Deadline: 03-Oct-2025
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund has launched a new initiative to improve health and nutrition services in two provinces of Cambodia—Ŏtar Meanchey and Preah Vihear.
With a total funding allocation of USD 305,971, the program will run for six months starting on 15 October 2025. It seeks to ensure that women, young children, adolescents, and caregivers—especially the most disadvantaged—can live in healthier and safer environments, access quality services, and adopt practices that support nurturing care.
The intervention is designed to support Cambodia’s progress towards achieving maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAH&N) outcomes by 2028. A central focus will be on strengthening sub-national health systems through improved management, coordination, and technical capacity to deliver quality, inclusive services across the life cycle as part of Primary Health Care.
Capacity building will play a vital role in this project. At least 138 health workers will be trained and coached on the use of lifesaving maternal and neonatal health equipment and clinical best practices across 69 health facility catchment areas. Training will also extend to the early identification and management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM), involving both health teams and Village Health Support Groups (VHSGs). Children suffering from acute and moderate malnutrition will receive counseling, treatment, and continuous monitoring to ensure recovery.
Community engagement forms another pillar of the initiative. Through risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), frontline workers will disseminate critical health and nutrition messages, support care-seeking behavior, and organize integrated parenting sessions and mother classes. At least 200 community agents, including VHSGs and village officials, will be mobilized to reach an estimated 30,000 parents and caregivers with lifesaving information.
UNICEF will also provide essential supplies such as Non-Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garments (NASGs), manual suction pumps, fetal heart rate monitors, anthropometric equipment, and feeding materials to strengthen health facility capacity. In turn, applicants are expected to demonstrate how they will measure progress, collaborate with provincial health departments and partners, and contribute through co-funding or in-kind resources.
The program has set ambitious targets, including assisting 9,195 safe deliveries, screening 30,415 children under five for malnutrition, treating 608 children with severe acute malnutrition, and covering 180 villages and 30 health centers with mass screenings and growth monitoring activities.
By focusing on both capacity building and community empowerment, UNICEF aims to ensure lasting improvements in maternal, child, and adolescent health outcomes in these provinces and contribute to broader national health goals.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.