Response Experience
Organisations should have experience in:
- Humanitarian health programmes.
- Nutrition emergency interventions.
- Disaster response.
- Crisis management.
Operational Capacity
Applicants should have:
- Local presence in target areas.
- Qualified technical staff.
- Logistics capacity.
- Access to necessary supplies and equipment.
- Ability to mobilize quickly during emergencies.
Technical Expertise
Organisations should have knowledge of:
- Child health.
- Maternal and newborn health.
- Nutrition programming.
- Immunization systems.
- Emergency response coordination.
Priority Locations
The partnership will focus on vulnerable provinces in Ecuador, including:
- Esmeraldas.
- Manabí.
- Sucumbíos.
- Guayas.
- Santa Elena.
- El Oro.
- Los Ríos.
- Loja.
- Chimborazo.
- Napo.
- Zamora Chinchipe.
- Morona Santiago.
The current call identifies Esmeraldas as the primary location of focus.
Expected Activities
Selected partners may support activities such as:
Emergency Health Services
Including:
- Delivery of essential healthcare.
- Emergency medical support.
- Community health services.
- Referral systems for urgent cases.
Disease Prevention and Surveillance
Activities may include:
- Disease monitoring.
- Health risk identification.
- Community awareness.
- Early detection systems.
Nutrition Services
Partners may provide:
- Screening for acute malnutrition.
- Treatment support.
- Nutrition counselling.
- Infant and young child feeding support.
- Micronutrient distribution.
Supply and Logistics Management
Activities may include:
- Management of medical supplies.
- Storage and distribution of nutrition products.
- Emergency logistics support.
Alignment with UNICEF Humanitarian Standards
Proposed activities must align with:
UNICEF Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action
This includes ensuring:
- Child-centred emergency response.
- Access to essential services.
- Protection of vulnerable groups.
- Quality and accountability in humanitarian assistance.
How the Partnership Works
The process includes:
- Expression of Interest Submission
- Organisations submit information about their experience and capacity.
- Partner Assessment
- UNICEF reviews technical expertise, operational capacity, and emergency response experience.
- Registry Development
- Selected organisations are included in a partner registry.
- Emergency Activation
- UNICEF may engage registered partners when emergency response support is required.
- Programme Implementation
- Partners deliver approved health and nutrition activities according to UNICEF standards.
Why This Opportunity Matters
Emergency situations can significantly affect children’s health, nutrition, and survival.
This partnership helps:
- Improve access to healthcare during crises.
- Prevent child malnutrition.
- Protect mothers and newborns.
- Strengthen local emergency response systems.
- Ensure communities receive timely humanitarian support.
Benefits of Becoming a UNICEF Partner
Partner organisations can:
- Contribute to humanitarian response efforts.
- Support vulnerable children and families.
- Strengthen emergency preparedness systems.
- Collaborate with an international humanitarian organisation.
- Expand experience in health and nutrition programming.
Tips for Potential Applicants
Organisations should:
- Highlight previous emergency response experience.
- Clearly describe technical expertise.
- Demonstrate local presence.
- Explain available staff and resources.
- Provide evidence of logistics capacity.
- Show experience working with vulnerable communities.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid:
- Providing limited information about emergency experience.
- Failing to describe operational capacity.
- Not explaining geographic coverage.
- Ignoring UNICEF humanitarian principles.
- Submitting incomplete organisational information.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the purpose of this UNICEF opportunity?
The opportunity aims to identify organisations that can support emergency health and nutrition response activities in Ecuador.
Who can apply?
Organisations with experience in health, nutrition, humanitarian response, and emergency preparedness can apply.
What types of activities will partners support?
Partners may support healthcare delivery, immunization, nutrition services, malnutrition treatment, breastfeeding support, and emergency logistics.
Where will activities take place?
Priority locations include several provinces in Ecuador, with Esmeraldas identified as the focus location for this call.
Does this opportunity provide immediate funding?
The call is mainly to establish a registry of potential partners who may receive contingency programme agreements during emergencies.
What experience should applicants demonstrate?
Applicants should demonstrate emergency response experience, technical expertise, qualified staff, logistics capacity, and local operational presence.
Which populations will benefit from this programme?
The programme supports children, adolescents, mothers, newborns, and vulnerable communities affected by emergencies.
Conclusion
The UNICEF Emergency Preparedness and Response Partnership Opportunity for Health and Nutrition in Ecuador aims to strengthen humanitarian response systems by identifying capable organisations that can deliver essential health and nutrition services during crises. Through collaboration with experienced local partners, UNICEF seeks to protect children, support families, and improve emergency response capacity in vulnerable communities.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.
