Coordination Assistant

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations. 2025 Voluntary National Review consultations led by NITI Aayog & supported by the UN in India, explicitly prioritized Scheduled Tribes & Adivasis among 13 critical Leave No One Behind groups. These consultations highlighted persistent gaps in capacity, access & meaningful representation for tribal youth, underscoring the urgent need for targeted investments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. In alignment with Youth2030: The UN Youth Strategy (Phase 2: 2025–2030) which places youth at the centre of global transformation & SDG acceleration, the UN in India is launching a structured, first-of-its-kind one-UN initiative: the Adi Yuva Fellowship. This innovative programme will bring together the expertise of UN agencies to mentor, train, & place tribal and marginalised youth in impactful roles across government & development sectors at central, state, & district levels through the UN Volunteers modality. The fellowship will offer paid, well-supported opportunities, aiming to build a future workforce that is inclusive, empowered & representative.

The Coordination Assistant under the Adi Yuva Fellowship initiative is strategically aligned with Youth2030: The UN Youth Strategy (Phase 2: 2025–2030), which positions youth as essential partners in SDG acceleration.It is designed to directly complement & support the Government of India’s flagship national initiative-the PMJANMAN (Prime Minister’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) Development Mission). The mission’s goal to saturate PVTG households with basic facilities, secure livelihoods & socio-economic empowerment provides a critical framework for aligned & synergistic UN action. Odisha, with its lush landscapes & rich cultural heritage, has been home to a diverse group of tribal communities for centuries. The state boasts 62 distinct tribal communities, each with its rich and unique cultural heritage, social norms & traditions, languages & lifestyles contribute significantly to the social, economic & cultural fabric. With a large tribal population, state ranks third in the most tribal-dominated states in India. The tribal population in Odisha constitutes about 23% of the state’s total population, with a variety of tribes, languages & customs that have been preserved for centuries. a) The statistics below highlight the significant presence and diversity of tribal communities in Odisha. - Total Tribal Population: According to the 2011 Census, Odisha has a tribal population of 9,590,756, which constitutes 22.85% of the state’s total population. - Number of Tribal Communities: Odisha officially recognizes 62 distinct tribes, including 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), which is highest in the country. - Top District by Tribal Population: Malkangiri district has the highest percentage of tribal population at 57.4%. - Lowest District by Tribal Population: Puri district has the lowest percentage of tribal population at 0.3%. - Language Diversity: The 64 Scheduled Tribes in Odisha speak as many as 74 dialects. b) Some of the major challenges found in the tribal areas of Odisha are as follows: - Poverty and Underdevelopment: Many tribal areas in Odisha face significant economic marginalization, with high levels of poverty, malnutrition, and unemployment. Access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and clean drinking water remains limited in many remote tribal areas. - Health Issues: Tribal populations in Odisha often have limited access to healthcare services, leading to high mortality rates, malnutrition, and the spread of diseases. Traditional healing methods coexist with the formal healthcare system, but there is often mistrust of modern medicine. - Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing: Tribal adolescents and young people may face psychosocial stress, anxiety/depression, substance use vulnerabilities and stress related to poverty, discrimination and limited access to services. Stigma and myths often prevent help-seeking and timely referral. - Child Rights Violations: Issues such as child marriage, child labour, high infant mortality, and lack of education remain prevalent in some tribal areas. These challenges hinder the development and well-being of tribal children. The significant challenges, pertaining to realization of child rights and wellbeing, calls for an inclusive social and behaviour change strategy.

The UN Volunteer will support the Social and Behaviour Change section in strengthening the engagement with the tribal communities in Odisha, especially the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). The UN Volunteer will work under the direct supervision of the Social and Behaviour Change Specialist (SBC). Technical guidance will be provided by the Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, Education and WASH sectors. The UN Volunteer will support the following tasks: 1. Mapping and analysis: - Mapping of tribal population with focus on PVTGs across Odisha. - Analyze health, nutrition, WASH, education, and child protection issues affecting tribal women, children and adolescents - Analyse existing communication or SBC strategies available in the government departments aimed at tribal population - Use secondary data to document mental health vis a vis mental illness issues existing in the communities that are affecting tribal adolescents and young people - Identify the linkages between the social norms, traditional practices and stigma and discrimination due to mental health - Map psycho-social support services such as including services through Health, Education, Child Protection and community-based platforms to address the mental health issues affecting women, children, adolescent and youth people. 2. Programme support and strategy development: - Support in preparation of SBC strategy for engagement with tribal communities - Support integration of adolescents’ mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in the SBC strategy for engagement with tribal communities, including approaches for stigma reduction and enabling care-seeking and referral. - Support and coordinate stakeholder consultations with tribal institutions. 3. Capacity development: - Support in developing training modules for capacity strengthening of frontline functionaries, peer educators, youth platforms, PRI members and traditional healers on maternal and child health, nutrition, child protection and basic adolescent mental health literacy for reducing stigma and discrimination. 4. Documentation and knowledge management: - Support in documenting case studies, human interest stories, knowledge products focusing on PVTGs and their dissemination to the key stakeholders for upstream advocacy - Assist in preparing learning notes on effective community actions to reduce mental health stigma, address myths and misconceptions, and improve psychosocial support service uptake and referrals among the parents, adolescent and young people.