Call for Strengthening the Protection Environment for Forcibly Displaced Persons and Host Communities in Burkina Faso

Deadline: 27-Sep-2026

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking qualified partners to strengthen protection, assistance, and inclusion for forcibly displaced people, stateless individuals, and host communities in Burkina Faso. The partnership will use an integrated approach covering protection, health, education, gender-based violence prevention and response, child protection, social cohesion, community engagement, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.

The opportunity is intended for organizations with demonstrated expertise in protection monitoring, mixed movements, community-based protection, case management, gender-based violence, social cohesion, data collection and analysis, and humanitarian project management. Applicants should also demonstrate local presence, established relationships with authorities and communities, accountability mechanisms, cost-effectiveness, resource contribution, and the ability to manage security risks in challenging environments.

About the UNHCR Partnership Opportunity

The UNHCR partnership opportunity aims to strengthen the protection and inclusion of people affected by forced displacement and statelessness in Burkina Faso.

The initiative recognizes that displacement creates interconnected challenges. People may face difficulties accessing protection, healthcare, education, documentation, and other essential services, while host communities may also experience pressure on already limited resources.

UNHCR therefore seeks an integrated approach that brings together protection and assistance while strengthening local systems and community capacity.

Humanitarian Context in Burkina Faso

Since 2015, Burkina Faso has experienced a multidimensional crisis involving insecurity, humanitarian challenges, and large-scale forced displacement.

The crisis has resulted in:

• More than two million internally displaced persons.
• Continued arrivals of refugees and asylum seekers.
• Significant movements of people, particularly from Mali.
• Reduced access to essential services.
• Increased vulnerabilities among displaced and host populations.
• Additional pressure on host communities and limited resources.

Education and health services have been particularly affected, creating a need for coordinated interventions that address both immediate protection concerns and access to essential services.

Main Objectives of the Partnership

The partnership seeks to improve protection, assistance, and inclusion through integrated interventions.

Key objectives include:

• Strengthening protection data collection.
• Improving protection monitoring.
• Strengthening community-based protection mechanisms.
• Improving identification of people at risk.
• Strengthening referral and case-management systems.
• Supporting emergency responses when necessary.
• Improving access to health services.
• Improving access to education.
• Preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
• Strengthening child protection.
• Promoting social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
• Preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Supporting evidence-based advocacy.
• Building the capacity of local actors.

Integrated Protection Approach

Protection is at the center of the proposed intervention.

The partnership will combine protection monitoring with case identification, referral, community engagement, and access to social services.

This integrated model is designed to ensure that protection concerns are identified early and that people at risk can be connected with appropriate services.

Key protection activities include:

• Regular protection monitoring.
• Collection and analysis of protection data.
• Identification of vulnerable individuals.
• Case management.
• Referral to appropriate services.
• Community-based protection.
• Prevention and response to protection risks.
• Evidence-based advocacy.

Protection Monitoring and Data Collection

Reliable protection information is essential for effective humanitarian decision-making.

The partnership will strengthen the collection and analysis of data related to protection risks and the needs of affected populations.

Improved data systems can help organizations and authorities:

• Identify emerging protection risks.
• Understand population movements.
• Identify vulnerable groups.
• Strengthen case referrals.
• Support evidence-based advocacy.
• Improve the targeting of assistance.
• Adapt interventions to changing conditions.

Organizations applying for the partnership should therefore demonstrate proven experience in data collection and analysis.

Community-Based Protection

Community participation is a central element of the proposed approach.

Community-based protection mechanisms can help identify risks, strengthen early responses, and ensure that interventions reflect the realities of affected populations.

Partners will be expected to support:

• Community engagement.
• Local protection mechanisms.
• Identification of protection risks.
• Referral systems.
• Community-level response.
• Peaceful coexistence.
• Local capacity building.

The approach is intended to strengthen community ownership and make protection interventions more responsive and sustainable.

Mixed Movements and Mobility Dynamics

The partnership will operate in regions affected by complex mobility patterns.

Some areas serve simultaneously as:

• Reception zones
• Transit areas
• Departure areas

for different categories of people on the move.

This creates complex protection needs because people may have different legal statuses, vulnerabilities, and reasons for movement.

Applicants should therefore have experience with mixed movements and demonstrate an understanding of how population mobility affects protection and access to services.

Health and Education Support

The intervention expands beyond traditional protection activities to include access to essential social services.

Health

Partners will contribute to improving access to inclusive health services for affected populations.

The integrated approach recognizes that displacement and insecurity can create barriers to healthcare access and increase vulnerability.

Education

The partnership will also support better access to inclusive education services.

Education is particularly important for displaced children and communities affected by crisis, where disruption to schooling can increase long-term vulnerabilities.

Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response

Gender-based violence prevention and response is an important component of the partnership.

