What every girl needs: A leg up, a chance to fly, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The article celebrates the progress in girls' empowerment in India, highlighting individual success stories and national trends.
• National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-4, NFHS-5, NFHS-6) data indicates a decline in child marriage and increased school attendance, financial inclusion, and decision-making power for women.
• The share of women aged 20-24 married before 18 fell from 26.8% in NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 20.1% in NFHS-6.
• School attendance for girls aged six and above rose to 73.7%, and women with bank accounts increased to 89% by NFHS-6.
• Women's economic participation remains a challenge, with fewer than one in three women (30.8% in NFHS-6) earning their own income.
• Key initiatives supporting girls include the Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness programme and the Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat Initiative.

Detailed Insights:

• The article emphasizes the critical role of timely interventions by individuals, health workers, schools, and various programs in empowering girls.
• Success stories from Beed, Maharashtra, and Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, illustrate the tangible impact of robust support systems.
• NFHS data consistently shows significant improvements across several indicators of women's well-being and autonomy over recent survey rounds.
• While mobile phone ownership among women increased to 63.6%, facilitating access to information and banking, opportunities for earning income have progressed more slowly.
• The Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness programme, a joint effort by the Ministries of Health and Education, trains teachers to deliver life skills and health education in schools.
• The Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat Initiative, supported by UNFPA, aims to establish model girl-friendly local governance structures in every district.
• The article stresses the importance of linking skills training directly with real employers, markets, and business opportunities, incorporating digital safety.
• It highlights that achieving comprehensive empowerment for every girl requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders, not just girls or the government alone.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Family Health Survey (NFHS): A large-scale, multi-round survey providing comprehensive data on health and family welfare across India.
• Child Marriage: The marriage of an individual below the legally prescribed age, which is 18 for females and 21 for males in India.
• Financial Inclusion: The provision of affordable, useful, and appropriate financial products and services to all segments of society.
• UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund): The UN agency dedicated to improving sexual and reproductive health, and population issues worldwide.
• Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness programme: A government initiative focused on promoting health education and life skills among school-going children.
• Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat Initiative: A program by the Ministry of Panchayat Raj to enhance women's participation and representation in local self-governance.