Call for Expression of Interest: Community Empowerment and Engagement in Democratic (Congo DR)

Deadline: 30-Sep-2026

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is inviting NGOs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to submit concept notes for projects that strengthen community empowerment, inclusion, participation, and resilience among displaced and host populations.

The programme responds to the prolonged displacement and protection crisis in the DRC, where armed conflict, repeated population movements, fragile returns, limited humanitarian access, and pressure on host communities continue to create significant protection challenges.

UNHCR’s multi-year strategy for the DRC for 2027–2030 places inclusion, participation, accountability, and empowerment at the center of its protection approach.

About the UNHCR DRC Programme

The DRC continues to experience a protracted crisis of forced displacement and protection. Repeated displacement and fragile returns have placed additional pressure on communities already facing limited access to resources and basic services.

These challenges have contributed to:

• Weakened traditional solidarity mechanisms.
• Increased risks of exclusion and discrimination.
• Tensions over resources and basic services.
• Pressure on local governance systems.
• Challenges to peaceful coexistence between displaced and host populations.
• Increased protection risks for marginalized groups.

The programme aims to strengthen communities so that displaced and host populations can participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their lives and contribute to protection, durable solutions, and local development.

Main Objectives of the Programme

The initiative focuses on strengthening:

• Community empowerment.
• Inclusion and participation.
• Community protection mechanisms.
• Social cohesion.
• Inclusive decision-making.
• Conflict prevention.
• Accountability and co-responsibility.
• Community resilience.
• Local capacity for coordinated alert and response.

The approach recognizes communities as active partners in protection rather than only recipients of humanitarian assistance.

UNHCR DRC Strategy 2027–2030

UNHCR’s multi-year strategy for the DRC from 2027 to 2030 places inclusion, participation, accountability, and empowerment at the center of protection efforts.

The strategy promotes shared leadership and inclusive decision-making between UNHCR, communities, local organizations, and other stakeholders.

A key principle is co-responsibility with communities, meaning affected populations should have meaningful opportunities to influence the planning and delivery of interventions.

Strengthening Refugee-Led and Community-Based Organizations

The programme recognizes refugee-led organizations (RLOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) as important actors in protection and local development.

Projects are expected to strengthen the participation and capacity of organizations representing:

• Refugees.
• Women.
• Youth.
• Persons with disabilities.
• Other marginalized groups.

These organizations should have opportunities to participate in different stages of project development and implementation, including needs analysis, priority setting, decision-making, implementation, and monitoring.

Community Participation in Protection

Meaningful community participation is a central component of the programme.

Rather than developing interventions without community input, projects should provide mechanisms through which affected populations can contribute to identifying needs and establishing priorities.

Community participation should extend throughout the project cycle, including:

• Participatory needs assessments.
• Priority setting.
• Decision-making.
• Project implementation.
• Monitoring.
• Protection service feedback.

This approach can help ensure that interventions reflect actual community priorities and protection concerns.

Strengthening Community Protection Mechanisms

The call targets projects that reinforce community protection mechanisms and improve the ability of local structures to identify and respond to protection concerns.

Projects should help strengthen community-level systems for coordinated alert and response while building the capacity of local authorities and community mechanisms.

The objective is to create stronger and more coordinated protection structures that can respond to emerging risks.

Inclusive and Representative Structures

Another important focus is institutionalizing inclusive and representative structures.

Projects should ensure that different groups within displaced and host communities can meaningfully participate in protection and decision-making processes.

Particular attention should be given to:

• Women.
• Youth.
• Older persons.
• Persons with disabilities.
• Other marginalized groups.

Participation should be meaningful rather than purely symbolic, allowing diverse community members to influence priorities and decisions.

Promoting Social Cohesion

Social cohesion is an important part of the programme because displacement and competition over limited resources can increase tensions between communities.

Projects should promote:

• Inclusive dialogue.
• Trust-building.
• Conflict prevention.
• Peaceful coexistence.
• Joint community actions.
• Communication between displaced and host populations.

These activities should contribute to stronger relationships and reduce tensions arising from resource pressures, access to services, and local governance.

Conflict Prevention and Inclusive Dialogue

The programme encourages projects that create opportunities for different groups to engage in constructive dialogue.

Inclusive dialogue can help communities identify shared concerns, address tensions, and develop joint approaches to local challenges.

Projects should focus on preventing conflict and building trust between different population groups rather than responding only after tensions have escalated.

Building Local Capacity

Capacity building is another major component of the programme.

Projects should contribute to strengthening the capacity of local authorities and community mechanisms to coordinate alerts and responses to protection concerns.

This can improve local ownership and help communities and authorities work together more effectively.

Strengthened local capacity can also contribute to sustainability beyond individual humanitarian interventions.

Who Can Apply?

The call is open to national and international NGOs legally registered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Legal registration in the DRC.
• Operational presence in the targeted geographic areas.
• Relevant experience in the targeted zones.
• Capacity to implement community-based protection interventions.
• Understanding of the local context.
• Ability to conduct participatory community and protection analysis.

Organizations should demonstrate that they have the operational capacity and local experience necessary to deliver the proposed project.

Required Community and Protection Analysis

Applicants must include a recent community and protection analysis as part of their concept note.

This analysis should help demonstrate an understanding of the specific needs, risks, vulnerabilities, community structures, and protection environment in the targeted areas.

A strong analysis can help establish a clear connection between:

• Identified protection concerns.
• Community priorities.
• Proposed activities.
• Expected results.
• Target populations.
• Protection services.

Results Framework and Indicators

Proposals must include a results framework with specific indicators.

The indicators should measure meaningful project results and participation.

