Call for Mental Health, Psychosocial Support and Child-Friendly Spaces Initiative (Mexico)

UNICEF Mexico is seeking a specialized civil society organization (CSO) to establish a standby partnership for delivering mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) during emergencies. The partnership is intended to ensure that qualified technical and operational capacity is available for rapid activation when children, adolescents, families, and caregivers are affected by disasters, violence, or forced displacement in Mexico.

What Is the UNICEF Mexico Standby Partnership?

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is seeking to identify and preselect a specialized civil society organization in Mexico with demonstrated expertise in emergency mental health and psychosocial support and the establishment and management of Child-Friendly Spaces.

The purpose is to create a standby partnership, rather than immediately launch emergency activities.

Once established, the partnership would provide UNICEF with a qualified organization that can be activated quickly if an emergency requiring MHPSS services occurs in Mexico.

Why Is This Partnership Needed?

Mexico experiences a range of emergencies that can significantly affect children and families, including:

• Earthquakes.
• Hurricanes.
• Floods.
• Situations of violence.
• Forced displacement.
• Other humanitarian emergencies.

These events can cause psychological distress, disrupt family and community support systems, and increase protection risks for children and adolescents.

Early integration of MHPSS into emergency response can help affected populations access appropriate psychological and social support from the earliest stages of a crisis.

What Is Mental Health and Psychosocial Support?

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) refers to interventions that protect or promote psychological wellbeing and prevent or address mental health conditions during humanitarian emergencies.

Emergency MHPSS generally follows a tiered approach, ranging from basic services and community support to specialized mental health care.

The response can include:

• Basic services and security.
• Community and family support.
• Focused, non-specialized psychosocial interventions.
• Specialized mental health services.

This approach helps ensure that support is matched to the needs and level of vulnerability of affected children, adolescents, and caregivers.

What Are Child-Friendly Spaces?

Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) are safe environments where children and adolescents can access structured activities, psychosocial support, social interaction, and protection services during emergencies.

They are particularly valuable because they can be established and deployed relatively quickly following a crisis.

Child-Friendly Spaces should be designed around principles including:

• Safety and security.
• Child participation.
• Non-discrimination.
• Accessibility.
• Inclusion.
• Protection from exploitation and abuse.
• Respect for children’s rights and dignity.

What Will the Selected Organization Do?

The selected organization will establish the technical and operational foundation needed for rapid emergency response.

Its responsibilities are expected to include expertise related to:

• MHPSS programming.
• Emergency psychosocial support.
• Child-Friendly Space establishment and management.
• Child protection.
• Community engagement.
• Emergency preparedness.
• Rapid deployment and operational coordination.
• Safe and appropriate services for children and adolescents.

The organization must be capable of working according to recognized international standards for humanitarian response and child protection.

How the Standby Partnership Will Work

The arrangement is designed around preparedness and rapid activation.

Phase 1: Organization Selection

UNICEF will identify and preselect a qualified Mexican civil society organization with the required technical expertise and operational capacity.

Phase 2: Partnership Agreement

A Programme Cooperation Agreement will be established between UNICEF and the selected organization.

This creates the framework required for cooperation before an emergency occurs.

Phase 3: Standby Capacity

The organization maintains the personnel, systems, expertise, and operational arrangements necessary to respond when activated.

Phase 4: Emergency Activation

If UNICEF declares an emergency in Mexico requiring MHPSS support, the standby partnership can be activated.

Phase 5: Rapid Response

The organization can then deploy appropriate MHPSS interventions and Child-Friendly Spaces in coordination with UNICEF and relevant stakeholders.

Who Is the Opportunity For?

The call is intended for a civil society organization based in Mexico with specialized expertise in:

• Mental health.
• Psychosocial support.
• Emergency response.
• Child protection.
• Child-Friendly Spaces.
• Humanitarian programming.

Organizations should be able to demonstrate the technical and operational capacity necessary to provide safe and effective services to children and adolescents during emergencies.

Key Areas of Organizational Capacity

A strong organization should be able to demonstrate capacity in several areas.

Technical Expertise

The organization should have experience designing and delivering MHPSS interventions, particularly for children, adolescents, families, and caregivers.

Emergency Response Capacity

The organization should have systems that allow it to mobilize personnel and resources rapidly following an emergency.

Child Protection Standards

All activities must prioritize children’s safety and protection from exploitation, abuse, discrimination, and other risks.

