Deadline: 12-Mar-2026
UNICEF Yemen seeks NGOs to support life-saving nutrition services for children under five and pregnant and lactating women through a hybrid UNICEF-NGO-Government Health Office model. The initiative focuses on supply distribution, screening, treatment of severe and high-risk moderate acute malnutrition, data collection, and community accountability.
Overview of the Initiative
UNICEF is responding to the urgent nutrition crisis in Yemen, where security challenges have disrupted essential services since October 2025. More than three million women and children are at risk, including around 600,000 children with severe or high-risk moderate acute malnutrition. The program aims to sustain life-saving nutrition interventions using a hybrid implementation approach that combines UNICEF leadership, NGO service delivery, and government health office coordination.
Key Focus Areas
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Supply Transportation and Distribution: Ensuring last-mile delivery of nutrition supplies from government warehouses to health facilities.
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Screening and Case Finding: Community-based MUAC screening conducted by trained volunteers to identify children at risk.
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Treatment Services: Admission and care for severe acute malnutrition and high-risk moderate acute malnutrition at outpatient therapeutic sites, mobile teams, temporary service points, and therapeutic feeding centres.
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Data Collection and Reporting: Systematic monitoring and monthly reporting through DHIS2 and national health information systems.
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Accountability to Affected Populations: Establishing accessible feedback and complaint mechanisms for community concerns and service information.
Targeted Implementation Modality
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UNICEF retains technical leadership, programmatic oversight, and accountability.
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NGOs assume defined service delivery roles in areas where UNICEF staff cannot maintain a presence.
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Government Health Offices maintain responsibility for health facility and community operations, supply storage, and integration with the national health system.
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Program interventions follow UNICEF standards and national CMAM guidelines to ensure continuity and quality of care.
Operational Components
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Health Facility-Based Services: Fixed outpatient therapeutic sites and therapeutic feeding centres.
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Mobile and Temporary Teams: Mobile health teams and temporary service points for remote or high-risk areas.
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Community Engagement: Nutrition volunteers conduct screenings, track referrals, and educate communities.
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Supply Chain Management: UNICEF manages the overall supply pipeline, while partners ensure quality storage, stock monitoring, and last-mile distribution.
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Monitoring and Evaluation: NGOs support data verification, reporting, and operational monitoring.
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Contingency Planning: Rapid scale-up capacity to respond to sudden emergencies.
Who Can Apply
Eligible organizations must:
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Have valid registration and operational presence in target locations.
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Be accepted within the community and health networks of the operational areas.
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Demonstrate experience in community-based management of acute malnutrition and community screening approaches.
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Collaborate with UNICEF during proposal development to refine implementation plans and targets.
How to Apply
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Confirm organizational eligibility and operational presence in target areas.
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Prepare an expression of interest outlining experience in nutrition service delivery, community screening, and supply chain support.
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Detail operational capacity, staff expertise, and previous engagement with government health structures.
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Submit documentation and proposals according to UNICEF Yemen guidelines before the specified deadline.
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Collaborate with UNICEF to refine implementation plans during the proposal development phase.
Key Tips for Applicants
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Emphasize experience in last-mile supply distribution and community-based malnutrition programs.
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Demonstrate ability to coordinate with government health offices and follow national CMAM guidelines.
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Highlight contingency and rapid-response capacity for emergencies.
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Include experience in data collection, reporting, and accountability mechanisms.
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Show operational presence and community acceptance in target districts.
Why This Initiative Matters
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Provides life-saving nutrition services to children under five and pregnant/lactating women.
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Sustains services in high-risk areas despite security challenges.
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Strengthens collaboration between UNICEF, NGOs, and government health offices.
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Ensures community ownership and accountability while adhering to national health standards.
FAQs
1. Who are the target beneficiaries? Children under five and pregnant/lactating women at risk of acute malnutrition.
2. What is the implementation model? Hybrid UNICEF-NGO-Government Health Office partnership.
3. What services are included? Supply distribution, screening, treatment, monitoring, and community accountability.
4. Can NGOs operate independently? No, interventions must follow UNICEF standards and integrate with government health systems.
5. Is community engagement required? Yes, volunteers and local actors must be involved in screening, referrals, and feedback mechanisms.
6. Are contingency measures included? Yes, the program allows rapid scale-up during emergencies.
7. What experience is required? Demonstrated expertise in community-based management of acute malnutrition and operational capacity in target areas.
Conclusion
This UNICEF Yemen initiative seeks qualified NGOs to deliver critical nutrition services in high-risk areas, ensuring children and women continue to receive life-saving interventions. By partnering with government health offices and leveraging community networks, the program maintains quality, accountability, and rapid response capacity during a challenging humanitarian context.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.