Organizations should have relevant expertise to help identify risks, strengthen referral pathways, and support appropriate responses for people affected by GBV.

Protection activities should be designed to ensure that affected individuals can access services safely and with dignity.

Child Protection

Children affected by displacement and humanitarian crises may face increased protection risks.

The partnership therefore includes child protection as a core intervention area.

Activities can contribute to:

• Identifying children at risk.
• Strengthening case management.
• Improving referral mechanisms.
• Increasing access to protection services.
• Strengthening community protection mechanisms.
• Supporting inclusive education.

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

The initiative also includes the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).

Protection systems should include mechanisms through which affected populations can safely report concerns and access appropriate responses.

Partners should ensure that reporting and response mechanisms are:

• Accessible
• Safe
• Community-oriented
• Appropriate to local conditions
• Responsive to protection risks

Social Cohesion and Peaceful Coexistence

The partnership aims to strengthen relationships between displaced populations and host communities.

Social cohesion activities can help promote:

• Peaceful coexistence.
• Community engagement.
• Dialogue.
• Mutual understanding.
• Local participation.
• Cooperation between communities.

Strengthening social cohesion is particularly important where host communities are sharing limited resources with displaced populations.

Evidence-Based Advocacy

The partnership will support advocacy based on reliable protection information and analysis.

Organizations should use collected data and evidence to help identify priority protection concerns and inform decision-making.

Evidence-based advocacy can contribute to:

• Better understanding of protection trends.
• More targeted humanitarian responses.
• Improved coordination.
• Stronger engagement with authorities.
• Better policies and services for affected populations.

Capacity Building for Local Actors

The intervention will strengthen the capacity of local actors involved in protection and humanitarian responses.

Capacity building may involve:

• Local authorities.
• Community structures.
• Humanitarian organizations.
• Other relevant local actors.

Strengthening local capacity can improve the sustainability of interventions and increase the ability of communities and institutions to respond to protection risks.

Who Will Benefit?

The partnership is designed to support several groups affected by displacement, statelessness, and humanitarian challenges.

Target populations include:

• Forcibly displaced persons.
• Internally displaced persons.
• Refugees.
• Asylum seekers.
• Stateless individuals.
• Host communities.
• Other people affected by complex population movements.

The integrated approach is intended to improve both protection and access to essential services.

Priority Protection Areas

The partnership brings together several interconnected areas of humanitarian response.

These include:

• Protection monitoring.
• Health.
• Education.
• Gender-based violence prevention and response.
• Child protection.
• Social cohesion.
• Community engagement.
• Prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Case management.
• Data collection and analysis.
• Evidence-based advocacy.

Local Partnerships and Ownership

Applicants should demonstrate established relationships with local authorities and communities.

Local partnerships are important because they can help organizations:

• Understand local protection needs.
• Coordinate interventions.
• Strengthen community acceptance.
• Improve access to affected populations.
• Avoid duplication.
• Support local ownership.
• Build sustainable protection mechanisms.

Organizations should clearly explain their existing local presence and relationships in their application.

Who Can Apply?

The partnership is intended for organizations with demonstrated technical and operational capacity in humanitarian protection and related sectors.

Applicants should have expertise in:

• Protection monitoring.
• Mixed movements.
• Community-based protection.
• Case management.
• Gender-based violence.
• Social cohesion.
• Data collection and analysis.
• Humanitarian project implementation.

Technical expertise should be supported by strong management and operational systems.

Organizational Capacity Requirements

Organizations should demonstrate their ability to manage complex humanitarian interventions effectively.

Important capacity areas include:

• Project management.
• Data collection and analysis.
• Local presence.
• Cost-effective implementation.
• Resource contribution.
• Accountability to communities.
• Security risk management.
• Coordination with authorities.
• Community engagement.

Applicants should provide evidence of previous experience and demonstrate that their organizational systems are appropriate for the proposed operating environment.

Security Risk Management

The ability to operate in challenging environments is an important consideration.

Applicants should demonstrate effective approaches to managing security risks while maintaining appropriate access to affected communities and continuing humanitarian activities.

Organizations should be able to show:

• Experience working in challenging environments.
• Appropriate security risk management systems.
• Local knowledge.
• Operational flexibility.
• Relationships with relevant authorities and communities.
• Capacity to maintain project implementation despite changing conditions.

Accountability to Communities

Accountability should be integrated into the proposed intervention.

Organizations should ensure that affected populations can participate in programs and provide feedback about services and protection concerns.

Community accountability can help ensure that interventions remain:

• Relevant.
• Accessible.
• Inclusive.
• Responsive.
• Appropriate to local needs.

Cost-Effectiveness and Resource Contribution

UNHCR also expects applicants to demonstrate cost-effective implementation.

Organizations should show that they can use available resources efficiently while maintaining quality and protection standards.

