UNICEF’S LION FUND: Strategic Advancements in Child Protection
Children from 6-14 years study in a sikhsalaya in a common space created in the village provided by the panchayat and local NGO. They are given basic education here as most children were not able to attend the nearest school which was 3 kms away. Team from UUSA, Unicef Delhi and project Lion visit a community centre and interact with stakeholders and beneficiaries of social protection schemes. They interact with adolescents and children also. They try to understand how self governance measures in villages are addressing child migration, child labout and child marriage and how vulnerable children are linked to social protection schemes. Location : Mabhi Falia, Udaipuriya, Rajasthan, India.
In February of 2023, I had the distinct privilege to see the work of Project LION. Project LION came out of a UNICEF donor, Purvi Padia’s, desire to help the orphaned children of India. She was motivated to do so after watching the movie “LION” starring Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman. The initial idea was to make improvements in orphanages in India, a mundane yet applaudable act, but the actual result that came to fruition is truly mind-blowing. This is where UNICEF leads the pack and thinks outside the box.
UNICEF got to work carving out a strategic plan that would span a handful of cities in India. With the ingenious research and work of Soledad Herrera, Chief of Child Protection for UNICEF India, and her team, they quickly harnessed the power of data.
This study done in 1997, it shows the affect on brain size of three year old children, one being normal and one having suffered severe neglect. It’s quite profound and startling!
This stemmed the largest longitudinal study ever done on the damage of institutionalization on children called the Bucharest Intervention Project in 2003. Since then a formal diagnosis of Institutional Child Syndrome can be made and global recognition of this was made in 2019 when the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution to abolish the institutionalization of children. Institutions like orphanages, safe houses and prisons were primarily targeted.
Armed with this information, UNICEF, with partners, were able to locate the kinship of these children. Many times it was the financial burden of these children that caused them to abandon them, sell them to unknown sex traffickers or send them off for work. UNICEF went to the local governments of these cities, towns and villages and asked them to provide a monthly stipend for the families who would take the children back. At that point, 50,000 children been taken out of institutions and placed back in villages with their extended families and were thriving and going to school!
Here are some other ways UNICEF is working to prevent the institutionalization of children and over all protect the children of India:
MHPSS—train groups of doctors, social workers who go out into communities and CCIs (child care institutions)
Systems Strengthening—working with local Police, district government officials and Panchayat (village governing bodies)
Justice for Children—working with the Supreme Court to change legislature on child protection
UNICEF has also been making a difference by fortifying the broken down foster care system of India. They have convinced the local governments to offer stipends to qualifying families to take in foster children. For most of these families, having a child is a dream. This also expedites the adoption process for them. It’s a true win-win.
Project LION was so successful and revered for its strategy, it is now called LION FUND and its accomplishments will spread throughout all of INDIA! The idea that UNICEF works to think outside the box, use comprehensive data and involves partners and governments to produce transformational change is truly impressive. I remain inspired and uplifted by the work being done to protect and transform the lives of these forgotten children.
To learn more and donate to UNICEF’s LION FUND please visit:
https://www.unicefusa.org/what-unicef-does/childrens-protection/unicef-lion-fund
Reference: https://www.unicefusa.org/what-unicef-does/childrens-protection/unicef-lion-fund/project-lion
Group photo of team UUSA, Unicef India team and Project Lion Team. Location : Sarada, Rajasthan.
UUSA team members and supporters of project Lion visit Government childrens home . They interacted with the children , saw their art and craft and witnessed support being given to children living without family care in these homes. They engageed in dance and other activities with the children . Location : Government Children’s Home, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
UUSA team members and supporters of project Lion visit Government childrens home . They interacted with the children , saw their art and craft and witnessed support being given to children living without family care in these homes. They engageed in dance and other activities with the children . Location : Government Children’s Home, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
UUSA team Project Lion team members interact with Care Leavers Inner circle Forum (CLIC) who shared their stories and campaign to help their peers. Location : Hotel Lalit, Udaipir, Rajasthan.India.
UUSA, Unicef India and project lion team visit Dare childerns home and interacted with the children and staff. Dare childrens home supports 24 kids age group 3 yrs to 17 years. Children here study in a reputed school and and given all basic facilities and care .Location : Dare – Childrens home, Sarnath, Varanasi, India.
UUSA, Unicef India and project lion team visit Dare childerns home and interacted with the children and staff. Dare childrens home supports 24 kids age group 3 yrs to 17 years. Children here study in a reputed school and and given all basic facilities and care .Location : Dare – Childrens home, Sarnath, Varanasi, India.
UUSA, Unicef India and project lion team visit Dare childerns home and interacted with the children and staff. In the image we see a vegetable garden grown by the staff and children of Dare on their terrace. Dare childrens home supports 24 kids age group 3 yrs to 17 years. Children here study in a reputed school and and given all basic facilities and care .Location : Dare – Childrens home, Sarnath, Varanasi, India.
UUSA team members and supporters of project Lion visit Government childrens home . They interacted with the children , saw their art and craft and witnessed support being given to children living without family care in these homes. They engageed in dance and other activities with the children . Location : Government Children’s Home, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
Interaction with local kids who visit the police station which is child friendly. UUSA team, Unicef India team and Project Lion team visited police station Sarada which is a child friendly police station. They interacted with the police and had meetings with children, Suraksha Sakhis, Gram Rakshak, Police Mitras and members of Bal Desk to understand community level initiatives , child friendly policing and its role in reduction of child labour, child marriages and violence against children. Location : Police station, Sarada, Rajasthan, India.
