Call for Expression of Interest: Strengthening Protection Data Systems (Chad)

Deadline: 14-Mar-2026

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has launched a Call for Expression of Interest to strengthen the national protection monitoring system in the Borkou Region of Chad from 2025 to 2028. The initiative focuses on protection monitoring, mixed movements tracking, advocacy, and data-driven humanitarian response planning. The project will enhance the credibility, quality, and strategic use of protection data across national and humanitarian coordination mechanisms.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking partners to reinforce protection monitoring systems in the Borkou Region of Chad.

The initiative aims to improve data reliability, coordination, and evidence-based humanitarian response by strengthening national-level protection monitoring under the P21 framework.

Geographic and Strategic Context

Region of Focus

• Borkou Region, Chad

Extended Impact Regions

• Eastern Chad

• Southern Chad

• Lake Chad region

Timeframe

• 2025 to 2028

The initiative supports national consolidation of protection monitoring systems to improve humanitarian planning and advocacy efforts.

Core Objectives of the Initiative

The project seeks to:

• Strengthen the national protection monitoring system

• Improve the credibility and quality of protection data

• Support data-driven humanitarian response

• Enhance advocacy on refugee and asylum-seeker movements

• Integrate protection data into strategic humanitarian planning

The initiative emphasizes structured system improvement over a four-year period.

Key Focus Areas

Protection Monitoring

Systematic collection and analysis of protection-related incidents affecting:

• Refugees

• Asylum seekers

• Vulnerable populations

Monitoring Mixed and Secondary Movements

Tracking and analyzing:

• Cross-border movements

• Irregular migration flows

• Secondary movements of refugees

This supports early warning and risk mitigation mechanisms.

Advocacy and Awareness-Raising

• Evidence-based advocacy on protection risks

• Community awareness on mixed movements

• Policy engagement using verified data

Role of P21 Monitoring System

The P21 framework generates protection information products and dashboards used for:

• Protection situation analysis

• Incident tracking

• Evidence-based reporting

• Strategic planning inputs

P21 dashboards will be:

• Presented at Protection Group meetings

• Shared with child protection actors

• Integrated into PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) coordination

• Used in Rapid Response Mechanism monthly reporting

How the Data Will Be Used

Humanitarian Coordination

P21 data will inform:

• Joint Country Analysis led by the Resident Coordinator’s Office

• Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO)

• Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP)

This ensures protection priorities are integrated into national planning frameworks.

Protection Cluster Engagement

The Protection Cluster coordination team will:

• Prepare protection notes based on P21 data

• Present findings to the Humanitarian Country Team

NGO and Partner Use

• International NGOs will use the database to prioritize awareness-raising themes

• Partner NGOs will incorporate P21 data into project formulation

• Child protection subgroups will document and report the six grave violations against children

Inter-Agency Support

P21 monitoring data will support:

• Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

• World Food Programme (WFP)

• Other humanitarian actors

The data will demonstrate trends, severity, and evolution of protection concerns.

Who Is Eligible?

This Call for Expression of Interest is intended for organizations capable of strengthening protection monitoring systems.

Eligible applicants typically include:

• National and international NGOs

• Humanitarian organizations

• Protection-focused institutions

• Organizations with data collection and monitoring expertise

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Experience in protection monitoring

• Capacity for structured data management

• Knowledge of refugee protection frameworks

• Ability to operate in Chad

Expected Outcomes (2025–2028)

By 2028, the initiative aims to achieve:

• Consolidated national protection monitoring system

• Improved data reliability and credibility

• Stronger integration of protection data into humanitarian planning

• Enhanced coordination among clusters and agencies

• Evidence-based advocacy at national and regional levels

Why This Initiative Matters

Protection monitoring is critical in complex humanitarian contexts where:

• Refugee movements are dynamic

• Mixed migration flows create vulnerabilities

• Protection risks evolve rapidly

Reliable data enables:

• Timely humanitarian interventions

• Better resource allocation

• Informed advocacy

• Accountability for grave violations

Strengthening protection monitoring ensures that humanitarian responses are grounded in verified evidence rather than assumptions.

How the Expression of Interest Process Works

Step 1: Review the Call Documentation
Organizations must carefully examine UNHCR’s requirements and objectives.

Step 2: Demonstrate Technical Capacity
Applicants should outline:

• Monitoring methodologies

• Data management systems

• Field presence and operational reach

• Protection expertise

Step 3: Show Partnership and Coordination Experience
Experience working with:

• Protection Clusters

• Humanitarian Country Teams

• Government entities

• Inter-agency mechanisms

Step 4: Submit Expression of Interest
Include:

• Organizational profile

• Relevant project experience

• Proposed approach to strengthening P21 monitoring

• Staffing and technical capacity

Step 5: Selection and Engagement
UNHCR will assess submissions based on capacity, relevance, and alignment with protection objectives.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Weak demonstration of protection expertise

• Limited data management capacity

• Lack of field presence in Chad

• Vague methodology for monitoring improvements

• Insufficient coordination strategy

Strong proposals clearly explain how data quality, credibility, and integration will be improved.

Key Definitions

Protection Monitoring
Systematic collection and analysis of data on protection risks affecting displaced and vulnerable populations.

Mixed Movements
Movements involving refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and other groups traveling along similar routes but with different protection needs.

Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO)
An annual document analyzing humanitarian needs within a country.

Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP)
A coordinated plan outlining humanitarian priorities and funding requirements.

Six Grave Violations Against Children
Serious violations in armed conflict, including recruitment, killing, sexual violence, abduction, attacks on schools or hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the duration of this initiative?
   The improvement process runs from 2025 to 2028.

2. What region is the focus?
   The primary focus is the Borkou Region of Chad, with broader implications for eastern, southern, and Lake Chad regions.

3. What is P21?
   P21 refers to the protection monitoring framework generating dashboards and analytical products used for humanitarian coordination.

4. Who will use the generated data?
   Protection clusters, NGOs, OHCHR, WFP, Rapid Response Mechanism teams, and the Humanitarian Country Team.

5. What is the main goal of this call?
   To strengthen national protection monitoring and ensure data informs strategic humanitarian response.

6. Does this call focus only on refugees?
   No. It includes refugees, asylum seekers, and mixed migration flows.

7. Why is data quality emphasized?
   Reliable data improves advocacy, resource allocation, and policy decisions.

Conclusion

The UNHCR Call for Expression of Interest in Chad represents a strategic effort to strengthen national protection monitoring systems and improve evidence-based humanitarian response.

By enhancing data quality, coordination, and analytical capacity under the P21 framework, this initiative will ensure that protection concerns in the Borkou Region and beyond are documented, understood, and addressed through structured and accountable humanitarian action from 2025 to 2028.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.