Applicants should clearly explain:

• How resources will support planned activities.
• Existing organizational resources and capacities.
• Opportunities to leverage local capacities.
• How proposed activities complement other interventions.
• How duplication will be avoided.

How to Prepare a Strong Partnership Proposal

A strong proposal should connect the identified protection needs with a practical and integrated response.

Applicants should clearly explain:

1. Context: Describe the protection and humanitarian challenges in the proposed intervention area.
2. Target population: Identify the groups that will benefit.
3. Protection risks: Explain the major risks affecting displaced people, stateless individuals, and host communities.
4. Activities: Describe the proposed protection, health, education, GBV, child protection, and social cohesion activities.
5. Community participation: Explain how communities will be involved.
6. Data systems: Demonstrate the ability to collect and analyze protection information.
7. Referral mechanisms: Explain how vulnerable individuals will be identified and connected with services.
8. Local partnerships: Describe relationships with authorities and communities.
9. Security: Explain how security risks will be managed.
10. Sustainability: Show how local capacity will be strengthened.
11. Accountability: Explain how affected communities will participate and provide feedback.
12. Cost-effectiveness: Demonstrate efficient use of resources.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Organizations should avoid submitting proposals that treat protection, health, education, and social cohesion as completely separate activities.

Common weaknesses include:

• Failing to demonstrate relevant protection expertise.
• Ignoring mixed-movement dynamics.
• Providing limited evidence of local presence.
• Not explaining community-based protection mechanisms.
• Weak data collection and analysis capacity.
• Failing to explain referral and case-management systems.
• Providing limited information about GBV and child protection capacity.
• Ignoring social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
• Failing to address SEA prevention.
• Weak security risk-management arrangements.
• Not demonstrating accountability to communities.
• Failing to establish how the project complements existing interventions.
• Providing insufficient evidence of relationships with local authorities and communities.

Application Preparation Checklist

Before submitting, organizations should confirm that they can demonstrate:

• Protection monitoring expertise.
• Mixed-movement experience.
• Community-based protection expertise.
• Case-management capacity.
• Gender-based violence expertise.
• Social cohesion experience.
• Data collection and analysis capacity.
• Strong project management systems.
• Local presence.
• Established relationships with local authorities.
• Established relationships with communities.
• Cost-effective implementation.
• Resource contribution.
• Community accountability mechanisms.
• Security risk-management capacity.
• Ability to operate in challenging environments.

Key Facts About the UNHCR Burkina Faso Partnership

• Organization: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• Country: Burkina Faso
• Focus: Protection, assistance, and inclusion
• Core approach: Integrated interventions
• Key sectors: Protection, health, education, GBV prevention and response, child protection, and social cohesion
• Target groups: Forcibly displaced persons, refugees, asylum seekers, stateless individuals, and host communities
• Additional focus: Mixed movements, community-based protection, case management, data analysis, and SEA prevention
• Implementation priorities: Local partnerships, community engagement, capacity building, accountability, sustainability, and security risk management

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UNHCR partnership opportunity in Burkina Faso?

It is an opportunity for qualified organizations to partner with UNHCR to strengthen protection, assistance, and inclusion for forcibly displaced persons, stateless individuals, and host communities through integrated interventions.

What sectors does the partnership cover?

The partnership covers protection, health, education, gender-based violence prevention and response, child protection, social cohesion, community engagement, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Who are the target beneficiaries?

The intervention targets forcibly displaced persons, refugees, asylum seekers, stateless individuals, internally displaced persons, and host communities affected by the humanitarian crisis and complex population movements.

What expertise should applicants have?

Applicants should demonstrate expertise in protection monitoring, mixed movements, community-based protection, case management, gender-based violence, social cohesion, and data collection and analysis.

Is local presence required?

Applicants should demonstrate local presence and established relationships with local authorities and communities. Local knowledge and community engagement are important components of the proposed approach.

Why is data collection important to the partnership?

Protection data helps organizations identify risks, understand population movements, identify vulnerable individuals, strengthen referrals, support advocacy, and adapt interventions to changing needs.

What operational capacity should organizations demonstrate?

Organizations should demonstrate strong project management, cost-effectiveness, resource contribution, accountability to communities, security risk management, and the ability to operate in challenging environments.

Conclusion

The UNHCR partnership opportunity in Burkina Faso seeks to create a more integrated and inclusive humanitarian response for people affected by forced displacement, statelessness, and complex population movements.

By combining protection, health, education, GBV prevention and response, child protection, social cohesion, community engagement, and SEA prevention, the initiative aims to address interconnected vulnerabilities while strengthening local systems and capacities.

Organizations with strong protection expertise, local relationships, data capabilities, community accountability systems, and experience operating in challenging environments are well positioned to develop proposals aligned with the partnership’s objectives.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.