RFAs: Strengthening Protection for Displaced Persons and Host Communities in Burkina Faso

Deadline: 27-Sep-2026

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking qualified organizations in Burkina Faso to strengthen protection for forcibly displaced people, individuals at risk of statelessness, and host communities. The initiative focuses on integrated protection monitoring, gender-based violence prevention and response, child protection, case management, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, and community-based protection mechanisms.

The program is designed for organizations with proven experience working in complex humanitarian environments, particularly those with expertise in protection monitoring, community-based protection, gender-based violence, and case management. Applicants should have a strong local presence, established relationships with authorities and communities, and the operational capacity to work in hard-to-reach areas.

What Is the UNHCR Burkina Faso Call for Expression of Interest?

The UNHCR call seeks partners capable of implementing integrated protection interventions for vulnerable populations affected by displacement and humanitarian crises in Burkina Faso.

The initiative aims to improve the protection environment for:

• Refugees
• Asylum seekers
• Internally displaced persons (IDPs)
• Returnees
• People at risk of statelessness
• Vulnerable migrants
• Host communities
• People with specific protection needs

The intervention combines monitoring, prevention, referrals, case management, community engagement, and access to essential services.

Background: Displacement and Protection Challenges in Burkina Faso

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

The crisis has resulted in:

• More than two million internally displaced persons
• Tens of thousands of refugees and asylum seekers
• Increased pressure on basic services
• Greater vulnerability among displaced populations
• Significant pressure on host communities sharing limited resources

Many refugees and asylum seekers in the country originate primarily from Mali.

The humanitarian situation has also been complicated by security restrictions, logistical challenges, and reduced humanitarian presence resulting from funding constraints.

Focus on Liptako and Soum

The regions of Liptako and Soum are particularly important areas for the intervention.

These regions serve as reception and transit areas for different groups of people on the move, including:

• Asylum seekers
• Refugees
• Returnees
• Vulnerable migrants
• Internally displaced populations

Protection organizations operating in these areas may face difficult access conditions and significant security and logistical challenges.

The call therefore seeks organizations with the capacity to operate effectively in complex and hard-to-reach environments.

Objectives of the Intervention

The overall objective is to reinforce protection mechanisms for displaced and vulnerable populations while strengthening the ability of communities and local actors to respond to protection risks.

Key objectives include:

• Strengthening protection monitoring.
• Improving identification of protection risks.
• Preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
• Strengthening child protection.
• Preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Improving case management.
• Supporting people with specific needs.
• Strengthening community-based protection mechanisms.
• Improving access to multisectoral services.
• Promoting social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
• Supporting gender equality and inclusive participation.

Protection Monitoring

Protection monitoring will be an important component of the program.

Partners will be expected to contribute to better collection and analysis of information concerning protection risks affecting displaced populations and host communities.

Improved monitoring can help humanitarian actors:

• Identify emerging protection concerns.
• Understand risks affecting different population groups.
• Detect vulnerable individuals at an early stage.
• Strengthen referrals.
• Support evidence-based humanitarian responses.
• Improve coordination with relevant authorities and service providers.

Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response

The program places significant emphasis on preventing and responding to gender-based violence (GBV).

Activities are expected to strengthen access to appropriate services for survivors while supporting prevention measures within affected communities.

The intervention will seek to improve:

• Early identification of survivors and people at risk
• Referral mechanisms
• Case management
• Access to multisectoral services
• Community awareness
• Prevention of violence
• Gender equality

A survivor-centered and protection-focused approach will be important when implementing GBV-related activities.

Child Protection

Child protection is another key component of the proposed intervention.

Partners will contribute to identifying children exposed to protection risks and facilitating appropriate support and referrals.

The approach is intended to strengthen mechanisms that protect vulnerable children within displaced and host communities.

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

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

Organizations will need to support safe and accountable mechanisms that help prevent exploitation and abuse and enable affected people to access appropriate reporting and response systems.

Case Management

Effective case management will help identify vulnerable individuals and connect them with appropriate protection and other services.

This can include:

• Identifying people at heightened risk
• Assessing individual protection needs
• Referring cases to relevant services
• Following up on vulnerable individuals
• Coordinating support across service providers

Strong referral systems will be particularly important in areas where access to services is limited.

Inclusion of People With Specific Needs

The program seeks to ensure that people with specific protection needs are not excluded from humanitarian assistance.

