Open Call for Advancing Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment in Fragile and Conflict Settings (US)

UNICEF is inviting grant applications to generate actionable evidence and advocacy to support adolescent girls in fragile and conflict-affected states. The initiative focuses on strengthening global programming and policy through research, evidence reviews, and high-level knowledge dissemination.

Program Overview

This opportunity aims to advance gender equality and empower adolescent girls by generating evidence-informed programming and policy recommendations in fragile and conflict-affected states. It is implemented as a global evidence and advocacy partnership based in New York, USA, under UNICEF’s guidance.

Key Objectives

• Generate new, actionable knowledge to inform policies and programs for adolescent girls in fragile contexts.

• Conduct global evidence reviews and produce briefings summarizing peer-reviewed literature and program evaluations.

• Organize global learning and advocacy events to engage policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders.

• Contribute to UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and Gender Equality Action Plan, with a focus on the humanitarian-peace-development Nexus.

Scope of Work

1. Evidence Mapping and Review: Identify best practices and lessons learned for supporting adolescent girls’ resilience in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

2. Data Analysis: Conduct descriptive analysis of national and local datasets to strengthen evidence-based insights.

3. Narrative Assessment: Evaluate the strength of evidence for Nexus Approach interventions across preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience-building phases.

4. Policy Recommendations: Develop actionable recommendations for programming and policy tailored to different emergency typologies and humanitarian phases.

5. Knowledge Dissemination: Organize at least one high-level global learning or advocacy event and prepare a manuscript for peer-reviewed publication.

Who is Eligible?

• NGOs, research institutions, and consortia capable of conducting evidence reviews, data analysis, and advocacy on gender and adolescent programming.

• Organisations with demonstrated experience in fragile or conflict-affected states.

• Entities able to produce policy-relevant outputs and facilitate global convenings.

Expected Outputs

• 3–5 short briefs summarizing evidence on advancing adolescent girls’ resilience.

• Contextualized recommendations for programming before, during, and after crises.

• At least one global convening to disseminate findings.

• One manuscript submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

Why It Matters

• Strengthens global understanding of effective interventions for adolescent girls in fragile contexts.

• Supports UNICEF’s Strategic Plan and Gender Equality Action Plan by targeting evidence-based action.

• Enhances policy and programming decisions through research-backed recommendations.

How to Apply

1. Prepare a proposal outlining the research methodology, evidence review process, and advocacy plan.

2. Include the organization’s capacity to manage global partnerships and high-level events.

3. Submit detailed timelines, expected outputs, and a budget aligned with project activities.

4. Demonstrate alignment with UNICEF’s strategic priorities, including gender equality and adolescent-focused interventions.

Tips for Success

• Highlight prior experience working with adolescent girls in humanitarian or fragile contexts.

• Clearly define deliverables and timelines for evidence reviews, policy recommendations, and convenings.

• Ensure research methods are robust, inclusive, and context-sensitive.

• Emphasize the impact of findings on policy and programming at local, national, and global levels.

FAQ

1. Who can apply? NGOs, research institutions, or consortia with experience in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
2. What is the focus of the grant? Evidence generation and advocacy for adolescent girls’ resilience and empowerment.
3. What are the expected deliverables? Evidence briefs, policy recommendations, global convening, and a peer-reviewed manuscript.
4. Where is the program based? New York, USA, with a global scope of work.
5. How does this align with UNICEF priorities? It supports the Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and the Gender Equality Action Plan.
6. Are outputs focused on specific phases of emergencies? Yes, including preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience-building.
7. Can international partnerships be included? Yes, collaboration with relevant global and local stakeholders is encouraged.

Conclusion

This UNICEF grant provides a unique opportunity for organizations to generate actionable knowledge and advocate for adolescent girls in fragile and conflict-affected states. By advancing evidence-informed programming and policies, grantees contribute to gender equality, resilience-building, and sustainable social impact in vulnerable communities.