Apply Now: Child-Friendly Spaces and Gender-Based Violence Prevention (Dominican Republic)

Deadline: 28-Sep-2026

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is inviting eligible organizations to apply for funding to strengthen child protection and psychosocial support for children, adolescents, caregivers, and women affected by humanitarian crises in the Dominican Republic. The programme will support community-based safe spaces, violence prevention, case management, community awareness, and mental health and psychosocial support, with an indicative budget of US$150,000.

About the UNICEF Grant

The opportunity aims to improve access to essential child protection services and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for vulnerable populations affected by humanitarian crises. The programme will establish or strengthen child-friendly and safe community spaces where children, adolescents, caregivers, and women can access information, protection services, psychosocial support, and referral pathways. The initiative also addresses risks associated with violence against children (VAC), gender-based violence (GBV), migration, mobility, detention, and deportation. Key Focus Areas Projects should contribute to one or more of the following areas: - Child protection in humanitarian emergencies - Prevention of and response to violence against children - Prevention and response to gender-based violence - Mental health and psychosocial support - Child-friendly spaces and safe community spaces - Community-based protection mechanisms - Case management and referral services - Community awareness and violence-prevention campaigns - Training of community volunteers - Gender-sensitive protection interventions - Support for migrant and vulnerable populations - Environmentally sustainable programme implementation Geographic Coverage The programme will be implemented across selected provinces and areas of the Dominican Republic, including: - Elías Piña - Santo Domingo - San Cristóbal - Barahona - Pedernales - Distrito Nacional (Santo Domingo) - Azua - San Pedro de Macorís - Monte Plata - La Romana - Santiago - El Seibo - La Altagracia Particular attention will be given to populations affected by migration, including people from Haiti and descendants of Haitian families. Who Will Benefit?

The programme is designed to support:

- Children - Adolescents - Caregivers - Women - Children and families affected by humanitarian crises - Migrant and mobile populations - People at risk of violence, exploitation, detention, or deportation - Survivors or individuals at risk of gender-based violence The programme specifically aims to enable 5,000 children, adolescents, and caregivers to access mental health and psychosocial support services. What Will the Grant Support? Child-Friendly and Safe Community Spaces Selected organizations will support community spaces where vulnerable children and families can safely obtain information, psychosocial assistance, protection services, and referrals. These spaces should provide age-appropriate and gender-sensitive support while creating an environment where children can participate safely. Violence Prevention and Community Awareness Projects will include awareness activities addressing: - Violence against children - Gender-based violence - Protection risks during migration and mobility - Available protection and support services - Prevention and early identification of abuse and violence Community campaigns should provide practical information and connect vulnerable people with appropriate services. Community Volunteer Training Community volunteers will receive specialized training to help them identify protection concerns and respond according to established procedures.

Training may cover:

- Identification of violence and protection risks - Referral and reporting procedures - Operation of child-friendly spaces - Psychosocial first-line support - Protection of migrant children and families - Gender-sensitive approaches - Safeguarding and confidentiality Case Management and Referrals The programme will strengthen community-level identification and referral mechanisms for children and women experiencing violence or other protection concerns. Where specialized support is required, beneficiaries should be connected with appropriate health, psychosocial, child protection, and GBV services. Why It Matters Humanitarian crises can increase children’s exposure to violence, exploitation, family separation, displacement, and psychological distress. Women and migrant populations may also face additional barriers to accessing protection and health services. Community-based protection systems can help address these challenges by bringing services closer to affected populations. The programme therefore combines prevention, early identification, psychosocial support, case management, referrals, and community participation rather than relying solely on institutional services. This approach can strengthen local protection networks while improving access to services for vulnerable children and families. Expected Results The initiative is expected to achieve several outcomes: - Improved access to community-based child protection services. - Increased access to mental health and psychosocial support. - Better protection from violence against children and gender-based violence. - Stronger community awareness of protection risks and available services. - Improved identification and referral of vulnerable children and women. - Better-trained community volunteers. - Stronger child-friendly and safe community spaces. - Improved support for migrant and mobile populations. - Reduced protection risks associated with mobility, detention, and deportation. - Increased access to psychosocial support for 5,000 children, adolescents, and caregivers. How the Programme Works The programme follows a community-based protection model built around several interconnected activities.

- Identify vulnerable populations: Communities identify children, adolescents, women, caregivers, and migrant families facing protec