LRPS-2026-9205017 Child-Sensitivity Assessment of National Disaster Risk Reduction Policies and Early Warning
UNICEF Thailand is seeking a qualified institutional contractor to conduct a Child-Sensitivity Assessment of National Disaster Risk Reduction Policies and Early Warning System in Thailand
1.Background
Thailand faces increasing climate and disaster risks including floods, heatwaves, storms, and environmental problems that disproportionately impact children’s survival, health, learning, and protection. According to UNICEF’s 2023 report1, approximately 93.9% of children are exposed to three or more types of hazards, underscoring the need to systematically integrate child-sensitive approaches into disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies.
While Thailand is aligned with global frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, gaps remain in translating these commitments into practice particularly within Early Warning Systems (EWS) and disaster governance. UNICEF’s Impact Assessment on Climate Change and Environmental Degradation on Children in Thailand (2023) indicates that child-specific needs are not systematically embedded in DRR policies, institutional mandates, or communication systems, limiting the effectiveness of early warnings, disaster risk reduction and emergency responses in reaching children and vulnerable groups.
A Child-Sensitivity Assessment is therefore critical to identify policy, institutional, and operational gaps including early warning governance, coordination, and communication. It will generate evidence from both national systems and provincial level perspectives, ensuring children’s needs and voices are reflected.
The assessment aims to conduct a mid-term assessment of the current National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Plan (2021-2027) and its implementation, coordination mechanism and budget flow at national and provincial level including its relevant national frameworks. The assessment will be aligned with the upcoming development of the New National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Plan (2028-2032), and the revision of 10-Year Strategic Development Framework of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (2028-2037). To ensure findings feed into the administration responsible for services to children, child protection, welfare, including decision making processes to be more inclusive and child-sensitive, and able to identify practical entry points to mainstream child-focused approaches across key government agencies.
2.Objectives, Purpose & Expected Results
UNICEF Thailand is seeking for an institutional contractor to conduct A Child-Sensitivity Assessment of National Disaster Risk Reduction Policies and Early Warning Systems in Thailand. The contract is expected to start from September 2026 to April 2027.
3.Description of the Assignment
The assignment includes the following:
1 UNICEF EAPRO’s 2023 Over the Tipping Point Report: https://www.unicef.org/asia-pacific/reports/over-tipping-point
a)Child-sensitive assessment criteria, indicators or matrix
Develop a child-sensitivity assessment criteria, indicators or matrix framework to provide a standardized methodology for assessing the extent to which national disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies, plans, and guidelines address the rights, needs, and vulnerabilities of children. The assessment framework should be aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and UNICEF's Guidance on Risk-Informed Programming (GRIP)2.
b)Policy, Plans and Regulations Review
Review Thailand’s national DRR policies e.g. National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Plan 2021-2027, and its relevant regulations, plans and guidelines on child-focused social services (i.e., early childhood development (ECD) and education, health, mental health and psychosocial support, social protection and child protection), Mapping of key decision-makers, institutional roles and accountability among relevant line ministries, coordination and operational mechanisms, financial and non-financial resource flows, data used for decision making, government and non-government capacities for disaster preparedness, response and recovery mechanism at national and provincial levels. The consultant should use the developed child-sensitive assessment framework to assess the extent to which policies are child-sensitive.
c)Early Warning Governance Analysis
Map and analyze the national early warning system (EWS) ’s governance architecture to understand the four pillars of people-centered early warning system of 1) Risk knowledge 2) Monitoring and Detection 3) Warning Dissemination and Communication and 4) Response Capacity , using child-sensitive assessment framework to assess for effectiveness, coverage and the extent to which it is comprehensive integrate children related risk data, risk communication to children and families, children living with non-biological parents, children in the context of migration, children from Ethnic minorities and children with disabilities, anticipatory action and response mechanisms across institutional mandates, operational protocols, and coordination structures from national to provincial and community levels, including the coordination with child-focused sectors e.g., education, ECD, health, mental health and psychosocial support and social protection.
d)Gap and Challenge Assessment
Assess gaps and challenges in the child-sensitive policy landscape and its implementation within Thailand’s DRR framework and National Early Warning System (EWS), including governance arrangements, mandates and responsibility across relevant government agencies, budgetary, data and evidence, staff capacity, constraints, and coordination bottlenecks. The assessment will identify systemic, institutional, policy and operational barriers that constrain the effectiveness of EPR/DRR policy, coordination structures, resources and mandates, as well as EWS and emergency communication for vulnerable populations, especially children.
