Call for Social Protection Research Initiative Project Management (Iraq)

Deadline: 17-Sep-26

UNICEF is inviting qualified national NGOs in Iraq to provide project management, coordination, and administrative support for the Kurdistan Region Social Protection Research Initiative (KRISPRI). The initiative will support multidisciplinary research on child poverty and social protection, strengthen links between researchers and government, and promote evidence-based social policy reform in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

What Is the UNICEF Social Protection Research Initiative?

The Social Protection Research Initiative, also referred to as KRISPRI, is a UNICEF-supported initiative focused on strengthening research and evidence for social protection policies in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The initiative responds to the need for stronger evidence on child poverty, social protection systems, and social policy reform.

It is being developed in collaboration with relevant government ministries and universities in the Kurdistan Region.

The initiative aims to connect research more effectively with policymaking so that social protection reforms can be informed by reliable and locally relevant evidence.

What Are the Main Objectives of KRISPRI?

KRISPRI is designed to achieve several interconnected objectives:

• Strengthen multidisciplinary research on child poverty and social protection.
• Support research by both junior and senior researchers.
• Establish a competitive research grant mechanism.
• Encourage collaboration between universities, researchers, and government institutions.
• Promote policy-oriented research.
• Generate evidence that can inform social protection reforms.
• Create opportunities for dialogue between researchers and policymakers.
• Strengthen the use of research findings in social policy decision-making.

Why Is Child Poverty Research Important?

Child poverty is influenced by multiple economic and social factors, including household income, access to services, employment opportunities, education, health, and social protection.

Research that examines these factors can help policymakers understand:

• Which children and families are most vulnerable.
• Where social protection gaps exist.
• How existing programmes affect children.
• Which interventions provide the greatest benefits.
• How social protection systems can become more inclusive and effective.

KRISPRI therefore places research at the intersection of child wellbeing, poverty reduction, social protection, and public policy.

What Is the Role of the Selected NGO?

UNICEF is not primarily seeking an organisation to conduct the academic research itself.

Instead, the selected national NGO will provide project management, coordination, and administrative support for the research initiative.

The organisation will help ensure that the research grant mechanism operates efficiently, transparently, and in coordination with government and academic partners.

Key Responsibilities of the Selected Organisation

The selected NGO is expected to manage several important components of KRISPRI.

Research Grant Competition Management

The organisation will support the administration of the competitive research grant mechanism.

Responsibilities may include:

• Supporting the research grant application process.
• Coordinating communications with applicants.
• Facilitating transparent administrative procedures.
• Supporting grant-related documentation.
• Coordinating relevant research activities.

The mechanism will be designed to support both junior and senior researchers.

Government and University Coordination

The NGO will coordinate with relevant ministries and universities in the Kurdistan Region.

This requires strong institutional relationships and the ability to communicate effectively with multiple stakeholders.

Event and Dialogue Management

The organisation will support events designed to bring together:

• Researchers.
• Government representatives.
• University representatives.
• Social protection stakeholders.
• Policy experts.
• Other relevant partners.

These activities are intended to strengthen dialogue between research and policymaking.

Financial and Administrative Monitoring

The selected NGO will also oversee administrative and financial processes associated with the research grants.

This requires reliable systems for:

• Financial monitoring.
• Grant administration.
• Documentation.
• Reporting.
• Compliance.
• Record keeping.

Who Is Eligible?

The opportunity is intended for qualified national NGOs in Iraq that can provide the required project management and coordination functions.

Applicants should demonstrate relevant institutional capacity and experience.

Important areas of experience include:

• Working with UN agencies.
• Managing development or research initiatives.
• Working with government ministries.
• Collaborating with universities and academic institutions.
• Coordinating research or grant programmes.
• Organising large-scale events.
• Conducting outreach and communications.
• Managing financial and administrative systems.
• Implementing safeguarding and governance procedures.

What Experience Should Applicants Demonstrate?

Experience With UN Agencies

Previous experience working with UN agencies can demonstrate familiarity with international development standards, reporting requirements, coordination structures, and compliance procedures.

Applicants should clearly describe relevant previous assignments and their responsibilities.

Relationships With Ministries and Universities

Because KRISPRI requires close cooperation between government and academia, applicants should demonstrate established or relevant working relationships with:

• Government ministries.
• Universities.
• Research institutions.
• Development partners.

Research and Development Expertise

Applicants should have experience in development, social protection, research management, child-focused programming, poverty research, or related fields.

The strongest applicants are likely to demonstrate an understanding of both research administration and policy-oriented development work.

Outreach and Communications Capacity

The selected organisation will need to reach researchers and relevant stakeholders effectively.

Applicants should therefore demonstrate experience with:

• Public outreach.
• Research calls.
• Stakeholder communications.
• Digital communications.
• Information dissemination.
• Academic and institutional engagement.

A clear communications strategy can help ensure that the research grant opportunity reaches qualified researchers across relevant disciplines.

Event Management Requirements

KRISPRI is intended to strengthen dialogue between research and policymakers.

The selected NGO should therefore have the operational capacity to organise events involving multiple stakeholders.

Relevant experience may include:

• Conferences.
• Research workshops.
• Policy dialogues.
• Stakeholder consultations.
• Academic events.
• Knowledge-sharing sessions.

Governance and Safeguarding

Strong internal governance will be important because the organisation will manage research grants and coordinate with UNICEF and public institutions.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Transparent decision-making processes.
• Financial controls.
• Clear accountability structures.
• Safeguarding policies.
• Risk-management procedures.
• Appropriate documentation and reporting systems.

