Deadline: 08-Jun-2026
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is inviting applications to strengthen climate-resilient Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) systems and disaster risk management capacities in Gujarat, India. The programme focuses on improving emergency preparedness, community-based disaster risk reduction, and institutional coordination to reduce the impact of climate-induced disasters on vulnerable populations.
The initiative targets strengthening governance systems and frontline capacities to build resilience against floods, cyclones, and droughts while improving sanitation and water service continuity.
Overview
Gujarat is highly vulnerable to climate-related hazards, including cyclones, floods, and droughts, which significantly disrupt water and sanitation systems and affect vulnerable communities. This programme addresses critical gaps in preparedness, coordination, and resilience by strengthening both community-level systems and institutional disaster response mechanisms.
The UNICEF-led initiative integrates WASH system strengthening with disaster risk reduction (DRR) approaches to improve long-term climate resilience.
Programme Objectives
The programme aims to:
- Strengthen climate-resilient WASH systems
- Improve disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness
- Enhance coordination among institutions and agencies
- Build community-based disaster preparedness systems
- Strengthen governance at village and district levels
- Improve capacity of rural sanitation workers and local institutions
- Ensure continuity of water and sanitation services during disasters
Geographic Focus
- Location: Gujarat, India
- Context: High exposure to floods, cyclones, and droughts
- Focus: Vulnerable rural and disaster-prone communities
Key Focus Areas
The programme emphasizes:
- Emergency preparedness and response planning
- Climate-resilient water and sanitation infrastructure
- Hygiene promotion and sanitation system strengthening
- Cross-sectoral coordination and governance systems
- Community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR)
- Capacity building for sanitation workers and local bodies
- Institutional strengthening for WASH service delivery
- Operation and maintenance (O&M) system improvements
Expected Results and Outputs
The programme is expected to deliver the following outcomes:
- Improved emergency preparedness through state-level workshops
- Resource mapping of Inter-Agency Group (IAG) members
- Coordination workshops in high-risk districts
- Development of disaster response and preparedness reports
- Strengthened local governance through consultations and engagement
- Model Panchayat development for disaster resilience
- Documentation of mock drills and preparedness exercises
- District-level knowledge-sharing and learning workshops
- Capacity building of master trainers and rural sanitation workers
- Improved occupational safety and social protection access for sanitation workers
- Strengthened operation and maintenance systems for sanitation infrastructure
- Development of climate-resilient O&M plans
- Implementation of water tariff reforms in vulnerable areas
- Community awareness campaigns in Gram Panchayats
Implementation Approach
The programme follows a multi-level systems strengthening approach combining institutional coordination with grassroots engagement.
Key components include:
- State and district-level coordination mechanisms
- Community-based disaster preparedness planning
- Capacity building for frontline sanitation and WASH workers
- Development of climate-resilient service delivery systems
- Integration of DRR into local governance structures
- Participatory planning with Gram Panchayats
- Knowledge sharing and documentation of best practices
Alignment with Policy Frameworks
The programme aligns with key national disaster and climate resilience frameworks, including:
- National Cyclone Risk Management Plan (India)
- Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction Guidelines
- National WASH and sanitation policies
- Climate resilience and adaptation strategies
Who Can Apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- Legally registered national and international organisations
- NGOs and civil society organisations
- Development and implementation agencies
- Organisations with WASH and disaster risk reduction expertise
- Institutions experienced in capacity building and governance strengthening
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Experience in WASH programming or disaster risk reduction
- Capacity for community-level implementation
- Expertise in institutional strengthening and training
- Ability to work in climate-vulnerable contexts
How to Apply
Step 1: Review Eligibility
Ensure your organisation:
- Is legally registered and eligible under UNICEF requirements
- Has relevant experience in WASH or disaster risk management
- Can operate effectively in Gujarat, India
Step 2: Develop Programme Proposal
Prepare a proposal that includes:
- Climate-resilient WASH interventions
- Disaster risk reduction strategies
- Community engagement mechanisms
- Institutional coordination frameworks
Step 3: Design Capacity Building Plan
Include:
- Training for sanitation workers and master trainers
- Local governance strengthening activities
- Emergency preparedness drills and simulations
Step 4: Submit Application
Submit a complete technical and operational proposal in accordance with UNICEF guidelines.
Tips for Applicants
- Integrate WASH and disaster risk reduction strategies cohesively.
- Prioritise climate-resilient infrastructure and service continuity.
- Strengthen coordination between state, district, and village levels.
- Include strong capacity-building components for frontline workers.
- Ensure community participation in planning and preparedness.
- Focus on sustainability of operation and maintenance systems.
- Align interventions with national disaster risk frameworks.
Why This Programme Matters
Climate-induced disasters increasingly threaten water and sanitation systems in vulnerable regions like Gujarat. This programme strengthens resilience by integrating WASH services with disaster risk management systems, ensuring that communities can maintain essential services during emergencies while improving preparedness, coordination, and long-term climate adaptation capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the main objective of the programme?
- To strengthen climate-resilient WASH systems and disaster risk management in Gujarat.
- Where is the programme implemented?
- Gujarat, India.
- Which sectors are included?
- Water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH)
- Disaster risk reduction
- Emergency preparedness
- Community resilience building
- What are key expected outputs?
- Coordination workshops
- Resource mapping
- Mock drill documentation
- Capacity building of sanitation workers
- Climate-resilient O&M systems
- Who can apply?
- Legally registered organisations with WASH and DRR experience, including NGOs and development agencies.
- What type of activities are supported?
- Training, coordination, infrastructure strengthening, community engagement, and disaster preparedness planning.
- What frameworks does the programme align with?
- National Cyclone Risk Management Plan
- Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction guidelines
Conclusion
The UNICEF climate-resilient WASH and disaster risk reduction programme in Gujarat strengthens local and institutional capacities to manage climate-related disasters effectively. By integrating water and sanitation systems with disaster preparedness and governance mechanisms, the initiative enhances community resilience, ensures continuity of essential services, and supports long-term climate adaptation in vulnerable regions.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.