UNICEF Partnership in Assam

The UNICEF Partnership in Assam is the first of its kind to bring together all key stakeholders in the tea industry – public and private organisations and the supply chain – to tackle child exploitation across the sector. Through peer support and education it will reach 25,000 girls and 10,000 community members to protect them against abuse and exploitation.

The partnership works with over 350 tea communities across more than 100 estates in three districts in Assam to improve prospects of young people in tea communities and reducing their vulnerability to trafficking. This project will strengthen child protection systems with local and national government and empower the tea industry to support positive change.

The Partnership specifically aims to equip more than 25,000 girls with the knowledge and ‘life skills’ that will help them secure a better future and reduce their vulnerability to violence, abuse and exploitation. The Partnership wants to give more than 10,000 community members the knowledge and training to protect children from all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation, make families in each community aware of children’s rights and the support they can call on to help educate and protect their children.

The program works with state and district government to improve the quality of education and the effectiveness of child protection policies to help make a sustainable difference to the lives of children now and in many years to come.