Deadline: 26-Feb-2026
UNICEF is seeking implementing partners to strengthen child protection in Colombia’s complex emergency contexts, focusing on psychosocial support, gender-based violence prevention, protective education, and community response capacity. With an indicative budget of $305 million, selected partners will support vulnerable children, adolescents, and communities affected by armed conflict, displacement, floods, and other emergencies across prioritized territories.
About the Opportunity
The UNICEF Child Protection in Emergencies program in Colombia aims to mitigate the impact of humanitarian crises on children and adolescents. This initiative targets sudden and complex emergencies, including armed conflict, hydrometeorological disasters, and mixed migration flows, which disproportionately affect vulnerable populations such as Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.
Key Focus Areas
-
Psychosocial Support & Humanitarian Impacts
-
Identify protection risks and refer children to safe services
-
Conduct group sessions addressing mental health and psychosocial distress
-
Distribute methodological kits and educational materials
-
Deliver risk education on explosive devices
-
Implement gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and mitigation sessions
-
-
Education & Protective Learning Environments
-
Strengthen school preparedness to anticipate, prevent, and respond to emergency impacts
-
Implement strategies such as SMAPS and ERAE in coordination with teachers and administrators
-
Support safe return to schools and promote risk management
-
Develop messaging recognizing schools as protected civilian assets and safe spaces
-
-
Community & Institutional Response Capacity
-
Enhance availability and accessibility of emergency services
-
Train public officials, community leaders, and ethnic authorities on child protection protocols
-
Conduct community consultations and participation workshops
-
Establish protective spaces and activate specialized protection services
-
Strengthen feedback and reporting mechanisms for accountability
-
Targeted Territories
-
La Guajira
-
Norte de Santander
-
Arauca
-
Nariño
-
Cauca
-
Chocó
-
Additional affected areas as required
Eligibility & Requirements
UNICEF seeks one or more implementing partners who:
-
Have an established presence in prioritized territories
-
Demonstrate proven experience in Child Protection in Emergencies
-
Can deploy agreed actions in municipalities affected by complex emergencies, especially those linked to armed conflict
-
Apply differentiated approaches for girls, boys, adolescent women and men, ethnic communities, and persons with disabilities
Expected Results & Indicators
Projects must contribute to measurable outcomes, including:
-
Access to community-based psychosocial support services
-
Implementation of GBV prevention and response interventions
-
Education and awareness on explosive device risks
-
Establishment of protected child and adolescent spaces
-
Functional feedback and reporting mechanisms
-
Alternative care and family reunification for unaccompanied or separated children
-
Safe reporting mechanisms for incidents involving humanitarian personnel
Funding
-
Indicative budget: $305,000,000
-
Funding to support comprehensive interventions across psychosocial support, education, GBV, and community/institutional capacity building
How to Apply
-
Expression of Interest (EOI): Submit via UNICEF’s designated platform before the stated deadline.
-
Documentation: Include evidence of prior experience, organizational capacity, presence in targeted territories, and technical approach.
-
Project Proposal: Outline interventions, target populations, expected results, and compliance with child protection standards.
-
Implementation Plan: Demonstrate ability to operate in complex emergency settings and deliver results aligned with UNICEF indicators.
Tips for a Strong Application
-
Highlight previous experience in conflict-affected areas
-
Demonstrate capacity to coordinate with local authorities and communities
-
Show technical expertise in psychosocial support, GBV prevention, and child protection
-
Include strategies for inclusivity, considering ethnic groups, gender, and children with disabilities
-
Provide a clear monitoring and evaluation framework aligned with UNICEF indicators
FAQs
1. Who can apply?
Organizations with an established presence in Colombia, experience in Child Protection in Emergencies, and capacity to operate in complex emergency contexts.
2. Which areas are prioritized?
La Guajira, Norte de Santander, Arauca, Nariño, Cauca, Chocó, and additional affected regions as needed.
3. What types of emergencies are covered?
Armed conflict, displacement, floods, hydrometeorological disasters, and other complex humanitarian situations.
4. Are Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities prioritized?
Yes, interventions specifically address the needs of vulnerable ethnic communities.
5. What interventions are expected in schools?
Implementation of SMAPS and ERAE strategies, GBV prevention, risk education, and promoting schools as safe and protected spaces.
6. How should gender and disability be addressed?
Projects must apply differentiated approaches, ensuring services meet the specific needs of girls, boys, adolescent women and men, ethnic communities, and persons with disabilities.
7. What is the budget and funding scope?
Indicative funding is $305 million, supporting interventions in psychosocial support, GBV prevention, education, and institutional/community capacity strengthening.
Conclusion
This UNICEF Call for Expression of Interest provides a critical opportunity to support children and adolescents in Colombia during complex emergencies. By strengthening psychosocial support, GBV prevention, protective education, and community response capacity, implementing partners will directly contribute to safeguarding vulnerable populations and improving resilience in affected communities.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.