CFAs: Strengthening Child Protection and Adolescent Mental Health in Maharashtra (India)

Deadline: 15-Jun-2026

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is inviting applications to strengthen child protection systems and improve adolescent mental health in vulnerable districts of Maharashtra, India. The initiative focuses on community-based action, early identification of vulnerabilities, psychosocial support, prevention of harmful practices, and improved referral systems for children and adolescents.

The programme specifically targets vulnerable populations in districts such as Jalna and Nashik, with special attention to indigenous communities and those affected by climate-related distress and migration. The initiative aims to strengthen community systems, train frontline workers and youth volunteers, and expand mental health outreach to caregivers and adolescents across vulnerable Gram Panchayats.

What is the UNICEF Maharashtra Child Protection and Mental Health Initiative?

UNICEF Maharashtra has launched a child protection and adolescent wellbeing initiative aimed at strengthening community systems that support vulnerable children and adolescents in Maharashtra.

The programme focuses on improving child protection mechanisms, preventing harmful practices, and enhancing mental health and psychosocial support services through community-based and school-linked interventions.

The initiative supports collaboration between government systems, local institutions, frontline workers, schools, and communities to improve service delivery and child wellbeing outcomes.

Programme Objectives

The programme aims to:

• Strengthen child protection systems.
• Improve adolescent mental health and psychosocial wellbeing.
• Prevent child marriage and harmful practices.
• Strengthen early identification of vulnerabilities and distress.
• Improve referral systems in schools and communities.
• Support marginalized and indigenous populations.
• Strengthen caregiving and adolescent wellbeing.
• Improve coordination between village and district-level systems.
• Expand awareness and access to mental health services.

Key Focus Areas

The initiative focuses on several child protection and adolescent wellbeing priorities.

Main focus areas include:

• Child protection system strengthening.
• Prevention of crime and violence.
• Gender-based violence prevention.
• Adolescent mental health support.
• Psychosocial support services.
• Early identification of distress and vulnerabilities.
• Community and school-based referral systems.
• Prevention of child marriage and harmful practices.
• Caregiver and adolescent wellbeing.
• Equity and inclusion for marginalized groups.
• Community-level coordination and service delivery.

The programme combines protection and mental health interventions through integrated community-based approaches.

Target Areas in Maharashtra

The initiative is implemented in:

• Maharashtra, India.

Special focus is given to vulnerable districts including:

• Jalna.
• Nashik.

These districts face heightened risks linked to:

• Poverty.
• Climate-related distress.
• Migration.
• Limited access to services.

The programme prioritizes communities experiencing high vulnerability and social exclusion.

Challenges Faced by Children and Adolescents

Children and adolescents in target districts face several interconnected challenges.

These include:

• Disrupted education.
• Child marriage.
• Teenage pregnancy.
• Malnutrition.
• Mental health concerns.
• Poverty-related stress.
• Climate-driven migration impacts.
• Limited access to support services.

The initiative seeks to address these risks through prevention, support, and community engagement.

Focus on Vulnerable and Indigenous Communities

The programme places special emphasis on:

• Indigenous communities.
• Marginalized populations.
• Families affected by migration and climate distress.

The initiative promotes:

• Equity and inclusion.
• Accessible community support systems.
• Strengthened local engagement and participation.

The programme aims to ensure vulnerable groups receive timely and appropriate support.

Community-Based Child Protection and Mental Health Approach

The initiative uses:

• Community-based action models.

The programme emphasizes:

• Early identification of vulnerabilities.
• Timely support and referrals.
• Community participation.
• School-linked support systems.
• Collaboration between local stakeholders.

The approach aims to improve prevention, awareness, and response capacity at the grassroots level.

Bal Mitra Youth Volunteer Programme

The programme includes:

• Identification and training of Bal Mitras.

Bal Mitras are:

• Youth volunteers supporting adolescent mental health and psychosocial activities.

The initiative plans to train Bal Mitras in selected:

• Gram Panchayats.

Their role includes:

• Supporting mental health outreach.
• Engaging adolescents.
• Promoting psychosocial wellbeing.
• Assisting community-level awareness efforts.

Frontline Worker Capacity Building

The programme aims to strengthen the capacity of:

• 5,000 community-based frontline workers.

These workers operate across sectors including:

• Health.
• Education.
• Child development.
• Child protection systems.

Training focuses on:

• Early identification of mental health needs.
• Referral pathways.
• Psychosocial support approaches.
• Community engagement and response systems.

The initiative seeks to improve integrated support for children and adolescents.

Caregiver and Adolescent Wellbeing Sessions

The programme will strengthen the capacity of:

• 10,000 caregivers and adolescents.

This will be achieved through:

• Regular mental health and wellbeing sessions.

The sessions will be conducted across:

• At least 50 Gram Panchayats.

The activities aim to improve:

• Emotional wellbeing.
• Awareness of mental health.
• Family and community support systems.

Development of Resource Materials

The initiative includes development of:

• Contextualized resource materials.

