Suchergebnisse

The Population Council, in partnership with Child In Need Institute in Kolkata, Deepak Charitable Trust in Vadodara, and International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, initiated the First-time Parents Project in India to develop and test an integrated package of health and social interventions to improve married young women's reproductive and sexual health knowledge and practices, enhance their ability to act in their own interest, and expand their social support networks. The project was formulated on the hypothesis that the periods immediately following marriage and surrounding the first pregnancy and birth offer a unique and powerful entry point for improving the situation of married young women. Findings indicate that the intervention had a significant, positive net effect on most indicators reflecting married young women's autonomy, social support networks, partner communication, and knowledge of sexual and reproductive health. However, the net effect of exposure to the intervention was mixed with regard to indicators related to gender role attitudes and attitudes toward domestic violence, as well as reproductive health practices. The experience of the intervention demonstrates that it is feasible to improve married young women's reproductive health knowledge and practices, expand their sources of social support, and involve them in activities with peers in safe spaces outside the home, and through the process empower them in their marital and familial relationships. The report suggests that this model could also be integrated into existing NGO or government services, and could be tested for implementation on a larger scale.

Youth participation in civil society and political life is increasingly recognised to be an important development objective. Nonetheless, research that sheds light on the extent to which youth participate in these arenas, and the factors that facilitate or inhibit such participation remain limited in most developing countries including India. Drawing on data from a representative survey of young people in the state of Maharashtra, India, this paper explores the extent of and the factors associated with youth participation in civil society, their adherence to pro-social values, and their participation in political processes. Findings suggest that for many youth, particularly for young women, opportunities to engage in civil society and political life are limited, and that pro-social values are not uniformly observed. Findings underline the importance of education, agency and close parental interaction in facilitating youth participation in civil society and political life and their expression of pro-social values.