Call for Partners: Protection and Basic Needs Support (Mozambique)

Deadline: 25-Sep-2026

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking experienced NGOs, civil society organizations, and academic institutions to support protection and life-saving assistance for vulnerable displaced people and affected host communities in Mozambique. UNHCR Mozambique is inviting expressions of interest from local and international NGOs, civil society organizations, and academic institutions to partner in implementing its protection and solutions strategy. The programme focuses on ensuring vulnerable people affected by conflict and climate-related displacement can access timely, dignified, and protection-sensitive assistance to meet immediate material and basic needs.

About the UNHCR Mozambique Programme

Mozambique continues to experience displacement linked to conflict and climate-related emergencies. These crises affect forcibly displaced people, returnees, and host communities and can increase vulnerability and protection risks. The programme aims to provide assistance that responds to immediate needs while preserving dignity and strengthening household safety. Assistance will primarily be delivered through cash-based interventions, with in-kind assistance provided where necessary. Main Objectives

The programme aims to:

- Provide timely life-saving assistance. - Address immediate material and basic needs. - Reduce protection risks. - Preserve the dignity of affected populations. - Strengthen household safety. - Support forcibly displaced people and returnees. - Assist other crisis-affected populations and host communities. - Ensure assistance is protection-sensitive. - Maintain rapid response capacity during emergencies. Who Will Benefit? The programme focuses on vulnerable populations affected by conflict and climate-related displacement.

Target groups include:

- Forcibly displaced people. - Returnees. - Other crisis-affected populations. - Vulnerable host communities. Assistance will be prioritized according to protection assessments and agreed vulnerability criteria. Cash-Based Interventions Cash-based interventions are the primary assistance modality under the programme. Cash assistance can help vulnerable households address immediate material needs while providing greater flexibility and supporting dignity. The use of cash-based assistance will be informed by protection assessments and the specific needs of affected populations. In-Kind Assistance and Protection Kits Where necessary, UNHCR and its partners may provide in-kind assistance, including Protection Kits and core relief items. Protection Kit assistance is tailored according to the needs identified through joint and protection assessments. Assessment and targeting take into consideration: - Household composition. - Age. - Gender. - Diversity. - Specific individual and household needs. - Protection risks. - Vulnerability criteria. Items That May Be Included in Protection Kits Protection Kits and core relief assistance may include essential non-food items such as: - Blankets. - Buckets. - Jerrycans. - Kitchen sets. - Sleeping mats. - Mosquito nets. - Plastic tarpaulins. - Solar lamps. - Other essential non-food items. The exact assistance provided is based on identified needs and the relevant assessment findings. Protection-Sensitive Assistance The programme emphasizes protection-sensitive assistance rather than simply distributing material goods. Partners are expected to consider the specific protection risks and vulnerabilities faced by affected populations when planning and delivering assistance. Distribution modalities should ensure that people can access assistance safely, equitably, and with dignity. Special measures are incorporated for individuals and groups facing heightened protection risks. Joint Protection Assessments Protection assessments play an important role in determining assistance needs. Protection Kit assistance is tailored based on joint and protection assessments, which consider household and individual characteristics as well as specific vulnerabilities. These assessments help inform decisions regarding: - Who should receive assistance. - What type of assistance is appropriate. - Which protection risks need to be addressed. - How assistance should be safely delivered. Vulnerability-Based Prioritization Assistance is prioritized using protection assessments and agreed vulnerability criteria. This approach helps ensure that limited assistance resources are directed toward people and households facing greater needs and protection risks. Prioritization should be based on identified vulnerabilities rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Safe and Equitable Distribution Distribution arrangements are developed in consultation with UNHCR teams and local stakeholders. The objective is to ensure that assistance reaches beneficiaries in a manner that is: - Safe. - Equitable. - Accessible. - Protection-sensitive. - Dignified. Special measures should be considered for individuals and groups at heightened risk. Monitoring and Feedback Mechanisms UNHCR emphasizes ongoing monitoring and feedback to assess whether assistance remains appropriate and effective.

Feedback mechanisms can help identify:

- Problems with assistance delivery. - Changing needs. - Protection concerns. - Barriers to accessing assistance. - Whether the support is having the intended impact. Monitoring and feedback can therefore help partners adapt assistance and improve its effectiveness. Rapid Emergency Response Capacity UNHCR maintains contingency stocks and response capacity to enable rapid assistance during emergencies. This is particularly important in provinces that experience high levels of displacement and emergency needs. Maintaining preparedness allows assistance to be delivered more quickly when new displacement or other crises occur. Focus on Provinces Affected by Displacement The programme prioritizes rapid response capacity, particularly in provinces most affected by displacement and emergenci