Call for Eligible Standby CSO Partners for Child Protection Programme (Sudan)

Deadline: 04-Apr-2026

UNICEF is inviting expressions of interest from civil society organizations (CSOs) to join its Child Protection Programme in Sudan’s South Area, covering West Kordofan, White Nile, Sennar, Blue Nile, South Kordofan, and North Kordofan. The programme focuses on child protection, gender-based violence (GBV), and emergency response, aiming to provide life-saving services and strengthen community-based protection mechanisms in conflict-affected regions.

About the Programme

The UNICEF South Area Child Protection Programme seeks CSO partners to deliver rapid, flexible, and life-saving interventions in complex humanitarian contexts. The initiative prioritizes children and adolescents affected by conflict, displacement, family separation, and heightened protection risks, with a focus on both emergency response and system-strengthening activities.

Focus Areas

The programme emphasizes:

• Child protection for vulnerable children and adolescents

• Gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response

• Protection in emergencies, ensuring timely access to safe services

• System strengthening, including community-based child protection mechanisms

• Rapidly deployable interventions adaptable to volatile operational environments

Humanitarian Context

• The Kordofan states remain humanitarian hotspots with ongoing conflict, displacement, and high protection risks

• Since October 2025, over 88,000 people have been displaced, contributing to more than 1 million IDPs in the region

• South Kordofan faces insecurity and sieges, straining humanitarian response

• Eastern South Kordofan hosts 12,000+ displaced individuals, limiting access to essential services

• West Kordofan continues to experience disrupted supply chains, insecurity, and economic hardship

• White Nile State has received 3,500+ displaced households, particularly in Kosti, Ad-Dewaim, Rabak, and Tandalti

Expected Results

By partnering with CSOs, UNICEF aims to:

• Provide timely, safe, and quality child protection and GBV services for children and adolescents affected by emergencies

• Strengthen community-based and service delivery mechanisms to protect children from violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect

• Deliver flexible, life-saving interventions adapted to evolving operational conditions and access constraints

• Support rapid deployment and coordination in humanitarian hotspots

Role of CSO Partners

Selected CSO partners will:

• Implement child protection and GBV interventions in South Area states

• Operate in conflict-affected, displaced, or underserved communities

• Contribute to system strengthening by reinforcing local child protection structures

• Ensure interventions are flexible, rapid, and life-saving, meeting urgent needs while supporting long-term community protection

Eligibility Criteria for CSO Partners

• Registered civil society organizations with experience in child protection, GBV, or emergency response

• Capacity to operate in challenging humanitarian contexts with limited service access

• Ability to deploy interventions rapidly and adapt to evolving operational conditions

• Experience in community-based protection mechanisms and system strengthening

How to Express Interest

1. Review programme focus areas and operational context to ensure alignment

2. Prepare an expression of interest highlighting organizational experience, capacity, and geographical coverage

3. Submit the expression of interest through UNICEF’s official portal or contact point for South Area CSO partnerships

4. Demonstrate ability to respond flexibly to emergency needs and maintain high-quality service delivery

Why the Programme Matters

The UNICEF South Area Child Protection Programme addresses urgent protection gaps by:

• Ensuring children and adolescents have access to essential protection and GBV services

• Supporting communities to safeguard vulnerable children in displacement and conflict settings

• Strengthening local and community-based systems to improve resilience and long-term protection

• Delivering rapid and life-saving interventions in regions with limited humanitarian access

FAQs

1. Who can apply as CSO partners? Registered civil society organizations with experience in child protection, GBV, or emergency response.

2. Which regions are covered? West Kordofan, White Nile, Sennar, Blue Nile, South Kordofan, and North Kordofan.

3. What are the focus areas? Child protection, GBV, protection in emergencies, and community system strengthening.

4. Does UNICEF provide direct funding? Selected CSOs may receive support for programme implementation; details will be shared upon selection.

5. Are interventions flexible? Yes, partners must deliver rapid, adaptable, and life-saving interventions.

6. What is the operational context? High conflict, displacement, family separation, and limited service access.

7. What is the main goal? To ensure children affected by emergencies have timely access to safe and quality protection services.

Conclusion

The UNICEF South Area Child Protection Programme offers CSOs the opportunity to play a critical role in safeguarding children and adolescents in conflict-affected regions of Sudan. By providing life-saving services, supporting GBV interventions, and strengthening community-based systems, the programme ensures timely, flexible, and impactful protection for the most vulnerable children and communities.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.