Call for Proposals: Increase Access to Services for Women Migrant Workers in Cambodia

Deadline: 15-Sep-2026

UN Women Cambodia is inviting eligible civil society organizations (CSOs) to implement activities that improve access to information, counselling, and social and legal services for women migrant workers, migrant children, and other at-risk groups. The PROTECT project will support safe migration, prevent violence and trafficking, operate the My Journey Mobile App and helpline services, and strengthen community-based protection mechanisms from 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2027.

About the UN Women Cambodia PROTECT Project

The PROTECT project, funded by the European Union and implemented by UN Women Cambodia, aims to promote decent work and reduce vulnerabilities among women and children affected by labour migration in Cambodia. The initiative works with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to strengthen protection and support services for women migrant workers and their families. Rights violations affecting migrant women and children Why Does the PROTECT Project Matter? Women migrant workers and migrant children can face significant risks during the migration process, particularly when they lack access to reliable information and protection services. The PROTECT project seeks to strengthen systems that help vulnerable groups understand their rights, access appropriate services, report violations, and receive counselling and referrals. The initiative also supports stronger national and regional policies related to migration, gender equality, and protection from violence. Key Objectives The project focuses on several important objectives: Improve access to information about safe migration. Strengthen social and legal services for migrant workers. Expand counselling and referral services. Prevent violence against women. Reduce exploitation, harassment, and trafficking. Strengthen protection mechanisms for migrant children. Support women’s participation in safe migration strategies. Build peer networks among women migrants. Strengthen cooperation between CSOs, government institutions, and other stakeholders. What Will the Selected CSO Do? The selected civil society organization will have responsibility for implementing several major activities. Implement the My Journey Mobile App The organization will support implementation of the My Journey Mobile App to improve access to information and services relevant to safe migration and protection. Operate Helpline and Counselling Services The selected CSO will operate helpline and counselling services for women migrant workers and other people at risk. These services will help beneficiaries access relevant information, counselling, referrals, and support. Conduct Community Outreach The organization will conduct innovative and participatory outreach activities to increase awareness of: Applicants should demonstrate that they have sufficient staffing, technical expertise, community networks, and operational systems to deliver activities throughout the implementation period. How to Prepare a Strong Application Eligible organizations should clearly demonstrate their capacity to implement the project.

A strong application should explain:

Organizational experience – Demonstrate at least seven years of relevant experience. Technical expertise – Explain experience in preventing and responding to violence against women. Safe migration experience – Provide evidence of previous migration-related work. Counselling capacity – Explain how counselling and referral services will be delivered. Community outreach – Describe methods for reaching vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups. Digital services – Explain the organization’s capacity to implement the My Journey Mobile App. Peer networks – Describe how women migrants will be engaged in peer support and advocacy. Partnerships – Highlight previous collaboration with government, UN agencies, or international organizations. Safeguarding – Demonstrate appropriate confidentiality, safeguarding, and protection procedures. Monitoring and evaluation – Include clear methods for measuring outreach, service access, referrals, and outcomes. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

Failing to demonstrate the required seven years of experience. Not providing evidence of Cambodian registration. Describing general organizational experience without relevant examples. Failing to explain counselling and referral mechanisms. Providing limited information about community outreach. Ignoring the specific needs of migrant women and children. Failing to address safeguarding and confidentiality. Proposing activities without measurable outcomes. Not explaining how partnerships and referral networks will be managed. Frequently Asked Questions What is the UN Women Cambodia PROTECT project? The PROTECT project is an EU-funded initiative implemented by UN Women Cambodia to promote decent work and reduce vulnerabilities among women and children affected by labour migration. Who can apply for the PROTECT project opportunity? Nationally registered civil society organizations with a representative office in Cambodia can apply if they meet the required experience and organizational criteria. How much experience is required? Applicants must have at least seven years of experience in projects related to the prevention and response to violence against women. What services will the selected organization provide? The selected CSO will implement the My Journey Mobile App, operate helpline and counselling services, conduct outreach activities, and strengthen referral and support mechanisms. Who are the main beneficiaries? The project focuses on women migrant workers, migrant children, and other at-risk groups who may face abuse, exploitation, harassment, violence, trafficking, or other rights violations. Is previous UN experience mandatory? Previous collaboration with UN or international agencies is considered an advantage. The core eligibility requirements focus on registration, rel