Romance and sex before marriage among young women and men in India

This policy brief was produced in association with the International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai (IIPS). Data was drawn from the Youth in India: Situation and Needs study to examine pre-marital partnerships and relationship among youth in India. Findings call for family life or sex education, and increased awareness and education of condom use

Transition to marriage and parenthood among youth in Rajasthan

Delaying the transition to marriage and parenthood among young people has been a policy and program priority for several years in India. Several national-level policies formulated since 2000 have advocated special program attention to delay age at marriage and age at first birth. Despite these commitments, substantial proportions of girls continue to marry in adolescence in India. As recently as in 2005–06, more than two-fifths of women aged 20–24 were married by 18 years nationally. Likewise, over one-fifth of women aged 20–24 had given birth before age 18 and two-fifths before age 20. While the magnitude of early marriage and childbearing has been widely documented, far less is known about the extent to which young people are involved in planning their marriage, how prepared they are for married life, and the nature of their married life. This policy brief documents the magnitude of early marriage and early childbearing in Rajasthan and sheds light on young people’s involvement in marriage-related planning, preparedness for married life, and the nature of married life

Education and transition to work among youth in Tamil Nadu

The extent to which India will be able to successfully harness its demographic dividend depends significantly on the situation of its youth, notably on the levels of education and market-oriented skills they attain. Youth in Tamil Nadu have made considerable strides in terms of educational attainment, yet it is not clear whether they are prepared for the challenges they will face in a globalized world. For example, are opportunities available that enable them to complete secondary education, increasingly a prerequisite for participating in the labor market in the context of globalization. Are opportunities available that enable youth to overcome skill mismatches through vocational skills and training? Are youth in Tamil Nadu succeeding in finding productive employment and becoming integrated into the labor market? Are opportunities available for young women to make the most of their productive potential? This policy brief argues that significant investments in terms of appropriate policies and programs are required to enable the state to harness its demographic dividend and enable its youth to participate in and benefit from global development

Earth: the apple of our eye

Grade Level(s): 4-6A visual demonstration illustrates the limits on farmland, making the importance of conservation clear.Counting on Peopl

Transition to work roles among youth in Jharkhand

Enabling young people to make a successful transition to work roles is one of the major thrusts of the Jharkhand Youth Policy. Two of the policy’s six objectives are directed toward achieving this goal: promoting education, vocational education, and training opportunities for youth and facilitating access to information, guidance, and employment; and creating an enabling environment for sustainable and gainful livelihood, employment, financial credit, and other services. This policy brief documents the extent to which youth in the state are equipped to make a successful transition to work roles and the extent to which they are making that transition. Are they transitioning into work roles at appropriate ages and with adequate skills? Are opportunities available that enable youth to overcome skill mismatches through vocational skills training? Are youth finding productive employment and becoming integrated into the labor market? Looking at the current employment situation, this policy brief argues that significant investment in terms of appropriate policies and programs is required to improve the employability of young people in Jharkhand and thereby enable them to find full and productive employment