The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 11th July 2025 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Aiding India’s Progress with Choice, Control and Capital

Why in News?

With proper investment in education, skills, and access to healthcare, nutrition, and family planning, India’s youth can significantly drive the nation's growth.

Introduction

Now that the world’s population has crossed eight billion, it’s natural to focus on big global trends. But we also need to pay attention to vulnerable groups and people living on the margins. It’s important to keep the promise made at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) — to make sure everyone has the right to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, without facing pressure, discrimination, or violence. This year, the United Nations has announced the theme for World Population Day as “ Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world.. The theme highlights the ICPD’s special focus on youth, affirming their right to accurate information, education, and services to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. It also reflects a simple but urgent need: to place youth at the centre when imagining the future, ensuring their freedom of choice and equal opportunities.

Home to the largest youth population

According to UNICEF, India has 371 million youth aged 15 to 29 years, the largest youth population in the world. This large number puts pressure on existing resources and systems, but with proper investment in education, skills, healthcare, nutrition, and family planning, youth can become a key force for national progress. Unlocking this youth potential could increase India’s GDP by up to $1 trillion by 2030, according to World Bank and NITI Aayog projections. It would also help reduce unemployment and improve social outcomes across the country. India has seen progress through programs like ‘ Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. and the National Adolescent Health Programme, leading to a decline in child marriage and adolescent fertility rates. Despite this, challenges remain, such as:

• Limited reproductive autonomy
• Socio-cultural barriers
• Gender inequality

These continue to limit the potential of many young people, especially young women. Child marriage rates have been cut in half since 2006 but still remain at 23.3% (as per NFHS-5, 2019–21). Teenage childbearing (ages 15–19) is at 7% nationally, but in some states, the rate is more than double, showing serious regional disparities. The UNFPA’s State of World Population Report 2025 reveals:

•  36% of Indian adults experience unintended pregnancies 
•  30% have unmet reproductive goals (unable to decide the number of children they want) 
•  23% face both issues 

 This points to an urgent need to expand access to reproductive health services and ensure freedom of choice for all. 

Need for a Comprehensive Strategy

To effectively tackle the root causes of early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and disempowerment, a multi-pronged approach is essential. This strategy should focus on addressing the underlying issues rather than just the symptoms. The comprehensive strategy must encompass the following key areas: 

• Education: Ensuring access to quality education for girls is crucial in preventing early marriages and empowering them for a better future. 
• Access to Contraception: Providing easy access to contraceptive methods is vital for preventing unintended teenage pregnancies and promoting reproductive health. 
• Nutrition: Adequate nutrition is fundamental for the physical and mental well-being of adolescents, impacting their overall development and ability to make informed choices. 
• Mental Health Support: Addressing mental health needs is important for the holistic development of adolescents, helping them cope with challenges and make empowered decisions. 
• Community Empowerment: Engaging and empowering communities to support girls' education and health is essential for creating a conducive environment for their development. 

Impact of Education

Project Udaan (Rajasthan, 2017–2022)

Implementing Agency: IPE Global

Key Features:

• Promoted continued secondary education for girls
• Leveraged government scholarships
• Raised awareness on sexual and reproductive health
• Increased access to modern contraceptives
• Strengthened girls’ reproductive agency and voice

Outcomes

• Child marriages prevented: ~30,000 
• Teen pregnancies averted: ~15,000 

Advika Programme (Odisha, since 2019–20)

Partners: Government of Odisha + UNICEF-UNFPA

Strategies:

• Strengthened state systems
• Raised child protection awareness
• Empowered adolescents via:
• Education
• Skill development
• Leadership training

Outcomes

• Child marriage-free villages: ~11,000
• Child marriages stopped in 2022: ~950

True Empowerment Goes Beyond Prevention​

Empowering adolescents—especially girls—means:

• Equipping them with education, skills, and opportunities
• Supporting their participation in decisions affecting them, including:
• When to marry
• Whether/when to have children
• How to lead meaningful, independent lives

Core Principle: Economic independence is key to lasting empowerment.

Project Manzil (Rajasthan, 2019–2025)

Partners: IPE Global + Govt. of Rajasthan

Approach:

• Uses human-centred design to understand young women's aspirations
• Aligns skill training accordingly
• Provides access to dignified jobs in gender-friendly workplaces
• Combats harmful social norms through behaviour change communication

Achievements

• Women trained (age 18–21): 28,000
• Women employed: 16,000
• First-generation skilled workers: [Data not provided]

Impact: Financial stability improved negotiation power, leading many to delay marriage or choose on their own terms, uplifting families and entire communities.

Accelerating Progress

The State of World Population 2025 report underscores the need for rights-based, multi-sectoral investments to achieve sustainable progress. It emphasizes that true advancement relies on universal access to essential services such as:

• Contraception
• Safe abortion
• Maternal health
• Infertility care

Additionally, the report calls for the removal of structural barriers, including:

• Lack of education
• Inadequate housing
• Childcare challenges
• Rigid workplace structures

Targeted investments in areas like girls’ education, life-skills training, conditional cash transfers, community engagement, and health services are highlighted as crucial for measurable outcomes. Successful programmes such as Udaan, Advika, and Manzil exemplify how these investments can effectively empower youth and contribute to a better future.

Conclusion

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has rightly emphasized the importance of this World Population Day as a moment to celebrate the potential and promise of the world’s largest-ever generation of youth. It serves as a reminder that young people have the right to shape their own futures—making informed decisions about their health, families, careers, and overall lives. As India stands at a crucial point in its development journey, its future success will largely depend on how effectively it responds to the aspirations of its youth. This includes actively amplifying the voices of young women and ensuring they have access to opportunities that empower them to contribute meaningfully to society.