Call for Proposals: “Emergency initiative in favor of the most Vulnerable sections of the Afghan Population”

Deadline: 28-Nov-23

The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation has announced a call for proposals to guarantee food security and access to health services, promote income-generating activities and reduce disaster risk for the benefit of the most vulnerable segments of the population, in particular women and minors.

Sectoral Framework and Needs Analysis

• In line with the general framework already reported in paragraph 2, and in a pertinent manner with respect to the main needs identified in the country, the projects aim to intervene in the following priority areas for AICS in Afghanistan:
  • Sector 1: Agriculture and Food Security
    • Food insecurity remains at very high levels in the country, with 15.5 million people in need, at IPC Phase 3+28 of which 2.7 million people are at the emergency level of insecurity food, one step away from famine. This is one of the highest figures in the world29.
    • As for the second half of 2023, the situation is expected to deteriorate due to the simultaneous effects of winter and low agricultural production, high food prices, reduced income, unemployment and the difficult economic situation.
    • According to data reported in the HRP, in the period between June and December 2023, 19.1 million people will require support in food security and agriculture.
  • Sector 2: Health
    • As regards the healthcare sector, 17.6 million35 people need healthcare (3.1 million women, 7.5 children and 1.2 people with disabilities) and 7.2 million need nutritional support. Of the latter, approximately 3.7 million people will be targets of humanitarian interventions as they are already in a phase of severe or moderate malnutrition (women and children). 2.7 million children under five years old suffer from acute-moderate malnutrition (AMM), while almost one millions of pregnant and breastfeeding women (PLW) suffer from acute malnutrition36.
    • Currently 18% of Afghans live in isolated and remote valleys and encounter significant difficulties in accessing basic health services, among them there are approximately 400,000 children who are unable to be vaccinated every year (there are widespread measles epidemics in the country) 37. Pregnant women, who live in remote areas, do not have easy access to healthcare for childbirth as they often live more than two hours’ walk from the nearest healthcare facility.
    • The emergency room, basic surgery and trauma services must be improved. Furthermore, it is necessary to intervene in favor of the health of IDPs and nomadic populations. In particular, the provision of essential health services must therefore be improved, focusing on maternal and child health, immunization, family planning, reproductive and sexual health, nutrition, training of health workers in white areas38, prevention and the treatment of epidemics, medical and non-medical supplies and equipment, the construction or rehabilitation of primary healthcare facilities. At the same time, WASH efforts should be increased for the management of medical waste, water and sanitation to ensure safe and better quality healthcare delivery especially in areas under serve.
  • Sector 3: Catastrophe Risk Reduction
    • Climate-related disasters such as droughts, floods, avalanches and heavy snow affect an average of 200,000 people in Afghanistan every year, causing enormous losses of lives and livelihoods.41
    • Afghanistan is characterized by strong meteorological instability which has significantly influenced agricultural development, food availability and economic development in recent years. Long-term forecasts indicate a 30%-40% chance of above-average precipitation for the central, eastern and southeastern regions of the country, and the rest of the areas are expected to experience similar conditions to last year. Related to temperatures, forecasts still indicate a 40-60% chance of above-average temperatures during the summer for most of the country and a higher chance for the southern, western and southeastern regions. Furthermore, water volumes from spring snowmelt were lower than average in most basins and this is likely to reduce the availability of water for agricultural purposes.
    • Predicted rainfall should result in pasture quality being higher than last year and, in some areas, above average. However, areas affected by two consecutive years of drought are expected to experience the worst grazing conditions and the largest negative anomalies compared to other areas of the country. These areas are mainly located in the northern part of the country (Uruzgan, Herat and Samangan/Takhar provinces).

Transversal Themes

• The project proposals must include activities dedicated to the protection of the most vulnerable groups, such as women, girls, minors, elderly people, people with disabilities or chronic diseases, vulnerable families, IDPs, returnees.
• When developing project interventions, the following sectors must be taken into consideration: protection, gender, inclusion of people with disabilities and elderly people and protection of childhood and adolescence.
  • Protection
    • The inclusion of protection as a transversal theme of the projects presented by the CSOs favors the process of incorporating the principles of protection, guarantee of access, security and dignity into humanitarian aid. Furthermore, it is required to adopt the principles related to conflict sensitivity, according to which humanitarian assistance and development interventions aimed at countries that find themselves in a conflict and post-conflict situation must take into consideration the dynamics of the conflict itself, to end not to further aggravate the situation in the country, but to make the most of the resources used, ensuring an impact in the medium to long term.
  • Inclusion of people with disabilities and older people
    • Severe disabilities are more common among women. Human Rights Watch reports that Afghan women and girls with disabilities face extreme barriers, discrimination, and sexual harassment in accessing assistance, education, employment, and healthcare. In 2005, the incidence of severe disabilities in the Afghan population was 2.7%. In 2019 it had risen to 13.9%, worsening the country’s health situation.
    • The program takes into consideration the principles contained in the “Guidelines for disability and social inclusion in cooperation interventions” and in the “Vademecum: humanitarian aid and disability”, as well as the relevant IASC Guidelines, with reference to the methods of inclusion of people with disabilities and international standards for the inclusion of older people in humanitarian aid. The planned activities may take into consideration the specific needs and the need to include people with disabilities and elderly people in the planned activities, also through the involvement of associations of people with disabilities and communities. The program includes specific activities aimed at the protection and inclusion of minors with disabilities, and their parents, elderly people and elderly people with disabilities, promoting their independent living.
  • Protection of childhood and adolescence
    • Half of the approximately 40 million Afghans are under the age of 18. These girls, boys, girls and boys are exposed to extreme situations of violence and abuse due to political instability, economic and humanitarian crises, displacement and harmful social norms and practices. Afghan girls are victims of early marriages, honor killings, domestic abuse and sexual violence. Afghan boys face many of the same risks, along with military recruitment and sexual exploitation. Both girls and boys are exposed to dangerous work practices, contact with landmines and domestic violence.

