UNOPS Social Services Work Package

Mozambique continues to experience the impact of a terrorist-influenced insurgency in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, which has threatened peace, security, and socio-economic progress in the north, and fueled a severe humanitarian and internal displacement crisis. Among the displaced, approximately 1.2 million people need protection support; including 544,000 children, while over 824,000 people are in need of gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response services. Children and women are particularly vulnerable and face adverse effects on their mental and physical health, as they are at heightened risk of experiencing GBV and child or early forced marriage due to the precarious living situation and strained economic circumstances.

Under the Social Services Work Package led by the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS) and funded by the World Bank via the Northern Crisis Recovery Project (NCRP), World Education Bantwana aims to improve access to basic services and economic opportunities for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities in two southern districts of Cabo Delgado (Metuge and Ancuabe).

World Education Bantwana, and its regional partner REPSSI, are currently providing technical assistance (TA) to Cabo Delgado-based Mozambican NGOs, Fundação Wiwanana and PROMURA, to improve access to social services for IDPs and create community-based support and referral mechanisms. We are developing the capacity of communities and service providers to identify, prevent and respond to mental health and psychosocial support services (MPHSS) and GBV, and provide and refer IDPs to social services that foster resilience building. World Education Bantwana is also providing overall program and financial management TA, and Monitoring & Evaluation capacity strengthening to both Mozambican implementing partners.

The Social Services Work Package overall objective is to enhance the recovery from trauma and prevent the occurrence and/or perpetuation of traumatic experiences among community members in Cabo Delgado. The project will achieve the following results:

1. Result 1: Mental health and PSS provided to IDPs (especially women, children, survivors of GBV, OVC/child headed households).
2. Result 2: Support and assistance provided to survivors of GBV.
3. Result 3: Capacity of social service providers to provide MHPSS and GBV response services built.
4. Result 4: Community-level child protection mechanisms strengthened.