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Call for Expressions of Interest: Election Advocacy to Safeguard Children’s Rights (Zambia)

Deadline: 26-Feb-2026

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is seeking a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) or Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in Zambia to design and implement a child-rights–based, politically neutral election advocacy and communication campaign for Zambia’s 13 August 2026 Presidential, Parliamentary, and Ward elections. The initiative will promote child-sensitive manifestos, ethical media reporting, youth participation, and child protection before, during, and after the elections. Implementation will span all ten provinces in alignment with the Electoral Commission of Zambia guidelines and UNICEF safeguarding standards.

What Is This UNICEF Zambia Partnership?

UNICEF Zambia is inviting a qualified CSO/NGO partner to lead a national child-rights advocacy and communication campaign around Zambia’s 13 August 2026 general elections.

The initiative aims to:

  • Elevate children’s rights in political discourse

  • Promote child-sensitive political manifestos

  • Safeguard children during the electoral period

  • Amplify adolescent and youth voices

  • Strengthen ethical, neutral media reporting

The campaign must remain strictly non-partisan and aligned with Zambia’s electoral laws and child protection standards.

Context: Why the 2026 Elections Matter for Children

Zambia’s general elections represent a critical policy window.

Children make up a significant portion of the population. However, key child-rights sectors often remain underrepresented in political debate:

Election periods can also increase risks to children, including:

  • Political exploitation

  • Exposure to violence

  • Online misinformation and digital harm

  • Psychosocial distress

  • Disruption of essential services

This partnership ensures children’s rights remain visible and protected before, during, and after elections.

Core Objectives of the Campaign

The campaign integrates multiple thematic areas:

The Three-Pillar Advocacy Framework

Pillar 1: Children’s Rights and Agency

Focus areas:

  • Promote alignment with the Children’s Code Act

  • Encourage costed and measurable child-sensitive political commitments

  • Facilitate safe adolescent participation

  • Support development of a child-led manifesto

Key Output:
A nationally consulted Child Rights Manifesto presented to political parties.

Pillar 2: Child Protection and Safeguarding

Focus areas:

  • Prevent exploitation of children in political campaigns

  • Promote ethical media reporting

  • Strengthen referral systems

  • Ensure safe civic participation

Key Systems Strengthened:

  • Child Helpline 116

  • Police Victim Support Unit

Pillar 3: Post-Election Trauma Healing

Focus areas:

  • Psychosocial support services

  • Service continuity for affected children

  • Community-based trauma response systems

What Is a Child-Sensitive Manifesto?

A child-sensitive manifesto includes:

  • Clear political commitments

  • Costed and budgeted proposals

  • Measurable outcomes

  • Alignment with child-rights frameworks

  • Focus on equity and inclusion

The selected partner will:

  • Conduct non-partisan analysis of party manifestos

  • Facilitate consultations with children across provinces (primarily digital)

  • Produce a consolidated Child Rights Manifesto

  • Present it to political stakeholders

Proposed Joint Advocacy Activities

The partnership may include:

  • Media issue spotlight series on child-related sectors

  • Radio and TV dialogues between children and leaders

  • Child-sensitive manifesto media checklist

  • Journalist training clinics

  • Vernacular radio voter awareness campaigns

  • Media monitoring of election discourse

  • Risk and hotspot mapping in high-density districts

  • Civic and voter education with a child-rights lens

  • Strengthening reporting and referral systems

  • Post-election psychosocial programming

All activities must remain politically neutral.

Geographic Scope

The program will operate across all ten provinces of Zambia, including identified hotspot districts.

Implementation will occur in collaboration with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligible applicants must be:

  • A registered CSO or NGO in Zambia

  • Experienced in child rights, advocacy, or media engagement

  • Capable of national-level implementation

  • Skilled in safeguarding and child participation standards

  • Able to maintain strict political neutrality

Strong preference for organisations with:

  • Experience in election-period programming

  • Media training and monitoring expertise

  • Psychosocial support capacity

  • Digital engagement capabilities

Key Responsibilities of the Selected Partner

The CSO/NGO will:

  1. Build journalist capacity on child-sensitive reporting

  2. Facilitate safe child and adolescent consultations

  3. Guide development and presentation of the child-led manifesto

  4. Conduct non-partisan political manifesto analysis

  5. Engage civil society and political actors ethically

  6. Provide technical guidance on neutrality

  7. Coordinate hotspot risk mapping

  8. Strengthen referral and protection mechanisms

Step-by-Step: How the Partnership Will Work

Step 1: Selection of CSO/NGO Partner

UNICEF evaluates applicants based on capacity, neutrality, and technical expertise.

Step 2: Co-Design of Advocacy Strategy

UNICEF and partner refine campaign plan aligned with electoral guidelines.

Step 3: National Consultations

Engage children and youth through secure digital and in-person platforms.

Step 4: Media and Civil Society Engagement

Conduct journalist training, manifesto analysis, and public dialogue.

Step 5: Election-Period Monitoring

Monitor child-related risks, media narratives, and safeguarding compliance.

Step 6: Post-Election Support

Deploy psychosocial response and reinforce service continuity.

Common Risks and How to Avoid Them

Risk 1: Perceived Political Bias

Mitigation:

  • Maintain strict neutrality

  • Avoid endorsement language

  • Use evidence-based messaging

Risk 2: Child Safety Breaches

Mitigation:

  • Apply safeguarding protocols

  • Ensure informed consent

  • Protect digital participation platforms

Risk 3: Media Misrepresentation

Mitigation:

  • Provide journalist training

  • Use child-sensitive media guidelines

  • Monitor reporting trends

Risk 4: Online Harm to Youth Participants

Mitigation:

  • Moderate digital platforms

  • Provide digital safety education

  • Establish reporting channels

Monitoring and Evaluation Expectations

The campaign should include:

  • Baseline assessment of child-rights visibility

  • Media monitoring metrics

  • Participation tracking (gender, age, geography)

  • Post-election impact analysis

  • Documentation of manifesto commitments

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is this campaign political?

No. The initiative is strictly non-partisan and focuses on children’s rights, not political endorsement.

2. Can political parties be directly supported?

No. Engagement is neutral and issue-based. The focus is on child-rights commitments.

3. What safeguards must be followed?

All activities must align with UNICEF child safeguarding standards and national electoral regulations.

4. Will children directly engage with political leaders?

Yes, but in structured, safe, and moderated environments that protect participants.

5. Does the initiative include post-election support?

Yes. Trauma healing and psychosocial services are a core pillar.

6. Are digital consultations mandatory?

Digital platforms are a primary method for broad provincial engagement, especially for adolescents.

7. Is national coverage required?

Yes. The campaign spans all ten provinces, with special attention to hotspot districts.

Final Takeaway

The UNICEF Zambia 2026 Election Advocacy Partnership is a strategic, nationwide effort to embed children’s rights within electoral discourse while safeguarding children throughout the election cycle. By combining manifesto analysis, youth participation, ethical media engagement, and post-election trauma support, the initiative ensures that children’s voices are heard and protected in a critical democratic moment.

Qualified CSOs and NGOs with expertise in child rights, media engagement, and neutral advocacy have a significant opportunity to influence policy discourse and strengthen child protection systems during Zambia’s 2026 elections.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.