Partners should be able to identify vulnerable individuals and facilitate access to appropriate services and support.

The intervention also promotes inclusive participation of different groups in community-level protection and social cohesion activities.

Community-Based Protection Mechanisms

Community-based approaches are central to the intervention.

The program aims to strengthen existing community protection mechanisms and encourage affected communities to participate in identifying and addressing protection risks.

Community-based protection can help:

• Identify risks early.
• Improve referrals.
• Strengthen local protection networks.
• Increase community participation.
• Improve communication between communities and humanitarian actors.
• Promote locally appropriate solutions.

Social Cohesion and Peaceful Coexistence

The initiative also seeks to promote social cohesion and peaceful coexistence between displaced populations and host communities.

Displacement can place significant pressure on limited resources and services, potentially increasing tensions between communities.

The program therefore encourages initiatives that support:

• Peaceful coexistence
• Community dialogue
• Gender equality
• Inclusive participation
• Collaboration between communities and local authorities
• Participation of women and youth
• Stronger relationships between displaced and host populations

Participation of Women, Youth and Local Authorities

The program promotes inclusive participation in social cohesion initiatives.

Particular emphasis is placed on involving:

• Women
• Youth
• Local authorities
• Host communities
• Displaced populations

Their participation can help ensure that social cohesion activities reflect local priorities and involve people directly affected by displacement and protection challenges.

Expected Results

The intervention is expected to generate several important protection outcomes.

Improved Protection Data

Better collection and analysis of protection information will help identify risks and inform humanitarian decision-making.

Early Identification and Referral

Vulnerable people and individuals facing protection risks should be identified earlier and referred to appropriate services.

Stronger Community Protection

Community-based mechanisms will be strengthened so that communities can play a more active role in identifying and addressing protection concerns.

Better Access to Services

Survivors of violence and vulnerable groups should have improved access to relevant multisectoral services.

Greater Social Cohesion

The program aims to contribute to peaceful coexistence, gender equality, and inclusive community participation.

Who Can Apply?

The call is intended for organizations capable of delivering protection-focused humanitarian interventions in Burkina Faso.

Eligible organizations should demonstrate experience in areas such as:

• Protection monitoring
• Community-based protection
• Case management
• Gender-based violence prevention and response
• Child protection
• Humanitarian protection
• Community engagement
• Work in complex humanitarian environments

Applicants should be able to demonstrate that they have the organizational and operational capacity required for the proposed intervention.

Organizational Experience Requirements

Strong applicants should demonstrate:

• Proven technical expertise in protection programming.
• Experience working in complex humanitarian contexts.
• A strong local presence in relevant areas.
• Established relationships with communities.
• Partnerships with relevant authorities.
• Experience working with vulnerable and displaced populations.
• Capacity to operate in hard-to-reach locations.
• Effective project management systems.
• Strong accountability mechanisms.
• Ability to manage security risks.

Local Presence and Community Partnerships

A strong local presence is particularly important for this opportunity.

Organizations should demonstrate established relationships with local authorities and communities and an understanding of the local protection environment.

Existing community networks can help organizations identify protection risks, facilitate referrals, and implement activities in areas where humanitarian access may be difficult.

Operating in Hard-to-Reach Areas

Security and logistical constraints are significant challenges in parts of Burkina Faso.

Organizations applying for the partnership should therefore demonstrate the capacity to safely operate in hard-to-reach areas.

Applicants should be able to show:

• Appropriate security-management capacity
• Operational experience in difficult environments
• Local networks
• Logistical capacity
• Risk-management procedures
• Ability to maintain services despite access constraints

Project Management and Accountability

Effective project management will be an important consideration.

Organizations should demonstrate their ability to:

• Plan and implement activities effectively.
• Manage resources responsibly.
• Monitor project performance.
• Maintain appropriate documentation.
• Report on results.
• Ensure accountability to affected communities.
• Deliver activities cost-effectively.

Cost-Effectiveness

Applicants should demonstrate that proposed activities represent good value for resources invested.

Budgets should be realistic and clearly linked to the proposed activities and expected results.

Organizations should avoid unnecessary costs and explain how available resources will contribute directly to protection outcomes.

Cash and In-Kind Contributions

Applicants that provide cash or in-kind contributions should clearly document and justify these contributions.

In-kind contributions may include:

• Human resources
• Equipment
• Other relevant operational resources

Any contribution included in the project should be appropriately explained and connected to implementation needs.

