RFAs: Advancing Child-Centred Policy and Advocacy Through Evidence (India)

Deadline: 24-Jun-2026

UNICEF invites expressions of interest to support initiatives that strengthen child-centred policy engagement, advocacy and accountability in Uttar Pradesh, India. The initiative focuses on evidence-based policy advocacy, strategic communication, stakeholder collaboration, media engagement, knowledge products and citizen accountability mechanisms for children and adolescents.

The project aims to translate research and data into actionable policy insights while encouraging informed public dialogue and stronger partnerships among government institutions, academia, civil society, youth, media and development partners. It will help create an enabling environment for improved policies, programmes and investments for vulnerable and marginalized children.

Programme Overview

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund invites expressions of interest for initiatives that support child-centred policy engagement and advocacy in Uttar Pradesh, India.

The opportunity is focused on strengthening how evidence, data and research are used in policy dialogue and decision-making.

The initiative will support organisations and stakeholders working to improve outcomes for children and adolescents through better policies, stronger accountability and more informed public discourse.

Main Objective

The main objective is to strengthen child-centred policy engagement, advocacy and accountability through evidence-based approaches.

The initiative aims to:

• Improve the use of evidence in policy decisions
• Support child-focused advocacy
• Build stronger partnerships among stakeholders
• Promote public dialogue on child rights and development
• Strengthen accountability and citizen engagement
• Support policies and investments for vulnerable children
• Translate research into practical policy recommendations

Key Focus Areas

The initiative covers a wide range of social policy, advocacy and communication priorities.

Key focus areas include:

• Social policy and advocacy
• Policy advocacy
• Evidence-based decision-making
• Data utilization
• Research translation
• Policy and advocacy products
• Multi-stakeholder dialogue
• Strategic communication
• Media engagement
• Digital campaigns
• Opinion pieces
• Podcasts
• Knowledge products
• Accountability mechanisms
• Citizen engagement
• Stakeholder capacity strengthening
• Coalition building
• Partnerships
• Collective action for child-centred priorities

Background and Context

India has made significant progress in advancing the rights, protection and well-being of children and adolescents.

This progress has been supported by policy commitments, innovative programmes and investments in human development.

However, many children, especially vulnerable and marginalized children, continue to face barriers linked to poverty, exclusion, access to services and unequal opportunities.

The initiative aims to build on existing progress by strengthening evidence-informed decision-making and coordinated action among stakeholders working on child rights and development.

Why Evidence-Based Policy Advocacy Matters

Evidence-based policy advocacy uses research, data and field insights to influence decisions, policies and investments.

For child-centred development, this approach is important because it helps decision-makers understand:

• What challenges children face
• Which groups are most vulnerable
• What interventions are working
• Where policy gaps remain
• Which investments can create stronger outcomes
• How programmes can become more inclusive and effective

By making evidence easier to understand and use, the initiative can help improve policy attention to children’s needs.

What the Initiative Will Support

The project will support activities that turn research and evidence into practical advocacy and policy tools.

Supported activities may include:

• Developing policy briefs
• Preparing advocacy products
• Creating knowledge products
• Producing data-driven communication materials
• Supporting public dialogue
• Organising stakeholder consultations
• Building coalitions and partnerships
• Strengthening media engagement
• Supporting digital campaigns
• Producing opinion pieces and podcasts
• Creating accountability and citizen engagement mechanisms
• Building stakeholder capacity to use evidence and data

Policy and Advocacy Products

A major part of the initiative is the development and dissemination of accessible policy and advocacy products.

These products should help stakeholders understand evidence and apply it to decision-making.

Examples may include:

• Policy briefs
• Issue notes
• Evidence summaries
• Advocacy toolkits
• Data explainers
• Infographics
• Case studies
• Public communication materials
• Media briefs
• Digital campaign content
• Knowledge reports

The goal is to make child-related evidence clear, practical and useful for policy dialogue.

Strategic Communication and Media Engagement

The initiative will use strategic communication to increase awareness and strengthen public discourse on child-centred priorities.

Communication activities may include:

• Media engagement
• Digital campaigns
• Opinion pieces
• Podcasts
• Public messaging
• Storytelling
• Knowledge dissemination
• Stakeholder communication
• Campaigns on child rights and development issues

These activities will help bring evidence-based messages to wider audiences, including policymakers, media, civil society and the public.

Stakeholder Collaboration

The project will promote collaboration among multiple stakeholders working on children’s rights and development.

Key stakeholders may include:

• Government institutions
• Academic institutions
• Civil society organizations
• Youth groups
• Media organisations
• Development partners
• Policy experts
• Community-based actors
• Advocacy networks

Multi-stakeholder collaboration can help build shared understanding, strengthen accountability and encourage collective action for children.

Accountability and Citizen Engagement

The initiative will support innovative accountability and citizen engagement approaches.

These mechanisms can help communities, young people and stakeholders participate in policy dialogue and track progress on child-centred priorities.

Accountability approaches may include:

• Citizen feedback mechanisms
• Community consultations
• Youth engagement platforms
• Public dialogue forums
• Social accountability tools
• Participatory monitoring
• Stakeholder review meetings
• Evidence-based advocacy coalitions

These approaches can strengthen transparency and ensure that children’s issues remain visible in policy and programme discussions.

Who Can Participate?

The opportunity is suitable for organisations and institutions with experience in social policy, advocacy, research translation, communications or accountability.

