NEW DELHI: UNICEF India has launched the country's first-ever Child Protection Innovation Fund (CPIF) to strengthen the child protection workforce, improve access to social protection schemes, support adolescent girls, and promote online safety.

The fund will be supported by SponsorSmart, a technology-driven solution aimed at safeguarding children, which was selected after a nationwide call for entries from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)in May.

A jury comprising experts from the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Bosch Global Software Technologies, and the United Nations Office at Vienna selected SponsorSmart as the winning idea.

SponsorSmart is a WhatsApp-based digital child sponsorship platform that allows families to apply for support by submitting documents online, cutting down on multiple office visits and saving up to three days of lost wages, it said.

Its prioritisation engine ensures that the most vulnerable children are identified transparently, the UNICEF said in a statement.