Details
Mission and objectives
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan, focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. UNFPA has been operating in India since 1974.
Context
The 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR) consultations, led by NITI Aayog and supported by the UN in India, prioritized 13 “Leave No One Behind” (LNOB) groups, including Scheduled Tribes and Adivasis, highlighting the urgent need to build capacities, ensure access, and foster meaningful representation for youth from tribal communities. The consultations identified critical gaps in skills, leadership opportunities, and systemic support for youth from tribal communities, emphasising the need for targeted career pathways and inclusive development strategies.
UNFPA works in partnership with tribal welfare departments at both national and state levels to advance the health, rights, and wellbeing of tribal populations, with a strong focus on adolescents, women, and youth. UNFPA supports life skills education, sexual and reproductive health awareness, and gender equality initiatives among youth from tribal communities through community-based and school based programmes.
In alignment with the UN Youth Strategy (Phase 2: 2025-2030) which places youth at the center of global transformation and SDG acceleration, the United Nations in India is supporting the Ministry of Tribal affairs in its the Adi Yuva programme, by providing youth from tribal communities an opportunity to be part of this innovative initiative. The programme will bring together the expertise of UN agencies to mentor and train youth from tribal communities to sharpen their knowledge and skills to enhance employment opportunities in the development sector , and also to create a more inclusive environment within the UN System in India.
The National UN Specialist Volunteer, located in an impactful role at the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in New Delhi, will assist in the health and well-being programme management including planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation. They will be responsible for the effective programme support and management on access to age appropriate, gender sensitive and socially inclusive information and services and linkages with other programme areas.
UNFPA works in partnership with tribal welfare departments at both national and state levels to advance the health, rights, and wellbeing of tribal populations, with a strong focus on adolescents, women, and youth. UNFPA supports life skills education, sexual and reproductive health awareness, and gender equality initiatives among youth from tribal communities through community-based and school based programmes.
In alignment with the UN Youth Strategy (Phase 2: 2025-2030) which places youth at the center of global transformation and SDG acceleration, the United Nations in India is supporting the Ministry of Tribal affairs in its the Adi Yuva programme, by providing youth from tribal communities an opportunity to be part of this innovative initiative. The programme will bring together the expertise of UN agencies to mentor and train youth from tribal communities to sharpen their knowledge and skills to enhance employment opportunities in the development sector , and also to create a more inclusive environment within the UN System in India.
The National UN Specialist Volunteer, located in an impactful role at the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in New Delhi, will assist in the health and well-being programme management including planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation. They will be responsible for the effective programme support and management on access to age appropriate, gender sensitive and socially inclusive information and services and linkages with other programme areas.
Task description
Under the direct supervision of the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and in coordination with the Adolescent and Youth unit – UNFPA Country Office, the UNV will perform the following tasks:
• Provide strategic, technical, and programmatic support for strengthening the Tribal Research Institute (TRI) ecosystem across States and Union Territories, with a focus on research, documentation, capacity building, knowledge management, and evidence-based tribal development.
• Support the Ministry in coordinating with Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs), Centres of Excellence (CoEs), academic institutions, universities, and research organizations engaged in tribal development, policy research, and cultural preservation.
• Assist in the review, appraisal, monitoring, and documentation of research studies, action research projects, pilot initiatives, and interventions undertaken by TRIs and Centres of Excellence.
• Support the identification and development of priority research themes related to tribal development, livelihoods, education, health, culture, governance, language preservation, traditional knowledge systems, and emerging issues affecting tribal communities.
• Assist in preparation of concept notes, project proposals, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), reports, policy briefs, knowledge products, presentations, and other programme-related documentation.
• Support the Ministry in strengthening research quality, promoting evidence-based policy formulation, and facilitating dissemination of research findings for improving programme implementation and tribal welfare outcomes.
• Assist in data collection, analysis, monitoring, and reporting related to TRI-supported activities, Centres of Excellence projects, and other initiatives undertaken by the Ministry.
• Facilitate organization of workshops, consultations, conferences, capacity-building programmes, thematic discussions, and knowledge-sharing platforms involving TRIs, CoEs, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
• Support initiatives related to preservation, promotion, and documentation of tribal culture, heritage, languages, traditional knowledge systems, customary practices, and community institutions.
• Assist in development of communication materials, training modules, briefing notes, compendiums, digital knowledge repositories, and awareness materials related to tribal development and research.
• Provide technical feedback and coordination support to State TRIs and Centres of Excellence to improve programme implementation, research outputs, institutional strengthening, and knowledge dissemination.
• Contribute to the development of monitoring frameworks, progress-tracking mechanisms, and institutional performance indicators for TRI and CoE initiatives.
• Support collaboration with national and international institutions, research organizations, universities, and subject matter experts for advancing research and innovation in tribal development.
• Undertake any other programme, coordination, research, documentation, monitoring, or administrative tasks assigned by the Ministry from time to time.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Contribute articles/ write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/ websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
• Provide strategic, technical, and programmatic support for strengthening the Tribal Research Institute (TRI) ecosystem across States and Union Territories, with a focus on research, documentation, capacity building, knowledge management, and evidence-based tribal development.
• Support the Ministry in coordinating with Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs), Centres of Excellence (CoEs), academic institutions, universities, and research organizations engaged in tribal development, policy research, and cultural preservation.
• Assist in the review, appraisal, monitoring, and documentation of research studies, action research projects, pilot initiatives, and interventions undertaken by TRIs and Centres of Excellence.
• Support the identification and development of priority research themes related to tribal development, livelihoods, education, health, culture, governance, language preservation, traditional knowledge systems, and emerging issues affecting tribal communities.
• Assist in preparation of concept notes, project proposals, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), reports, policy briefs, knowledge products, presentations, and other programme-related documentation.
• Support the Ministry in strengthening research quality, promoting evidence-based policy formulation, and facilitating dissemination of research findings for improving programme implementation and tribal welfare outcomes.
• Assist in data collection, analysis, monitoring, and reporting related to TRI-supported activities, Centres of Excellence projects, and other initiatives undertaken by the Ministry.
• Facilitate organization of workshops, consultations, conferences, capacity-building programmes, thematic discussions, and knowledge-sharing platforms involving TRIs, CoEs, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
• Support initiatives related to preservation, promotion, and documentation of tribal culture, heritage, languages, traditional knowledge systems, customary practices, and community institutions.
• Assist in development of communication materials, training modules, briefing notes, compendiums, digital knowledge repositories, and awareness materials related to tribal development and research.
• Provide technical feedback and coordination support to State TRIs and Centres of Excellence to improve programme implementation, research outputs, institutional strengthening, and knowledge dissemination.
• Contribute to the development of monitoring frameworks, progress-tracking mechanisms, and institutional performance indicators for TRI and CoE initiatives.
• Support collaboration with national and international institutions, research organizations, universities, and subject matter experts for advancing research and innovation in tribal development.
• Undertake any other programme, coordination, research, documentation, monitoring, or administrative tasks assigned by the Ministry from time to time.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Contribute articles/ write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/ websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
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