The call specifically highlights indicators such as:

• Number of people consulted through participatory assessments.
• Number of people benefiting from protection services.

Applicants should ensure that proposed indicators are clearly connected to planned activities and expected results.

Detailed Geographic Budget

Applicants are also required to submit a detailed budget by geographic area.

The budget should clearly show how financial resources will be allocated across the proposed areas of implementation.

A geographically detailed budget can help demonstrate cost effectiveness and ensure that proposed resources correspond to planned activities and target populations.

Required Organizational Documents

Applicants must submit organizational documentation as part of the application.

Required documents include:

• Legal registration documents.
• Organizational statutes.
• Financial manuals.
• Procurement manuals.
• Fraud prevention policies.
• Policies on protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PEAS).

Organizations should ensure that these documents are complete and up to date before submitting their concept notes.

Protection Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

The programme places importance on organizational policies related to protection against sexual exploitation and abuse.

Applicants are required to provide their policies on PEAS as part of the organizational documentation.

This requirement helps demonstrate that implementing organizations have appropriate institutional safeguards and policies in place.

Key Elements of a Strong Concept Note

Organizations preparing a concept note should clearly demonstrate how the proposed project will respond to the programme’s priorities.

A strong concept note should explain:

• The specific protection challenges in the targeted area.
• How communities were consulted.
• Which groups are most affected or marginalized.
• How RLOs and CBOs will participate.
• How women, youth, older persons, and persons with disabilities will be included.
• How community protection mechanisms will be strengthened.
• How local authorities will participate.
• How social cohesion and trust will be promoted.
• How conflict prevention will be addressed.
• What protection services beneficiaries will receive.
• How progress and results will be measured.
• How activities will be sustained.

Focus on Women, Youth and Marginalized Groups

Meaningful inclusion is a central requirement of the programme.

Projects should not overlook groups that may face additional barriers to participation.

Special attention should therefore be given to the participation of:

• Women.
• Youth.
• Older persons.
• Persons with disabilities.
• Other marginalized community members.

Their participation should be incorporated into needs analysis, priority setting, decision-making, implementation, and monitoring.

Community Empowerment and Resilience

The programme views empowerment as an important part of strengthening protection and resilience.

Empowered communities can play a stronger role in identifying risks, participating in decisions, supporting protection mechanisms, and developing joint solutions.

Strengthening community structures can also help displaced and host populations work together to address shared challenges and build greater resilience.

Key Programme Areas

Organizations preparing concept notes should consider the following core areas:

• Community empowerment.
• Inclusion and participation.
• Community protection mechanisms.
• Refugee-led organizations.
• Community-based organizations.
• Women’s participation.
• Youth participation.
• Inclusion of older persons.
• Inclusion of persons with disabilities.
• Social cohesion.
• Inclusive dialogue.
• Conflict prevention.
• Trust-building.
• Joint community actions.
• Local authority capacity building.
• Coordinated alert and response mechanisms.
• Participatory assessments.
• Protection services.
• Accountability and co-responsibility.

Why This Programme Matters

The prolonged displacement crisis in the DRC has placed significant pressure on both displaced and host populations.

Repeated population movements, fragile returns, limited humanitarian access, and competition over resources and services can weaken social cohesion and increase protection risks.

By strengthening community participation, local organizations, inclusive decision-making, and community protection mechanisms, the programme aims to place affected communities at the center of protection efforts.

The approach also recognizes that refugee-led and community-based organizations can contribute significantly to protection, durable solutions, and local development.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UNHCR DRC Community Empowerment Programme?

It is a UNHCR initiative inviting NGOs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to submit concept notes for projects that strengthen community empowerment, inclusion, participation, resilience, and protection among displaced and host populations.

Who can apply for the programme?

National and international NGOs legally registered in the DRC can apply, provided they demonstrate operational presence and relevant experience in the targeted areas.

What is the main focus of the programme?

The programme focuses on community empowerment, inclusive participation, protection mechanisms, social cohesion, conflict prevention, local capacity building, and meaningful involvement of marginalized groups.

Which organizations are expected to be strengthened?

The programme emphasizes refugee-led organizations, community-based organizations, and groups representing women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized populations.

How should communities participate in projects?

Communities should participate meaningfully in needs analysis, priority setting, decision-making, implementation, and monitoring.

Which groups require special attention?

Special attention should be given to women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.

What type of protection mechanisms should projects support?

Projects should reinforce community protection mechanisms and strengthen local authorities and community structures for coordinated alert and response.

How does the programme promote social cohesion?

Projects should encourage inclusive dialogue, conflict prevention, trust-building, peaceful coexistence, and joint actions between displaced and host populations.

What analysis must applicants provide?

Applicants must provide a recent community and protection analysis relevant to the targeted geographic areas.

What indicators are required?

The results framework must contain specific indicators, including the number of people consulted through participatory assessments and the number of people benefiting from protection services.

What budget information is required?

Applicants must provide a detailed budget broken down by geographic area.

Which organizational documents are required?

Applicants must submit documents including legal registration, statutes, financial and procurement manuals, fraud prevention policies, and policies concerning protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PEAS).

Conclusion

The UNHCR DRC Community Empowerment, Inclusion and Resilience Programme provides an opportunity for national and international NGOs to strengthen community-led protection and resilience among displaced and host populations.

The programme places communities at the center of protection through participation, shared leadership, inclusive decision-making, and co-responsibility. It also emphasizes the role of refugee-led organizations, community-based organizations, local authorities, and representative groups in building stronger protection systems.

Organizations preparing concept notes should demonstrate clear community and protection analysis, meaningful participation, measurable results, realistic implementation approaches, detailed geographic budgets, and strong organizational compliance documentation.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.