Call for Emergency Support for Displaced Women and Girls in Iraq

Deadline: 16-Jul-2026

UN Women is seeking proposals from qualified local civil society organizations and women-led organizations to deliver integrated protection, legal, psychosocial, information, and livelihood services for vulnerable women and girls affected by displacement and return in Iraq. The selected partner will implement a six-month project with a proposal budget between USD 85,140 and USD 89,140, focusing on strengthening the safety, resilience, wellbeing, and economic security of crisis-affected women and girls.

Overview

UN Women has launched a Call for Proposals to identify an experienced local partner capable of delivering comprehensive humanitarian and recovery services for women and girls affected by Iraq’s displacement crisis.

The project supports vulnerable populations including internally displaced persons (IDPs), Iraqi returnees from Northeast Syria, Syrian refugees, women-headed households, women with disabilities, and other women and girls facing protection risks.

The initiative combines protection, psychosocial support, legal assistance, livelihood opportunities, community engagement, and capacity building to promote sustainable recovery and reintegration.

Key Details

• Organization: UN Women
• Opportunity Type: Call for Proposals
• Country: Iraq
• Implementation Period: Six months
• Project End Date: 29 January 2027
• Budget Range: USD 85,140–89,140
• Eligible Applicants: Local civil society organizations and women-led organizations
• Priority Area: Ninewa Governorate

Focus Areas

The programme supports integrated humanitarian and recovery interventions across multiple sectors.

Key focus areas include:

• Integrated protection services
• Psychosocial support
• Legal assistance
• Information and referral services
• Livelihood support
• Gender-based violence prevention and response
• Women’s empowerment
• Community engagement
• Social cohesion
• Reintegration support
• Humanitarian response and recovery
• Survivor-centred services
• Trauma-informed programming
• Vocational training
• Entrepreneurship development
• Financial literacy
• Digital skills development
• Rights awareness
• Safe and dignified return
• Capacity building for women-led organizations
• Local women leadership

Target Beneficiaries

The project prioritizes vulnerable women and girls affected by displacement and conflict.

Target groups include:

• Iraqi returnees from Northeast Syria
• Syrian refugees
• Internally displaced women and girls
• Women-headed households
• Women with disabilities
• Survivors of gender-based violence
• Women facing displacement-related protection risks

Programme Objectives

The initiative aims to:

• Improve access to integrated protection services.
• Strengthen women’s safety and wellbeing.
• Increase access to legal and psychosocial support.
• Enhance women’s economic resilience.
• Promote safe and informed return and reintegration.
• Strengthen community recovery and social cohesion.
• Build the capacity of women-led organizations.
• Increase women’s participation in humanitarian response and local recovery.

Key Concepts Explained

What Are Integrated Protection Services?

Integrated protection services combine multiple forms of support to address the needs of vulnerable women and girls. These services may include legal assistance, psychosocial care, referrals, protection case management, awareness activities, and livelihood support delivered through a coordinated approach.

What Is a Survivor-Centred Approach?

A survivor-centred approach places the rights, dignity, safety, confidentiality, and choices of survivors at the centre of every service provided.

What Is Trauma-Informed Programming?

Trauma-informed programming recognizes the impact of trauma and ensures that services are delivered in ways that promote safety, trust, empowerment, and healing while avoiding further harm.

What Is Reintegration Support?

Reintegration support helps displaced and returning populations safely rebuild their lives through access to services, livelihoods, community participation, and social inclusion.

Programme Activities

The selected organization will implement a comprehensive package of services.

Protection Services

Activities may include:

• Gender-based violence case management
• Protection referrals
• Legal counselling
• Legal representation where appropriate
• Information services
• Awareness campaigns
• Psychological support
• Mental health assistance

Livelihood Support

Economic empowerment activities include:

• Vocational training
• Entrepreneurship support
• Financial literacy
• Digital skills development
• Soft skills training
• Employability support

Community Engagement

Community-based activities include:

• Rights awareness campaigns
• Humanitarian information sessions
• Community mobilization
• Women’s participation in local recovery
• Social cohesion initiatives
• Peacebuilding activities

Capacity Building

The project will strengthen frontline service providers through:

• Survivor-centred training
• Trauma-informed approaches
• Service quality improvement
• Capacity development for women-led organizations
• Leadership support for local women leaders

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include qualified local organizations with relevant experience.