Funding Information

• Financing requested from AICS not exceeding:
  • 1,200,000.00 (one million two hundred thousand/00) euros for projects presented by a single non-profit entity;
  • 1,800,000.00 (one million eight hundred thousand/00) euros for joint projects presented by two or more non-profit entities in ATS.

Expected Results

• Sector 1: Agriculture and Food Safety
  • Strengthened the food security of the most vulnerable segments of the population and the ability to carry out income generating activities in the provinces most affected by the food crisis.
  • By way of example, some types of activities considered eligible for the project proposals of the call in question are listed below:
    • provide immediate food assistance through standard food kits, or cash assistance, where possible, to the vulnerable population;
    • provision of assets for agricultural production, including improved seeds, fertilizers, agricultural tools and materials for the transformation and transport of products, and cash for work for the start-up of agricultural activities, in particular for female-led households and young people;
    • support small-scale agri-food production activities (horticulture, small livestock farms, school gardens, etc.), with a view to inclusive community participation;
    • promote income-generating activities in the agri-food value chain, including the provision of entrepreneurial training courses aimed in particular at women and young people.
• Sector 2: Health
  • The health of the population improved
  • By way of example, some types of activities considered eligible for the project proposals of the call in question are listed below:
    • rehabilitation and maintenance of first aid and emergency surgery departments also through expansion of hospital and healthcare facilities;
    • strengthening of basic health services;
    • training of basic health center staff;
    • training of Community Midwives;
    • provide equipment and birth kits to Community Midwives;
    • supply of equipment and instruments (based on UNICEF and WHO standards) for the effective provision of health services.
• Sector 3: Catastrophe Risk Reduction
  • Promoted anticipatory response to recurring crises resulting from climate shocks with the aim of disaster risk reduction and management.
  • By way of example, some types of activities considered eligible for the project proposals of the call in question are listed below:
    • activities to raise awareness of the population on environmental risks and response to disasters;
    • prevention activities through land drainage to prevent floods and the creation of riverbeds for the countryside;
    • waste management and soil drainage programs as a preventative measure
    • floods;
    • disaster risk mitigation activities;
    • supply of kits for the management of crises arising from natural disasters and related distribution to the families affected by the damage caused;
    • epidemic prevention interventions.

Beneficiaries

• The direct beneficiaries must be clearly identified vulnerable people affected by the humanitarian crisis and among these, particular attention must be paid to:
  • pregnant women and young mothers with children under 5 years old;
  • widowed women and those with the role of head of family;
  • women and minors at risk of vulnerability (due to episodes of gender violence, addictions substances, problems caused by abandonment, trafficking, etc.);
  • people with disabilities;
  • particularly vulnerable families;
  • DPs e returnees;
  • communities subject to environmental risk.

Location of Intervention

• The project proposals that will be presented in response to this call for proposals, they must involve the direct collaboration of the proposing CSOs with international agencies, local stakeholders and national NGOs, operating in the same areas of intervention. The locations of intervention must be identified based on the severity of the needs and in line with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
• All areas of Afghanistan are eligible, according to the indications provided above, preferring a synergy approach in the same areas of intervention.

Eligibility Criteria

• Non-profit entities who, at the date of presentation of the project proposal, meet all of the following requirements can submit project proposals for this Call for Proposals:
  • For non-profit entities registered in the AICS list: Registration in the list referred to in art. 26, paragraph 3, of Law 125/2014. For non-profit entities without an operational headquarters in Italy (local and/ or international non-profit entities), in place of the aforementioned registration in the list, the ownership of a collaboration agreement with one of the subjects registered in the aforementioned list46. This agreement can be of various nature (affiliation, association, partnership) but must, in any case, be of a general nature, under penalty of exclusion, pre-existing this Call for Proposals
  • For non-profit entities registered in the AICS list and for non-profit entities without an operational headquarters in Italy (local and/ or international non-profit entities): specific and proven experience in humanitarian aid interventions;
  • For non-profit entities registered in the AICS list and for non-profit entities without an operational headquarters in Italy (local and/ or international non-profit entities): specific and proven experience in interventions in the agriculture and food safety, health and disaster risk reduction;
  • For non-profit entities registered in the AICS list and for non-profit entities without an operational headquarters in Italy (local and/ or international non-profit entities): be regularly registered with the competent institution in Afghanistan. This requirement must also be possessed by the partner subjects involved in the implementation of the project;
  • For non-profit entities without an operational headquarters in Italy (local and/or international non-profit entities), be established and in compliance with the legislation in force in the country to which they belong, including that on tax, contribution and insurance matters.

For more information, visit Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.