Child-Friendly Space Management

The organization should understand how to establish, manage, monitor, and safely operate Child-Friendly Spaces in emergency environments.

Coordination

The selected partner will need to work effectively with UNICEF and relevant national and local stakeholders.

Why It Matters

Children and adolescents can experience significant emotional and psychological effects following disasters, violence, displacement, and other emergencies.

A pre-established partnership can reduce delays between an emergency occurring and the delivery of appropriate psychosocial assistance.

The standby model can help UNICEF:

• Identify a qualified response partner in advance.
• Establish operational arrangements before a crisis.
• Reduce response delays.
• Strengthen emergency preparedness.
• Provide structured MHPSS services.
• Establish Child-Friendly Spaces rapidly.
• Strengthen child protection during emergencies.
• Support children, adolescents, families, and caregivers.

What the Partnership Does Not Mean

This opportunity is not primarily for immediate emergency implementation.

The purpose is to establish a partnership and ensure that the necessary technical and operational capacity is available before an emergency occurs.

Actual program activities would be activated if UNICEF declares an emergency requiring an MHPSS response in Mexico.

Key Principles for Implementation

Any future emergency response should be based on:

• Child safety: Protect children from harm, abuse, exploitation, and neglect.
• Non-discrimination: Ensure services are available without discrimination.
• Accessibility: Consider the needs of children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
• Participation: Enable children and adolescents to participate appropriately in activities affecting them.
• Confidentiality: Protect sensitive personal and psychosocial information.
• Ethical practice: Follow professional and humanitarian standards.
• Rapid deployment: Maintain the ability to respond quickly after activation.
• Coordination: Work closely with UNICEF and relevant response actors.

How the Opportunity Works

Organizations interested in the standby partnership should prepare to demonstrate their suitability through their organizational experience, technical capabilities, emergency systems, and safeguarding standards.

A strong preparation process should include:

1. Review the opportunity requirements.
2. Assess organizational eligibility and experience.
3. Document MHPSS and Child-Friendly Space expertise.
4. Demonstrate emergency deployment capacity.
5. Document safeguarding and child protection systems.
6. Present relevant organizational experience and previous interventions.
7. Demonstrate the ability to coordinate with UNICEF and other stakeholders.
8. Submit the required application materials according to the call instructions.

Important Considerations for Applicants

Organizations should ensure that their proposal demonstrates more than general experience in social services.

Particular emphasis should be placed on:

• MHPSS expertise.
• Emergency preparedness.
• Child and adolescent programming.
• Child-Friendly Space management.
• Protection and safeguarding.
• Qualified personnel.
• Operational readiness.
• Ability to scale up during emergencies.
• Monitoring and accountability systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is UNICEF seeking through this call?

UNICEF Mexico is seeking a specialized civil society organization to establish a standby partnership for emergency MHPSS and Child-Friendly Spaces.

Is the organization expected to start emergency operations immediately?

No. The primary purpose is to establish a partnership and maintain readiness so that activities can be activated if UNICEF declares a relevant emergency.

What is MHPSS?

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support includes services and interventions that protect and promote psychological wellbeing and address mental health and psychosocial needs during emergencies.

What are Child-Friendly Spaces?

Child-Friendly Spaces are safe, inclusive environments where children and adolescents can participate in structured activities and receive appropriate psychosocial and protection support during emergencies.

What emergencies could trigger activation?

Potential situations include earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, violence, forced displacement, and other emergencies affecting children and families in Mexico.

What type of organization is being sought?

The opportunity is intended for a civil society organization in Mexico with specialized MHPSS and Child-Friendly Space expertise and sufficient technical and operational capacity for emergency response.

Why is a standby partnership useful?

A standby arrangement allows UNICEF and its partner to establish procedures, capacity, and responsibilities before a crisis occurs, making it possible to activate an appropriate response more quickly when children and families need support.

Conclusion

The UNICEF Mexico Standby Partnership for MHPSS and Child-Friendly Spaces is a preparedness-focused opportunity for a specialized Mexican civil society organization to become a potential emergency response partner. By establishing a Programme Cooperation Agreement and maintaining strong technical, operational, safeguarding, and child-protection capacity in advance, the partnership can enable UNICEF to deliver faster and safer mental health, psychosocial, and child-friendly support when emergencies affect children and families across Mexico.