How to Prepare a Strong Expression of Interest

Organizations should build their expression of interest around the protection needs and operational realities of the target areas.

A strong submission should clearly demonstrate:

• Relevant protection expertise.
• Experience with displaced and vulnerable populations.
• Knowledge of the local context.
• Experience in protection monitoring and case management.
• GBV prevention and response capacity.
• Community-based protection experience.
• Relationships with local authorities and communities.
• Capacity to operate in hard-to-reach areas.
• Strong security-management procedures.
• Effective project-management systems.
• Accountability to affected communities.
• Cost-effective implementation.
• Clearly documented cash or in-kind contributions, where applicable.

Common Areas Applicants Should Address

Before submitting an expression of interest, organizations should assess whether they can provide evidence of:

• Technical protection capacity
• Local operational presence
• Community acceptance
• Authority partnerships
• Human-resource capacity
• Security-management systems
• Monitoring and reporting systems
• Referral networks
• Case-management capacity
• Financial and administrative controls
• Accountability mechanisms

Why This UNHCR Partnership Matters

Burkina Faso’s prolonged displacement crisis has placed significant pressure on displaced populations and host communities.

At the same time, insecurity and reduced humanitarian presence can make it more difficult to identify protection risks and connect vulnerable people with services.

By combining protection monitoring, community-based mechanisms, GBV response, child protection, case management, and social cohesion, the initiative seeks to create a more coordinated and locally grounded protection environment.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Organization: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• Country: Burkina Faso
• Opportunity type: Call for Expression of Interest
• Primary focus: Protection of forcibly displaced and vulnerable populations
• Target groups: Refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, people at risk of statelessness, vulnerable migrants, returnees, and host communities
• Key geographic focus: Liptako and Soum
• Core areas: Protection monitoring, GBV prevention and response, child protection, case management, SEA prevention and response
• Community approach: Community-based protection and social cohesion
• Additional priorities: Gender equality and inclusion
• Target partners: Organizations with relevant humanitarian and protection expertise
• Operational requirement: Capacity to work in complex and hard-to-reach areas
• Important organizational capacities: Project management, accountability, cost-effectiveness, security-risk management
• Contributions: Cash and in-kind contributions should be documented and justified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UNHCR Burkina Faso Call for Expression of Interest?

It is an opportunity for qualified organizations to partner with UNHCR to strengthen protection mechanisms for displaced people, people at risk of statelessness, and host communities in Burkina Faso.

Which populations will benefit from the program?

The intervention targets refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, returnees, vulnerable migrants, people at risk of statelessness, people with specific needs, and host communities.

What are the main activities?

The program focuses on protection monitoring, GBV prevention and response, child protection, case management, prevention and response to sexual exploitation and abuse, community-based protection, and social cohesion.

Which regions are particularly affected?

The intervention highlights Liptako and Soum, which serve as important reception and transit areas for people on the move.

What type of organizations should apply?

Organizations should have relevant expertise in protection monitoring, community-based protection, case management, GBV, and humanitarian work in complex environments.

Is local experience important?

Yes. Applicants should have a strong local presence and established relationships with authorities and communities.

Do organizations need to operate in hard-to-reach areas?

Applicants should demonstrate the capacity to operate safely and effectively in hard-to-reach areas, considering the security and logistical challenges in the country.

Are community-based approaches included?

Yes. Strengthening community-based protection mechanisms is a major component of the intervention.

Does the program promote social cohesion?

Yes. The initiative seeks to promote peaceful coexistence, gender equality, and inclusive participation of women, youth, local authorities, displaced populations, and host communities.

Can organizations provide in-kind contributions?

Yes. Contributions such as human resources or equipment can be considered, but they should be properly documented and justified.

Conclusion

The UNHCR Burkina Faso Call for Expression of Interest seeks capable organizations to strengthen protection systems for displaced populations, people at risk of statelessness, and host communities affected by the country’s prolonged humanitarian crisis.

The initiative combines protection monitoring, GBV and child protection, case management, community-based protection, social cohesion, and access to multisectoral services. Organizations with strong local networks, relevant technical expertise, humanitarian experience, and the ability to work safely in complex and hard-to-reach environments are well positioned to contribute to this effort.

For potential partners, the opportunity provides a way to support stronger local protection mechanisms while improving early identification, referrals, access to services, accountability, and peaceful coexistence among affected communities.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.