Deadline: 12-Jan-2026
UNFPA has launched a call for partners to deliver conflict-sensitive, community-driven programs in Lakes State, South Sudan, focusing on health, protection, and gender-responsive interventions. The initiative prioritizes sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence prevention, and youth empowerment while strengthening local systems for sustainable, people-centered service delivery in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
About the Initiative
This initiative seeks partners capable of implementing integrated, conflict-sensitive, and community-driven programs that address urgent humanitarian needs and promote longer-term development and peace outcomes. It targets women, adolescents, and marginalized populations, emphasizing cross-sectoral approaches that combine emergency preparedness, disaster risk reduction, youth leadership, and gender equality. Partners are expected to reinforce local systems and institutions through training and capacity development to ensure effective crisis response and sustainable service delivery.
Key Focus Areas
Health Interventions
Health is a central pillar, particularly sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across the life course. Priority areas include:
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Adolescent health and youth-focused interventions.
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HIV prevention and management.
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Maternal and newborn health, including emergency obstetric care.
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Access to comprehensive reproductive health services.
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Strengthening health systems to provide equitable access to quality care, especially for high-risk populations.
Protection Interventions
Protection outcomes focus on preventing and responding to gender-based and community violence. Key activities include:
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Challenging harmful gender and social norms.
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Advancing women’s and girls’ agency and empowerment.
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Supporting survivors through coordinated, rights-based services.
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Strengthening data systems and evidence generation related to SRHR, population dynamics, and gender-based violence.
Cross-Sectoral and Community Engagement
The initiative emphasizes:
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Meaningful engagement of men and boys in gender equality efforts.
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Youth leadership and adolescent participation in program design and implementation.
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Conflict– and climate-sensitive approaches to ensure sustainable, peace-responsive interventions.
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Capacity building to reinforce local governance and community systems.
Who is Eligible?
UNFPA seeks organizations with:
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Experience in conflict-sensitive, community-driven programming in fragile settings.
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Expertise in sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, and gender-based violence prevention.
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Capacity to implement cross-sectoral interventions integrating health, protection, and gender equality.
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Proven ability to work with local institutions, youth groups, and marginalized communities.
Why It Matters
Lakes State faces compounded vulnerabilities due to conflict, limited health infrastructure, and social inequalities. Strengthening health, protection, and gender-responsive systems ensures that women, adolescents, and marginalized populations can access life-saving services. The initiative contributes to ending preventable maternal deaths, reducing HIV infections, eliminating child marriage, and combating gender-based violence, while fostering youth empowerment and community resilience.
How to Apply / What to Do
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Submit a Proposal: Include organizational profile, technical expertise, and experience in SRHR, protection, and gender-responsive programming.
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Demonstrate Technical Capacity: Highlight experience in conflict-sensitive, community-driven interventions.
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Outline Program Approach: Include strategies for health, protection, gender, youth engagement, and system strengthening.
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Provide Timeline and Budget: Detail implementation plan with expected outcomes and milestones.
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Ensure Alignment: Align activities with UNFPA Country Programme and Government of South Sudan priorities.
Tips for Applicants
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Emphasize integrated, cross-sectoral approaches addressing health, protection, and gender equality.
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Highlight experience working with youth, women, and marginalized populations in conflict-affected areas.
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Include capacity-building and systems-strengthening strategies.
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Demonstrate approaches to monitoring, evaluation, and evidence generation for program impact.
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Ensure interventions are conflict- and climate-sensitive and aligned with local policies and UNFPA priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the goal of this UNFPA initiative? To strengthen health, protection, and gender-responsive services for women, adolescents, and marginalized populations in Lakes State, South Sudan.
2. Who can apply? Organizations with expertise in SRHR, gender-based violence prevention, conflict-sensitive programming, and community-driven approaches.
3. Which populations are targeted? Women, adolescents, youth, and marginalized groups in Lakes State.
4. What health areas are prioritized? Sexual and reproductive health, adolescent health, HIV prevention, maternal and newborn care, and access to reproductive health services.
5. What protection outcomes are expected? Prevention and response to gender-based and community violence, support for survivors, and advancement of women’s and girls’ agency.
6. How is youth engagement incorporated? Through leadership, participatory programming, and meaningful involvement in design and implementation.
7. What is the expected impact? Life-saving health and protection services, reduced gender-based violence, youth empowerment, and strengthened local systems for sustainable development.
Conclusion
UNFPA’s initiative in Lakes State offers organizations the opportunity to deliver integrated, conflict-sensitive, and gender-responsive programs that strengthen health, protection, and community systems. By empowering women, adolescents, and marginalized populations, and embedding youth leadership and local capacity development, partners can achieve lasting, transformative impact in one of South Sudan’s most vulnerable regions.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.