Potential applicants may include organisations with capacity in:

• Child rights advocacy
• Social policy analysis
• Evidence-based policy engagement
• Strategic communication
• Media engagement
• Research and knowledge management
• Digital campaigns
• Coalition building
• Stakeholder convening
• Citizen engagement
• Youth participation
• Accountability mechanisms

Applicants should be able to work with diverse stakeholders in Uttar Pradesh and support child-centred development priorities.

Expected Outcomes

The initiative is expected to strengthen evidence-informed advocacy and policy engagement for children and adolescents.

Expected outcomes may include:

• Better use of evidence in decision-making
• Stronger child-focused policy dialogue
• More accessible policy and advocacy products
• Improved stakeholder collaboration
• Greater public awareness of child-centred issues
• Stronger accountability and citizen engagement
• Increased participation of youth and civil society
• Sustained policy attention to vulnerable and marginalized children
• Improved communication around child rights and development priorities

Why This Initiative Matters

This initiative matters because evidence alone does not always lead to better policy unless it is clearly communicated, accessible and connected to decision-making spaces.

Children’s issues require sustained attention from policymakers, communities, media and development actors.

By strengthening advocacy, communication and accountability systems, the initiative can help ensure that child-centred priorities remain visible and actionable.

It is especially important for vulnerable and marginalized children who may face greater barriers to services, protection and opportunities.

How the Initiative Works

The initiative will support evidence-based advocacy and engagement activities in Uttar Pradesh.

Step 1: Identify Priority Child-Centred Issues

Applicants should identify key child rights and development issues that require stronger policy attention.

These may relate to children’s wellbeing, protection, health, education, social inclusion or adolescent development.

Step 2: Use Evidence and Data

Applicants should use credible evidence, research and data to support advocacy messages.

Evidence should be translated into practical insights that policymakers and stakeholders can understand and use.

Step 3: Develop Accessible Knowledge Products

The project should produce clear and user-friendly policy and advocacy materials.

These products should be designed for different audiences, including government officials, media, civil society, youth and development partners.

Step 4: Engage Stakeholders

The initiative should bring together relevant stakeholders for dialogue, collaboration and collective action.

This may include consultations, workshops, roundtables, policy discussions and coalition-building activities.

Step 5: Strengthen Public Communication

Applicants should use strategic communication tools to promote informed public discourse.

This may include media engagement, digital campaigns, podcasts, opinion pieces and public-facing knowledge products.

Step 6: Support Accountability Mechanisms

The project should include approaches that strengthen citizen engagement and accountability.

This may involve feedback systems, participatory platforms, youth engagement or community-based monitoring.

Step 7: Build Stakeholder Capacity

The initiative should strengthen the ability of stakeholders to use evidence and data in advocacy and decision-making.

Capacity-building activities may support government actors, civil society, youth groups, media or local partners.

Step 8: Promote Sustained Policy Attention

The project should help keep child-centred priorities visible in public and policy spaces.

This includes supporting long-term partnerships, regular dialogue and practical advocacy strategies.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid the following mistakes:

• Presenting advocacy activities without a clear evidence base
• Producing research outputs that are too technical for policymakers
• Failing to define target audiences clearly
• Ignoring vulnerable and marginalized children
• Treating communication as publicity rather than policy engagement
• Not including citizen or youth participation
• Providing weak plans for stakeholder collaboration
• Failing to explain how knowledge products will be used
• Overlooking media and digital engagement opportunities
• Submitting vague accountability approaches
• Not linking activities to child-centred policy priorities

Tips for a Strong Expression of Interest

A strong expression of interest should:

• Clearly identify child-centred policy priorities
• Use credible evidence and data
• Explain how research will be translated into policy insights
• Include practical communication strategies
• Show experience in advocacy and stakeholder engagement
• Demonstrate capacity to work in Uttar Pradesh
• Include media and digital outreach approaches
• Promote youth and citizen participation
• Build partnerships across sectors
• Address vulnerable and marginalized children
• Present clear expected outcomes and accountability mechanisms

FAQ

1. What is UNICEF inviting expressions of interest for?

UNICEF is inviting expressions of interest to support initiatives that strengthen child-centred policy engagement, advocacy and accountability in Uttar Pradesh, India.

2. What is the main focus of the initiative?

The main focus is to improve evidence-based policy advocacy, strategic communication, stakeholder collaboration and accountability for child-centred priorities.

3. Where will the initiative be implemented?

The initiative will focus on Uttar Pradesh, India.

4. What types of activities may be supported?

Activities may include policy briefs, advocacy products, media engagement, digital campaigns, opinion pieces, podcasts, stakeholder dialogues, knowledge products, citizen engagement and capacity strengthening.

5. Who are the key stakeholders?

Key stakeholders include government institutions, academia, civil society organizations, youth, media and development partners.

6. Why is evidence important for child-centred policy advocacy?

Evidence helps policymakers understand children’s needs, identify gaps, design better programmes and invest in solutions that improve outcomes for children and adolescents.

7. What outcomes does the initiative seek?

The initiative seeks stronger evidence-informed decision-making, improved public discourse, better stakeholder collaboration, stronger accountability and sustained policy attention to vulnerable and marginalized children.

Conclusion

UNICEF’s expression of interest in Uttar Pradesh aims to strengthen child-centred policy engagement, advocacy and accountability through evidence-based approaches.

The initiative will help translate research into practical policy insights, support strategic communication and build stronger collaboration among government, academia, civil society, youth, media and development partners.

By making evidence more accessible and actionable, the project can contribute to improved policies, programmes and investments for children and adolescents, especially those who are vulnerable and marginalized.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.