The Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program (AGEP) was designed to address these challenges by building girls’ social, health and economic assets in the short term and improving sexual behavior, early marriage, pregnancy and education in the longer term. The teenage years are also called adolescence. During this time, the teenager will see the greatest amount of growth in height and weight. Adolescence is a time for growth spurts and puberty changes.The beneficial outcomes to youth empowerment programs are improved social skills, improved behavior, increased academic achievement, increased self-esteem and increased self-efficacy.Issues such as gender discrimination, eve teasing, alcoholism, drug abuse, trafficking, early marriage, adolescent pregnancy, rape and cybercrimes are quite rampant today.Depression and anxiety are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents, and suicide is among the leading causes of death in people aged 15–19 years. Half of all mental health disorders in adulthood start by age 14, but most cases are undetected and untreated
Both girls and boys in India face early marriage, domestic abuse, sexual violence, violence at home and in school, trafficking, online violence, child labour and bullying. All forms of violence, abuse and exploitation have lifelong consequences on children’s lives.India is the only large country where more girls die than boys, with the inverse sex ratio at birth being 900 girls born for every 1000 boys. Globally 7 per cent more boys die under the age of 5 compared to girls but in India, 11 per cent more girls die under the age of 5.Parents from underprivileged background use a dominating language full of commands and threats of violence, instead of giving explanations for behaviour. These can impair the child’s confidence and emotional intelligence.Child labour and exploitation are the result of many factors, including poverty, social norms condoning them, lack of decent work opportunities for adults and adolescents, migration and emergencies.
What is the biggest problem facing children today ?
One of the most common problems that children face today is peer pressure. Peers can influence a child’s decisions and actions, often without the child realizing it. As a parent, you can help your child by teaching them how to identify and resist peer pressure. Education and illiteracy – Lack of education is majorly responsible for poverty in India. Due to the increase in the illiteracy rates, the unemployment rate rises, and poverty rates increase.
Below are some of the root causes which make children particularly vulnerable to child labour.
- Poverty. …
- Lack of access to quality education. …
- Poor access to decent work. …
- Limited understanding of child labour. …
- Natural disasters & climate change. …
- Conflicts & mass migration. …
- Fighting child labour.
