Interacting with a group of young girls and boys along with media, during a special interaction in the capital today, UNICEF Global Goodwill Ambassador, Priyanka Chopra said, “Adolescents today face a unique set of challenges. Giving them the tools to improve their lives will help create a generation of economically-independent citizens who will actively contribute to their communities.Investment in adolescents can lift millions out of poverty by creating a constructive and skilled workforce.”

“I strongly believe that our regular efforts in empowering adolescent girls will contribute to the growth of our country” she added. Focusing on the issue of child marriage, she said, “A girl who is married as a child is more likely to be out of school, experience domestic violence. She is more likely to have children when she is still a child. There are more chances of her dying due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth.”

India is home to more than 243 million adolescents, who account for a quarter of the country’s population. Coordinated efforts are crucial for the socio-economic development of adolescent girls and boys with a special focus on adolescent empowerment. Ending child marriage, enabling access to secondary education and transition to work can be a game changer for India’s future growth and development.

Adolescence offers a second chance to those who may not have got the requisite support during early childhood. While adolescence is an age of opportunity, it is also a time of vulnerability. Adolescent girls may be vulnerable to child marriage, dropping out of school, face gender based violence at home and in public spaces and have limited opportunities to transition into paid, formal work. During this period, adolescent boys, may be vulnerable to paid child labour and consequently miss school.

A study on ‘Supporting Adolescent transition to adulthoods – “What Works and What Doesn’t” was also shared on this occasion. The findings from UNICEF’s joint study with Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), a global research network explores evidence on social protection measures for adolescents.

Teenage populations are a unique demographic asset that is often overlooked. Young adolescents are often invisible in discourse and data, falling between programmes and policies focused on children and on the youth. By investing in adolescent education and training, countries can reap a large and productive workforce, contributing significantly to the growth of national economies.