Apply for Housing and Settlement Solutions Programme (Mozambique)

Deadline: 25-Sep-2026

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking experienced partners to support housing and settlement solutions for vulnerable forcibly displaced people and returned internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Mozambique. The Protection and Solutions Programme aims to provide safe, dignified, and sustainable housing and settlement solutions across multiple provinces. The initiative forms part of UNHCR Mozambique’s multi-year strategy and seeks to reduce protection risks while supporting recovery and resilience in both emergency and return contexts.

About the Protection and Solutions Programme

The programme is led by UNHCR in collaboration with local and international NGOs, civil society organizations, and academic partners. It focuses on addressing shelter and settlement needs while ensuring that housing interventions are sensitive to the protection risks faced by displaced and returning populations. The programme operates across different contexts, including: - Emergency displacement - Return situations - Protracted displacement - Relocation areas - Settlement and reintegration contexts The overall approach combines immediate shelter assistance with transitional and more durable housing solutions when conditions allow. Who Will Benefit? The programme focuses on vulnerable forcibly displaced people and returned IDPs in Mozambique. Particular attention is given to individuals and households facing heightened protection risks, including: - Women and girls - Children - Older persons - Persons with disabilities - Other people experiencing heightened protection vulnerabilities Shelter assistance is designed according to the specific circumstances and protection needs of households. Protection-Sensitive Housing Assistance A central feature of the programme is the integration of protection considerations into shelter planning and delivery.

Partners are expected to conduct rapid and detailed assessments to identify

- Shelter needs - Protection risks - Barriers to adequate housing - Household-specific vulnerabilities - Factors affecting access to safe and suitable shelter Shelter interventions are then tailored according to protection assessments and the specific characteristics of each household. Household and Context-Based Shelter Solutions Housing assistance takes into account several factors when determining the most appropriate type of support.

These include:

- Household composition - Phase of displacement - Security of tenure - Age - Gender - Diversity factors - Protection concerns - Ability of households to construct their own shelter This approach allows assistance to be adapted to different emergency, displacement, and return contexts. Types of Shelter Support Partners may provide different forms of housing and shelter assistance depending on assessed needs.

Support may include:

- Shelter kits - Type 1 shelters measuring 18 square metres - Type 2 shelters measuring 36 square metres - Direct construction assistance Direct construction assistance is particularly relevant for households that are unable to construct their own shelters. Disaster Risk Reduction and Safer Construction Disaster risk reduction is integrated into shelter activities. Partners are expected to incorporate safer construction techniques and practical measures designed to reduce risks associated with disasters and extreme conditions.

Capacity-building approaches may include:

- Practical construction training - Demonstration shelters - Safer construction techniques - Disaster risk reduction measures These approaches can help communities and households understand safer shelter construction practices while improving the resilience of housing solutions. Community Participation Community participation is an important element of the programme. Affected communities are encouraged to participate throughout the shelter process, helping ensure that interventions are responsive to local needs and circumstances. The programme also emphasizes accessible feedback and complaints mechanisms. These mechanisms provide communities with opportunities to raise concerns, provide feedback, and communicate issues related to shelter assistance. Protection concerns identified during implementation should be referred to the relevant services. Housing and Settlement in Relocation and Return Areas In relocation, displacement, and return areas, the programme prioritizes several factors when supporting settlement solutions.

These include:

- Secure access to land - Proximity to essential services - Protection considerations - Coordination with relevant authorities and organizations - Suitability of settlement locations Ensuring access to land and essential services is important for creating safe and sustainable settlement conditions. Coordination With Government and Humanitarian Partners Successful housing and settlement solutions require coordination among multiple stakeholders. The programme emphasizes collaboration with: - Government authorities - Development actors - UN agencies - NGOs - Local and international organizations - Civil society organizations - Academic partners Such coordination is intended to promote integrated responses and support the sustainability of housing and settlement interventions. Support in Protracted Displacement Situations People experiencing prolonged displacement may require assistance that extends beyond immediate emergency shelter. In protracted displacement situations, the programme complements life-saving shelter assistance with transitional and more durable housing solutions when appropriate. Longer-term solutions can be considered where conditions are conducive to: - Return - Local integration - Recovery - Increased resilience This approach aims to connect immediate humanitarian shelter support with longer-term solutions. Who Should Partner With UNHCR? The opportunity is intended for experienced organizations capable of implementing protection-sensitive housing and settlem