e)Strategic Policy Recommendations
Develop a strategic policy framework for UNICEF Thailand, outlining priority areas and measurable outcomes, accountable government agencies/stakeholders. Identify strategic entry points and actionable recommendations to integrate child-sensitive approaches into the development of the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Plan (2028–2032) and the revision of the Department of Disaster Prevention and
2 UNICEF Guidance for Risk-informed Programming (GRIP). A child-centred framework for integrating risk-informed approaches into humanitarian and development programming, covering risks related to conflict, disasters, climate change, epidemics, and economic instability. UNICEF Guidance for Risk-Informed Programming | UNICEF
Mitigation's 10-Year Strategic Development Framework (2028–2037), where feasible, propose specific provisions, priorities, and implementation mechanisms where the assessment findings can be incorporated.
4.Methodology
Design methodology for data collection including conducting a stakeholder consultation workshop.
Design appropriate methodology for this assessment e.g., policy assessment, legal review, budget
and financial flow review, data collection e.g., key informant interview, FGDs with key stakeholders, decision makers at both national and provincial levels to gain qualitative insights on child-sensitive DRR governance, accessibility and inclusiveness of early warning systems (EWS), effectiveness of risk communication, and child-specific protection needs. Ensure adherence to ethical standards and apply a systematic analysis to identify key gaps and challenges, including leading and facilitating a stakeholder consultation workshop.
5.Deliverables and timeline
DELIVERABLES Estimated timeline of deliverable
Deliverable 1:
- Inception report, which includes methodology, report outlines, and timelines in English.
- Develop a draft child-sensitivity assessment criteria, indicators or matrix in English. Within the second week of October 2026
Deliverable 2:
- Conduct a stakeholder consultation workshop with DDPM and relevant agencies in Thai to validate the assessment methodology, refine the assessment framework, and identify key data sources and information gaps.
- Submission of 1st draft in English including the analysis of data collection.
- Develop a draft strategic policy framework for UNICEF Thailand with priority actions and key government stakeholders. Identify strategic entry points to integrate child-sensitive approaches into the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Plan (2028–2032) and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation's 10-Year Strategic Development Framework (2028–2037) in English. Within the first week of February 2027
Deliverable 3:
- Submission of the final Child-Sensitivity Assessment of National Disaster Risk Reduction Policies and Early Warning Systems in Thailand including a strategic policy framework for UNICEF Thailand with priority actions and key government stakeholders, with professionally edited Thai and English versions.
- Submission of 1-2 pages of a policy brief in Thai and English.
- Submission of a short presentation summarizing the key findings, and recommendations in Thai and English. Within the first week of March 2027
NB: The timeline indicated above is estimated and shall be agreed between UNICEF and the awarded contractor during the planning phase to align with the overall schedule
6.Reporting requirements
Besides the reports as part of deliverables indicated above, online meetings between UNICEF and the contractor are required for update on progress and development.
Note: All reports as part of the deliverables (such as inception report, draft report and final report) must meet the quality standards of UNICEF.
- Methodological rigor will be given significant consideration in assessing the quality of deliverables. In terms of ethical compliance, the research should be guided by the UNICEF Procedure on Ethical Standards in Research, Evaluation, Data Collection and Analysis (https://www.unicef.org/evaluation/media/1786/file/UNICEF%20Procedure%20on%20Ethical%20S tandards%20in%20Research,%20Evaluation,%20Data%20Collection%20and%20Analysis.pdf) Where applicable, the approval of an ethical review board will be a prerequisite for the research and must be obtained during the inception phase.
7.Location and Duration
- The assignment duration is foreseen from September 2026 to March 2027, during which time all tasks are expected to be completed and all deliverables achieved. The detailed timeline will be agreed between UNICEF and the contractor. Bidders are expected to include their specific timeline in the technical proposal, which is subject to review and approval by UNICEF.
- The assignment will be mostly completed at the contractor’s premises. The contractor will be responsible for acquiring resources and facilities required for its completion, including any travel arrangements.
- In-country travel may be required based on the proposed methodology.
For full details, please refer to the attached Annex B - Terms of Reference.
This tender will be run through the UNICEF e-submissions system (UNGM).
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Should you have any questions against this solicitation, please submit your queries to thl-ml-bkksupply@unicef.org - no later than 5 August 2026 so that all queries could be clarified and circulated to all bidders before the deadline.
The closing date of e-submission on UNGM is 14 August 2026 at 10.00 AM Bangkok time.
We look forward to receiving your proposals within the given timeline.
Best regards,
UNICEF Supply team