Associate – Tribal Development

Host entity: UNFPA

Volunteer type: National

Areas of expertise: Community development, Knowledge management, research, reporting

Application deadline: 15/10/2026

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.

Assignment context

Madhya Pradesh offers a significant opportunity to establish a strategic partnership with the Tribal Development Department and strengthen linkages between UNFPA’s state-level work and the national Adi Yuva Fellows initiative, which was also implemented in Madhya Pradesh with the Tribal Welfare Department. The assignment will support efforts to build a comprehensive national–state partnership focused on tribal adolescents and youth, while exploring opportunities for resource mobilization and scale-up of the Umang Youth Programme within the Tribal Development Department.

Based on initial engagement with the Department, there is strong interest in and appetite for collaboration on life skills education and Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues among adolescents in tribal schools. The position will support UNFPA in developing an inter-sectoral model, identifying opportunities to leverage existing government platforms and resources, and building a sustainable partnership that can be taken to scale.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the State Head of Office, Madhya Pradesh, the UN Associate Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Support mapping and strengthening of linkages between national Adi Yuva Fellows initiatives and state-level tribal youth programmes.
• Support engagement with the Tribal Development Department to develop a strategic partnership focusing on adolescent life skills and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues in schools/ hostels in Tribal areas.
• Contribute to the development of an inter-sectoral model for integrating life skills and SRH within tribal education and youth programmes.
• Support identification of government schemes, platforms and resources that can be leveraged for programme financing and scale-up.
• Support documentation of emerging opportunities, partnerships and models for resource mobilization and replication.
• Assist in stakeholder coordination, evidence generation, presentations and communication materials to strengthen the partnership and scale-up agenda.

The assignment will therefore provide strategic and operational support to establish a sustainable Tribal Development–UNFPA partnership, while creating opportunities to leverage government resources and scale adolescent and youth-focused interventions.

Skills and experience

Demonstrated interest and/or experience in:
• Adolescent and youth development, particularly issues related to life skills education, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and youth engagement.
• Tribal development, social inclusion, rural development or working with vulnerable and marginalized communities.
• Supporting programme planning, implementation, coordination, research, documentation and stakeholder engagement.
• Mapping and analysis of government programmes, schemes, platforms and opportunities relevant to adolescent and youth development.
• Supporting evidence generation, preparation of presentations, reports, concept notes, and communication materials.
• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. studies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.

Skills in:
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Basic understanding of adolescent and youth development issues.
• Coordination and stakeholder engagement.
• Preparation of presentations and communication materials.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications, particularly Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and adapt to a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Knowledge of Hindi and English would be an advantage.

Competencies and values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Commitment and Motivation
• Commitment to Continuous Learning
• Communication
• Creativity
• Ethics and Values
• Integrity
• Judgement and Decision-making
• Knowledge Sharing
• Leadership
• Planning and Organizing
• Professionalism
• Respect for Diversity
• Self-Management
• Technological Awareness
• Working in Teams

Living conditions

Bhopal is the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. The city is the administrative center, and is a cultural hub with modern amenities and is well connected by air. It is a safe and quiet city with a lots of forest areas/ National Parks accessible to its residents. It has short moderate winters and hot summers. Transport options include buses, radio cabs, autorickshaws etc. Although English is generally used for official and business purposes, Hindi is the official language and is spoken by most of the people.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. This position is based in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions.

The UNV Associate will be based in the Department of Tribal Affairs, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, the state capital and a well-connected city with access to regular public transportation, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, markets and other essential services. Occasional travel to tribal and other districts of Madhya Pradesh may be required as part of the assignment, depending on programme needs and stakeholder engagement with approval of the Supervisor.

You can check full entitlements at https://app.unv.org/calculator .

For information specific to your assignment, please see below:

• Monthly Voluntary Living Allowance (VLA): INR 56,126.74
• Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 350 (equivalent in INR)
• Relocation costs: $175 at the beginning and end of the assignment if the duty station is outside of commuting distance (as determined by UNV)
• Exit allowance (paid on successful completion of the assignment): $120 for each month served, paid on completion of contract
• Insurance: Comprehensive coverage for health, life, and malicious acts
• Annual leave: 2.5 days per month
• Learning: Access to UNV's learning and career development resources.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.