These materials will support:

• Mental health awareness.
• Child protection education.
• Community engagement.
• Training and outreach activities.

The programme aims to provide locally relevant and accessible learning resources.

Partnerships and Community Coordination

The initiative promotes collaboration with:

• Government departments.
• Non-government organizations.
• Self-help groups.
• Adolescent clubs.
• Village child protection committees.
• Tribal ashram schools.

The programme emphasizes:

• Multi-sector coordination.
• Community participation.
• Strengthened local support systems.

These partnerships help improve outreach and service delivery effectiveness.

Digital and Community Outreach

The initiative aims to reach:

• 500,000 caregivers and adolescents.

Outreach will be conducted through:

• In-person community engagement.
• Digital platforms.
• Awareness campaigns.
• Community sessions and networks.

The programme seeks to expand access to mental health and child protection information and services.

Expected Outcomes

The programme is expected to achieve several child protection and wellbeing outcomes.

Expected results include:

• Improved child protection systems.
• Increased early identification of vulnerabilities.
• Stronger mental health and psychosocial support services.
• Reduced harmful practices such as child marriage.
• Improved community awareness and referral mechanisms.
• Greater adolescent and caregiver wellbeing.
• Enhanced community coordination and resilience.

The initiative aims to strengthen long-term support systems for vulnerable children and adolescents.

Why This Programme Matters

The UNICEF Maharashtra initiative addresses critical child protection and mental health challenges in vulnerable communities.

Key benefits include:

• Strengthening community-based child protection systems.
• Improving mental health support for adolescents.
• Supporting marginalized and indigenous populations.
• Reducing harmful practices and vulnerabilities.
• Strengthening local capacity and resilience.
• Improving coordination between service systems.
• Expanding awareness and access to support services.

The programme contributes to healthier, safer, and more supportive environments for children and adolescents.

Who Can Apply?

The initiative is intended for organizations capable of supporting child protection, adolescent wellbeing, and community-based mental health programmes.

Suitable applicants are generally expected to demonstrate:

• Experience in child protection programming.
• Mental health and psychosocial support expertise.
• Community engagement capacity.
• Experience working with vulnerable and marginalized communities.
• Coordination and training experience.
• Ability to operate at community and district levels.

Organizations with experience in adolescent wellbeing, mental health, and protection systems are particularly relevant.

Assessment and Selection Priorities

Applications are likely to be assessed based on:

• Technical expertise in child protection and mental health.
• Community outreach and engagement capacity.
• Experience working in vulnerable districts.
• Coordination and partnership approaches.
• Training and capacity-building capabilities.
• Monitoring and reporting systems.
• Ability to reach marginalized populations effectively.

Strong proposals should demonstrate integrated and community-centered approaches.

Tips for Preparing a Strong Application

Applicants can strengthen their proposals by focusing on the following areas:

• Demonstrate experience in child protection and mental health programmes.
• Present strong community engagement strategies.
• Include realistic implementation and outreach plans.
• Highlight experience working with adolescents and vulnerable communities.
• Demonstrate coordination with local systems and institutions.
• Include strong monitoring and referral mechanisms.
• Show understanding of local socio-economic and climate-related challenges.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid the following issues:

• Weak community participation strategies.
• Limited understanding of adolescent mental health needs.
• Poor coordination and referral mechanisms.
• Unrealistic implementation plans.
• Weak inclusion approaches for marginalized communities.
• Limited monitoring and accountability systems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the focus of the UNICEF Maharashtra initiative?

The programme focuses on strengthening child protection systems and improving adolescent mental health and psychosocial wellbeing in vulnerable districts of Maharashtra.

Which districts are targeted?

The initiative focuses particularly on Jalna and Nashik districts in Maharashtra.

Who are the target beneficiaries?

Target groups include children, adolescents, caregivers, indigenous communities, and populations affected by migration and climate-related distress.

What are Bal Mitras?

Bal Mitras are trained youth volunteers supporting adolescent mental health and psychosocial programmes at the community level.

How many frontline workers will be trained?

The programme aims to train 5,000 community-based frontline workers across multiple sectors.

How many caregivers and adolescents will be supported directly?

The initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of 10,000 caregivers and adolescents through wellbeing sessions.

What is the expected outreach scale?

The programme aims to reach 500,000 caregivers and adolescents through in-person and digital outreach platforms.

Conclusion

The UNICEF Maharashtra initiative on child protection and adolescent mental health provides an important opportunity to strengthen community-based systems supporting vulnerable children and adolescents in Maharashtra. Through mental health support, psychosocial interventions, child protection system strengthening, and community engagement, the programme seeks to improve wellbeing and resilience in vulnerable districts.

The initiative also emphasizes inclusion, early identification of vulnerabilities, and coordinated service delivery for marginalized populations affected by poverty, migration, and climate-related challenges. Organizations with strong expertise in child protection, adolescent wellbeing, and community-based programming are encouraged to support this important initiative.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.