Deadline: 16-Jun-2026
UNICEF is seeking Expressions of Interest from qualified NGOs to strengthen and sustain Senegal’s national network of Children’s Municipal Councils (CMEs). With an indicative budget of USD 80,000, the initiative aims to enhance child participation in governance, strengthen institutional capacity, support 12 pilot councils, improve safeguarding measures, and establish stronger links between local and national child representation mechanisms.
Program Overview
Children’s Municipal Councils (CMEs) serve as platforms that enable children and adolescents to participate in civic life, engage with local authorities, and contribute to community development initiatives.
Building on the achievements of the AVENIR process and the national CME retreat held in February 2026, Senegal has established a national CME network. UNICEF now aims to strengthen this network by developing governance systems, improving operational effectiveness, and creating mechanisms that ensure long-term sustainability.
The selected NGO will work closely with UNICEF, local governments, civil society organizations, and child representatives to support network development and expansion.
Funding Information
- Indicative budget: USD 80,000
- Funding type: UNICEF Expression of Interest (EOI)
- Geographic focus: Senegal
- Target beneficiaries: Children’s Municipal Councils, children and adolescents, local authorities, and community stakeholders
Key Focus Areas
The initiative focuses on:
- Strengthening governance and operational capacity of the national CME network.
- Supporting 12 pilot Children’s Municipal Councils.
- Mapping existing Children’s Municipal Councils across Senegal.
- Identifying opportunities for new CME establishment.
- Promoting meaningful child participation in governance processes.
- Supporting children’s engagement in legal and policy reform discussions.
- Linking local child participation structures with national mechanisms.
- Supporting future connections with the Children’s Parliament.
- Advancing safeguarding and child protection measures.
- Preventing sexual exploitation and abuse.
- Building institutional sustainability.
- Documenting lessons learned and best practices.
- Producing communication and visibility materials.
- Facilitating knowledge sharing and future scaling efforts.
Program Objectives
The initiative aims to create a stronger and more sustainable national system for child participation in governance.
Key objectives include:
- Formalizing governance structures of the national CME network.
- Strengthening institutional and operational capacities.
- Enhancing child participation in public decision-making.
- Supporting democratic engagement among children and youth.
- Creating effective coordination mechanisms between local and national child representation platforms.
- Ensuring child safeguarding and wellbeing throughout all activities.
- Generating evidence and learning to support future expansion.
Why This Initiative Matters
Meaningful child participation is a core principle of child rights and inclusive governance.
Children’s Municipal Councils provide opportunities for young people to:
- Express their views on issues affecting their lives.
- Participate in community development processes.
- Build leadership and civic engagement skills.
- Engage with local government institutions.
- Contribute to policies and initiatives that affect children and adolescents.
Strengthening the national CME network can help institutionalize child participation across Senegal and create stronger pathways for children’s voices to influence local and national decision-making.
Expected Activities
The selected NGO will be expected to implement activities such as:
Governance Strengthening
- Develop governance frameworks and operational tools.
- Establish representative bodies for the national network.
- Support organizational development processes.
- Create management and coordination systems.
Support to Pilot Children’s Municipal Councils
- Provide mentoring and technical assistance.
- Strengthen organizational capacity.
- Support monitoring and performance improvement.
- Develop models that can be replicated nationally.
National Mapping Exercise
- Map existing Children’s Municipal Councils across all 14 regions.
- Assess current operational status.
- Identify areas with potential for expansion.
- Analyze demand among local authorities for new CMEs.
Child Participation and Representation
- Strengthen participation mechanisms.
- Facilitate engagement with local governments.
- Connect local councils with national child participation structures.
- Support integration with future Children’s Parliament initiatives.
Safeguarding and Protection
- Strengthen child protection systems.
- Develop safeguarding protocols.
- Promote prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
- Ensure safe participation environments for children.
Knowledge Management
- Document project achievements.
- Capture lessons learned and good practices.
- Produce case studies and visibility materials.
- Support dissemination and learning activities.
Who Is Eligible?
Eligible applicants include:
- Qualified non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
- Civil society organizations with relevant experience.
- Organizations with expertise in child rights and child participation.
- Organizations experienced in governance strengthening and capacity development.
- Entities capable of implementing activities across multiple regions in Senegal.
- Organizations with safeguarding and child protection expertise.
Applicants should demonstrate experience in:
- Child participation programming.
- Community engagement.
- Capacity-building initiatives.
- Institutional development.
- Monitoring and evaluation.
- Child safeguarding and protection systems.
How the Program Works
Step 1: Submit an Expression of Interest
Interested organizations submit an Expression of Interest demonstrating their qualifications, experience, and implementation capacity.
Step 2: Technical Assessment
UNICEF reviews submissions based on organizational capacity, technical expertise, child protection experience, and alignment with project objectives.
Step 3: Partner Selection
Qualified organizations may be selected to collaborate with UNICEF on implementation.
Step 4: Program Design and Planning
The selected partner works with UNICEF and stakeholders to finalize workplans, governance tools, and implementation strategies.
Step 5: Project Implementation
Activities are implemented across target regions and pilot Children’s Municipal Councils.
Step 6: Monitoring and Reporting
Progress is monitored throughout implementation, with lessons learned documented and shared to support future expansion.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Providing limited evidence of child participation experience.
- Failing to demonstrate safeguarding expertise.
- Submitting weak organizational capacity information.
- Overlooking monitoring and evaluation approaches.
- Not explaining experience working with local authorities.
- Failing to demonstrate nationwide or regional implementation capability.
- Providing unclear sustainability strategies.
- Neglecting knowledge management and documentation plans.
Tips for a Strong Application
- Highlight experience supporting child-led participation initiatives.
- Demonstrate strong safeguarding and child protection systems.
- Provide examples of governance and capacity-building projects.
- Showcase partnerships with local authorities and communities.
- Include clear monitoring, learning, and reporting mechanisms.
- Explain how sustainability will be achieved beyond project implementation.
- Demonstrate experience managing multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the main purpose of this UNICEF initiative?
The initiative aims to strengthen and sustain Senegal’s national network of Children’s Municipal Councils while promoting meaningful child participation in governance and decision-making.
What is the total available budget?
The programme has an indicative budget of USD 80,000.
What are Children’s Municipal Councils (CMEs)?
CMEs are local child participation structures that enable children and adolescents to engage with municipal authorities, contribute to community development, and participate in civic decision-making.
How many pilot councils will receive support?
The project will directly support 12 pilot Children’s Municipal Councils.
Will safeguarding be a priority?
Yes. Child protection, safeguarding, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse are core components of the initiative.
Will the project support national child participation mechanisms?
Yes. The programme seeks to strengthen links between local Children’s Municipal Councils and national participation structures, including the future Children’s Parliament.
Who can apply?
Qualified NGOs and civil society organizations with relevant experience in child rights, governance, capacity building, child participation, and safeguarding may apply.
Conclusion
UNICEF’s initiative to strengthen Senegal’s national network of Children’s Municipal Councils represents an important investment in child participation, civic engagement, and inclusive governance. By supporting governance structures, safeguarding systems, institutional capacity, and national coordination mechanisms, the programme aims to create sustainable opportunities for children to actively contribute to decisions that shape their communities and future development.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.