Applicants should demonstrate experience in:

• Women-responsive humanitarian action
• Protection services
• Gender-based violence programming
• Reintegration support
• Livelihood programming
• Community engagement
• Working with displaced populations
• Supporting returning populations

Experience in Ninewa Governorate is particularly important.

Budget Information

Applicants should submit a proposal budget within the following range:

• Minimum Budget: USD 85,140
• Maximum Budget: USD 89,140

Budgets should reflect activities planned over the six-month implementation period.

Implementation Period

The project will run for six months, beginning after the partnership agreement is signed and concluding on 29 January 2027.

How to Apply

Step 1: Confirm Organizational Eligibility

Ensure your organization is a qualified local civil society organization or women-led organization with relevant humanitarian experience.

Step 2: Review Programme Priorities

Design activities that align with UN Women’s objectives for protection, livelihoods, psychosocial support, legal services, and community recovery.

Step 3: Develop the Project Proposal

Prepare a comprehensive implementation plan describing:

• Target beneficiaries
• Planned activities
• Expected results
• Monitoring approach
• Risk management
• Sustainability

Step 4: Prepare the Budget

Develop a realistic budget between USD 85,140 and USD 89,140.

Step 5: Demonstrate Organizational Experience

Highlight previous work in:

• Humanitarian response
• Women’s protection
• Livelihoods
• Community engagement
• Reintegration
• Ninewa Governorate, where applicable

Step 6: Include Safeguarding Measures

Explain how the organization will ensure:

• Confidentiality
• Safeguarding
• Accountability
• Monitoring and reporting
• Survivor-centred service delivery

Step 7: Submit the Proposal

Complete and submit the proposal according to the UN Women application requirements.

Why It Matters

Women and girls affected by displacement often experience multiple protection risks while facing barriers to justice, healthcare, livelihoods, and community participation.

This initiative helps:

• Improve women’s safety.
• Increase access to essential services.
• Strengthen resilience.
• Promote economic independence.
• Support dignified return and reintegration.
• Improve humanitarian coordination.
• Build stronger women-led organizations.
• Encourage inclusive community recovery.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

• Submitting proposals outside the required budget range.
• Providing weak evidence of humanitarian experience.
• Failing to integrate protection and livelihood components.
• Overlooking safeguarding and confidentiality measures.
• Designing activities without survivor-centred approaches.
• Ignoring monitoring and reporting requirements.
• Providing unrealistic implementation timelines.
• Failing to demonstrate local knowledge and partnerships.

Tips for a Strong Proposal

Applicants should:

• Clearly explain the needs of displaced and returning women.
• Demonstrate strong experience in gender-responsive humanitarian programming.
• Integrate protection, livelihoods, legal assistance, and psychosocial support.
• Include measurable indicators and monitoring plans.
• Show strong coordination with local stakeholders.
• Prioritize survivor-centred and trauma-informed service delivery.
• Present a realistic budget linked to project activities.
• Demonstrate sustainability beyond the project period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is funding this opportunity?

The opportunity is funded through UN Women.

Who can apply?

Qualified local civil society organizations and women-led organizations with relevant humanitarian experience may apply.

What is the budget range?

Proposal budgets must fall between USD 85,140 and USD 89,140.

How long is the project?

The implementation period is six months, ending on 29 January 2027.

Who are the target beneficiaries?

The project supports Iraqi returnees, Syrian refugees, internally displaced women and girls, women-headed households, women with disabilities, and other vulnerable women affected by displacement.

What activities are expected?

Activities include protection services, legal assistance, psychosocial support, awareness campaigns, livelihood support, vocational training, entrepreneurship development, community engagement, and capacity building.

What experience should applicants demonstrate?

Applicants should have experience in humanitarian action, protection programming, livelihoods, reintegration, community engagement, and working with displaced or returning populations, particularly in Ninewa Governorate.

Conclusion

The UN Women Call for Proposals provides an opportunity for experienced local organizations to deliver integrated humanitarian and recovery services for women and girls affected by displacement in Iraq. Through protection, legal assistance, psychosocial support, livelihoods, and community engagement, the initiative aims to strengthen resilience, promote safe reintegration, and improve the long-term wellbeing of vulnerable women and girls while supporting inclusive recovery and sustainable community development.

For more information, visit UN Women.