Deadline: 30-Aug-2025
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund is inviting expressions of interest from qualified organizations to implement health and nutrition interventions targeting children and women among returnees, host communities, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Syria
A national expression of interest has been announced to deliver health and nutrition services for children and women among returnees, host communities, and internally displaced populations across multiple governorates in Syria, including As-Suwayda, Damascus and its countryside, Daraa, Quneitra, and Homs.
This initiative focuses across three main sectors: cross-sectoral capacity building and training, comprehensive health services, and targeted nutritional interventions. It seeks to enhance protective environments for families through sustainable, locally tailored programs grounded in expertise and aligned with UNICEF- and Ministry of Health-approved guidelines.
Primary health care will be strengthened through community-centered models that offer free essential consultations, medications, vaccination verification for young children, and referrals for emergency or complex cases. Health promotion continues to play a central role in raising awareness and connecting families with key services.
Caregiver support and infant feeding counseling form a key pillar of the intervention. Community members—including mothers, health workers, and volunteers—will be trained in recommended feeding practices, complementary feeding, and the use of MUAC tools for monitoring child nutrition.
Programs will also address the treatment and prevention of malnutrition by focusing on severe wasting in young children, distributing specialized nutrition supplements, providing deworming medications, and preventing anemia in pregnant or lactating women through outreach and clinic-based care.
Early childhood development is woven into health services, enabling routine tracking of developmental milestones, timely identification and referral of delays, and counseling parents on age-appropriate stimulation. The initiative will measure success by tracking the number of children served and referred through these integrated services.
Social and behavior change is a foundational component, using locally adapted campaigns, dialogue sessions, and media outreach to promote immunization, maternal and child healthcare, and sustainable shifts in harmful norms.
Capacity building is central, with structured training and coaching for health professionals and community focal points drawing on Ministry of Health and UNICEF tools. Service delivery will involve a mix of public health clinics, mobile health teams, and volunteer outreach, all coordinated with health authorities and following national protocols.
The initiative is guided by core principles of protection and inclusion. All participants must maintain clear mechanisms to prevent and address sexual exploitation and abuse, ensuring survivor-centered responses. Programs are required to be accessible for children with disabilities, offering adaptive services, specialist referrals, and assistive devices.
Impact will be tracked through indicators such as the number of trained health workers, upgraded health facilities, solar-powered centers, consultation and referral volumes, inclusion of children with disabilities, and home visits conducted by community volunteers.
Applicants are expected to outline coherent, clearly defined activity plans with targeted locations, supply needs, and measurable goals. Demonstrated experience delivering health and nutrition programs in Syria—using recognized standards, tools, and coordination with health directorates and partners—is essential. Supporting documentation that reflects prior collaboration with UNICEF or other UN agencies will strengthen submissions.
This call invites organizations to contribute vital, context-sensitive services that deliver impact where it’s most needed—combining health, nutrition, development, and inclusion in a single, responsive effort.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.