Why This Initiative Matters

The Kurdistan Region has developed a Social Protection Strategic Framework, creating a policy foundation for strengthening social protection.

However, effective policy development also requires high-quality research that can identify gaps, assess existing systems, and provide practical recommendations.

KRISPRI can help bridge this evidence gap by connecting:

Researchers → Evidence → Government dialogue → Policy reform → Improved social protection

The initiative can also create stronger links between academic institutions and policymakers, helping research findings become more relevant to real-world social protection decisions.

How the Research Grant Mechanism Works

The initiative is expected to use a competitive mechanism to support researchers.

The general process can be understood as follows:

1. Research opportunity announced — Relevant researchers are invited to submit proposals.
2. Applications received — Junior and senior researchers can compete for research support.
3. Administrative coordination — The selected NGO manages the operational aspects of the competition.
4. Research projects supported — Successful researchers undertake multidisciplinary research.
5. Monitoring and administration — Research grants are monitored financially and administratively.
6. Research and policy dialogue — Findings are shared with government, universities, and other stakeholders.
7. Evidence informs policy — Relevant findings can contribute to social protection policy discussions and reforms.

How to Prepare an Expression of Interest

National NGOs interested in this opportunity should prepare evidence demonstrating their ability to manage the initiative effectively.

Step 1: Establish National Eligibility

Confirm that the organisation meets the requirements for participation as a national NGO in Iraq.

Step 2: Document Relevant Experience

Prepare concise examples of previous projects involving:

• UNICEF or other UN agencies.
• Research management.
• Social protection.
• Child poverty.
• Development programming.
• Government coordination.
• University partnerships.

Step 3: Demonstrate Grant Management Capacity

Explain how the organisation manages competitive grants and financial administration.

Include information about:

• Financial controls.
• Procurement procedures.
• Grant monitoring.
• Reporting systems.
• Internal oversight.

Step 4: Explain Stakeholder Coordination

Show how the organisation will coordinate with ministries, universities, researchers, UNICEF, and other stakeholders.

Step 5: Present an Outreach Strategy

Explain how qualified researchers will be informed about the research grant opportunity.

The strategy should demonstrate the organisation’s ability to reach relevant academic and professional networks.

Step 6: Demonstrate Event Management Capacity

Provide examples of previous large-scale workshops, conferences, consultations, or policy events managed by the organisation.

Step 7: Explain Safeguarding and Governance

Include evidence of organisational policies and procedures covering safeguarding, accountability, financial management, and risk management.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

• Providing only general NGO experience without relevant project examples.
• Failing to demonstrate experience with UN agencies or comparable international partners.
• Underestimating the importance of financial and grant administration.
• Providing weak evidence of relationships with universities and government institutions.
• Describing research expertise without demonstrating research management capacity.
• Failing to explain how researchers will be reached through outreach activities.
• Providing insufficient information about safeguarding and governance.
• Focusing exclusively on event organisation instead of the full project-management role.

Tips for a Strong Application

A strong expression of interest should demonstrate institutional capability, stakeholder access, technical expertise, and reliable administration.

Applicants should:

• Use specific examples rather than broad claims.
• Quantify previous project experience where possible.
• Identify relevant government and academic partnerships.
• Explain existing financial-management systems.
• Demonstrate experience coordinating multiple stakeholders.
• Highlight experience managing competitive funding mechanisms.
• Provide evidence of effective communications and outreach.
• Clearly explain safeguarding and accountability arrangements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is KRISPRI?

KRISPRI is the Kurdistan Region Social Protection Research Initiative, a UNICEF-supported initiative designed to strengthen multidisciplinary research on child poverty and social protection and connect research more closely with policymaking.

Who is UNICEF seeking for this opportunity?

UNICEF is seeking a qualified national NGO in Iraq to provide project management, coordination, and administrative support for the initiative.

Will the selected NGO conduct the research?

The NGO’s primary role is to manage and coordinate the research initiative rather than act as the academic research organisation for all supported projects. It will administer the competitive research grant mechanism and coordinate relevant stakeholders.

Who will benefit from the research grant mechanism?

The initiative is designed to support junior and senior researchers working on multidisciplinary research related to child poverty and social protection in the Kurdistan Region.

What experience should an applicant NGO have?

Relevant experience includes working with UN agencies, managing development or research projects, coordinating with government and universities, organising large-scale events, conducting outreach, and managing financial and administrative systems.

Why is government and university coordination important?

The initiative aims to ensure that academic research is connected to real social protection policy needs. Collaboration between researchers, universities, ministries, and other stakeholders can help translate evidence into practical policy discussions.

What are the key responsibilities of the selected NGO?

The organisation will support the research grant competition, coordinate with government and university partners, manage outreach and events, monitor research grants financially and administratively, and maintain appropriate governance and safeguarding standards.

Conclusion

The UNICEF Social Protection Research Initiative (KRISPRI) represents an opportunity to strengthen the evidence base for child poverty and social protection policy in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The selected national NGO will play a central operational role by managing the competitive research grant mechanism, coordinating researchers and institutions, supporting policy dialogue, and ensuring strong financial, administrative, governance, and safeguarding systems.

Organisations preparing an expression of interest should focus on demonstrating relevant UN and development experience, strong government and university networks, research-grant management capacity, effective outreach, event-management expertise, and robust accountability systems.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.