India is home to a vibrant and growing youth population, with over 382 million individuals aged 10-24. This demographic dividend presents a significant opportunity for economic advancement but also poses challenges in areas such as education, employment, gender equality, and healthcare.

UNFPA India actively provides technical support to national and state governments in implementing adolescent health and wellness programmes. This involves capacity building for key stakeholders, generating evidence for advocacy, piloting innovative practices, and fostering knowledge sharing.

Key Initiatives

National Programs

• Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness Programme: As the lead technical and implementation partner, UNFPA facilitates the rollout of this programme in over 32,000 schools, ensuring the well-being of more than 3 million students.
• Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK): UNFPA leads technical support for RKSK planning, implementation, and monitoring. The organisation has developed training materials, e-courses, and communication tools for healthcare providers and peer educators.

Innovative Projects

Umang Life Skills Programme, Madhya Pradesh:
Empowering over 2 million adolescents, UNFPA supports life skills education in more than 9,300 government secondary and senior secondary schools. Key resources include:

• The Umang Kishor Helpline, offering tele-counselling and in-person support to adolescents, teachers, and parents.
• Jeevan Tarang, a specialised Life Skills Education (LSE) module for students in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
• Ujjwal, a module on positive masculinity for secondary school students.

Adolescence Education Programme in Madrasas, Bihar:
Integrating life skills into Islamic theology, UNFPA builds the capacity of madrasa teachers, principals, and field staff

Life Skills for Adolescent Girls from Marginalised Communities, Rajasthan:
Advocating for life skills education in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), UNFPA supports girls from marginalised communities. Additionally, five KGBVs have been designated as "e-Pankh Centers," providing IT-based platforms for infotainment, online services, and counselling for adolescent girls.

Discourse-Oriented Life Skills Education with Tribal Adolescents, Odisha:
Empowering tribal adolescents to challenge harmful social norms, UNFPA has introduced the 'Civic Imagination' or discourse-oriented approach to life skills education. The organisation has established LSE Labs to boost the leadership and life skills for tribal adolescents.

Just Ask/Khulke Poochho Chatbot:
Co-funded by Bayer AG under the "My Rights My Choices" programme, this AI-powered chatbot, developed by UNFPA, provides accurate information on sexual and reproductive health, mental health, and safe internet use. Launched in 2023 with the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, it connects users to local health services and helplines.

Digital Sakhis, Madhya Pradesh:
This programme builds digital literacy skills among adolescent girls. It empowers them to access information, express themselves, and connect with others. The Digital Sakhis have upturned social norms by creating educational videos on women empowerment, menstrual health and hygiene, gender-based violence, and more.

Tech Sakhis, Rajasthan:
The "Tech-Sakhi: Badlav ki Awaz" initiative supports survivors of child marriage in becoming advocates for change. This project trains girls in life skills and digital storytelling to address issues such as child marriage, sports, education, gender discrimination, and menstrual health. The project includes young married girls from Ajmer and Kekri, aged 14-25, from socially vulnerable and economically weaker sections.

Investing in the potential of young people is an investment in India's future. UNFPA India remains committed to collaborating with partners to create a world where every young person’s potential is fulfilled.