At least 68% of adolescent girls faced challenges in accessing health and nutrition services while 67% did not attend online classes during lockdowns, a report released by Save the Children has found.

Save the Children, India (also known as Bal Raksha Bharat) found that the Covid-19 pandemic had a severe impact on girls. In their report The World of India’s Girls- Wings 2022- themed spotlight on adolescent girls amid Covid-19 was launched in Delhi on Wednesday. The focus was on populations in urban slums through a research-led study. The report reveals the situation of girls during, and post first pandemic induced nation-wide lockdowns in India, which has only worsened with the multiple mutations and successive waves of the COVID-19 virus since then.

The study was conducted in four states – Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Telangana, representing the four geographical zones.

Findings of the study also reveal that parents are more likely to think that as a fallout of the pandemic, girls were likely to be married off early.

The study unfolds the repercussions on girls’ access to health, education, and opportunities for play and recreation while also understanding the coping mechanisms adopted by the families to deal with the increased health and nutritional insecurities, abrupt learning opportunities decline, early marriages, and limited play and recreation facilities.

Sudarshan Suchi, CEO, Save the Children said, “The fact that India @75 has almost half its children not able to equitably secure themselves with their basic rights is a tale in itself. With this report, we would like to reaffirm our commitment to being a part of the solution. Along with the various specific steps the report provides a way forward for all of us and more importantly, the obligation to include the voices of children – the primary stakeholders – to shift the approach from a process of planning for them to planning with them. Children Cannot wait – not any longer.”

Among the key recommendations made by the study is Scaling-up investments on girl child, engagement of multi-stakeholders,  dialogue and interaction with girls, building an agency of girls and strengthening delivery system besides.  

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