Call for WASH System Rehabilitation and Emergency Support (Yemen)

UNICEF is inviting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from eligible non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support sustainable access to life-saving Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services across Yemen. The initiative focuses on restoring safe water systems, improving sanitation and hygiene, strengthening WASH services in health facilities, supporting emergency preparedness, and enhancing community engagement to improve public health and resilience.

About the Programme

The UNICEF Yemen WASH Partnership Programme aims to improve access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services for vulnerable populations through partnerships with NGOs.

The programme combines long-term WASH system strengthening with emergency preparedness, climate-resilient infrastructure, community engagement, and multi-sectoral service delivery to reduce disease outbreaks and improve the wellbeing of affected communities.

Activities will be implemented across multiple governorates in Yemen.

Programme Objectives

The programme aims to:

Restore sustainable access to safe drinking water.
Improve sanitation and environmental hygiene.
Strengthen WASH services in healthcare facilities.
Promote safe hygiene behaviours.
Improve emergency WASH preparedness and response.
Strengthen community engagement and accountability.
Enhance monitoring, data management, and programme effectiveness.
Build climate-resilient WASH infrastructure.
Reduce disease outbreaks and public health risks.
Improve resilience among vulnerable communities.

Priority Focus Areas

The programme supports projects in the following areas:

Water supply.
Basic sanitation.
Hygiene promotion.
WASH in emergencies.
Environmental health.
Climate-resilient water systems.
Natural resource management.
Environmental pollution reduction.
Food security and food assistance.
Community engagement.
Behaviour change communication.
Monitoring and accountability.

Eligible Activities

Supported activities may include:

Rehabilitation of drinking water systems.
Operation and maintenance of water infrastructure.
Solarization of water systems.
Improvement of sanitation facilities.
Environmental hygiene interventions.
WASH improvements in healthcare facilities.
Implementation of WASHFIT.
Hygiene awareness campaigns.
Distribution of WASH supplies.
Strengthening supply chains and last-mile delivery.
Data collection and programme monitoring.
Community feedback mechanisms.
Emergency preparedness and rapid response.
Community-based behaviour change initiatives.
Strengthening referral systems.
Social listening and adaptive programming.

Geographic Coverage

The programme will support activities in the following governorates of Yemen:

Muḩafazat al Ḩudaydah
Muḩafazat Ta‘izz
Muḩafazat Ḩajjah
Ibb
Al Bayda Governorate
Muḩafazat aḑ Ḑali‘
Muḩafazat Raymah
Hadhramaut Governorate
Sanaa
Muḩafazat ‘Amran
Al Maḩwit

Projects should address local WASH priorities within these intervention areas.

Expected Outcomes

The initiative seeks to achieve:

Increased access to safe drinking water.
Improved sanitation services.
Better hygiene practices among communities.
Stronger WASH services in healthcare facilities.
More resilient climate-adapted water systems.
Improved emergency response capacity.
Enhanced community participation.
Better monitoring and accountability.
Reduced disease outbreaks.
Improved health and resilience of vulnerable populations.

Who Is Eligible?

The call is designed for partnerships between UNICEF and eligible non-governmental organizations (NGOs) capable of implementing WASH and community-based programmes in Yemen.

Organizations should have relevant experience in:

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
Emergency response.
Community engagement.
Public health.
Environmental management.
Humanitarian programming.
Supply chain management.
Monitoring and evaluation.

Why This Programme Matters

Yemen continues to face significant humanitarian challenges, including limited access to clean water, inadequate sanitation, disease outbreaks, climate-related risks, and displacement.

This programme helps:

Reduce waterborne diseases.
Strengthen public health systems.
Improve access to essential WASH services.
Build climate resilience.
Protect vulnerable children and families.
Support sustainable humanitarian recovery.
Strengthen local service delivery.

How to Apply

Step 1: Review the Call for Expressions of Interest

Carefully review the programme objectives, priority sectors, geographic coverage, and partnership requirements.

Step 2: Assess Organizational Capacity

Ensure your organization has experience in:

WASH programming.
Humanitarian operations.
Community engagement.
Emergency response.
Programme management.

Step 3: Prepare the Expression of Interest

Develop a proposal outlining:

Organizational experience.
Proposed implementation approach.
Geographic focus.
Technical expertise.
Expected outcomes.
Partnership capacity.

Step 4: Submit the Application

Submit the completed Expression of Interest together with all required supporting documents according to UNICEF’s application guidelines.

Tips for Preparing a Strong Proposal

To strengthen your application:

Demonstrate previous WASH implementation experience.
Highlight expertise in humanitarian settings.
Include climate-resilient approaches.
Explain community participation strategies.
Present realistic monitoring and accountability plans.
Show experience working with vulnerable populations.
Demonstrate coordination with local stakeholders.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid:

Submitting incomplete documentation.
Proposing activities outside the programme priorities.
Failing to demonstrate WASH expertise.
Ignoring community engagement components.
Providing unclear implementation plans.
Omitting monitoring and accountability mechanisms.
Presenting unrealistic project timelines.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the purpose of this UNICEF call?

The programme supports NGO partnerships that improve sustainable access to safe water, sanitation, hygiene services, and community resilience across Yemen.

2. Which sectors does the programme support?

The programme focuses on WASH, sanitation, hygiene, environmental health, emergency WASH, climate resilience, food security, and community engagement.

3. Who can apply?

Eligible non-governmental organizations with relevant humanitarian and WASH implementation experience are encouraged to submit Expressions of Interest.

4. Which areas of Yemen are covered?

The programme supports activities in Muḩafazat al Ḩudaydah, Ta‘izz, Ḩajjah, Ibb, Al Bayda, aḑ Ḑali‘, Raymah, Hadhramaut, Sanaa, ‘Amran, and Al Maḩwit.

5. What types of activities are eligible?

Eligible activities include water system rehabilitation, sanitation improvements, hygiene promotion, WASH in healthcare facilities, emergency preparedness, supply chain strengthening, monitoring, and community engagement.

6. What outcomes does the programme seek?

The programme aims to improve access to safe water and sanitation, reduce disease outbreaks, strengthen healthcare facility WASH services, and build resilient communities.

7. Why is climate resilience included in the programme?

Climate-resilient water infrastructure helps ensure sustainable access to safe water while reducing the impact of climate-related disruptions on vulnerable communities.

Conclusion

The UNICEF Yemen WASH Partnership Programme provides an important opportunity for experienced NGOs to improve access to safe water, sanitation, hygiene, and environmental health services across Yemen. Through climate-resilient infrastructure, community engagement, emergency preparedness, and strong partnerships, the programme seeks to reduce public health risks, strengthen humanitarian response, and build long-term resilience for vulnerable communities.