Proponents of adolescent policy have stressed the health consequences to adolescents and the larger society of early sexual activity and pregnancy. Little attention has been paid to preparing girls for future livelihoods and fostering their social mobility. Yet legitimate income-generating work is likely to transform the nature of girls’ adolescent experience. Providing girls with increased autonomy from traditional gender roles will reframe the second decade of girls’ lives from a period devoted to preparation for marriage and childbearing to a time when they can develop as individuals and gain knowledge and skills that are the foundation for a productive adulthood. This paper reports on the conduct of an operations research study that examines the feasibility and impact of adding livelihoods counseling, training, follow-up support and group savings formation to an ongoing reproductive health program for adolescents that CARE India is managing in urban slum areas of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Results from the baseline census conducted in the spring of 2001 with all of the girls and boys, and one of their parents living in the project sites are reviewed in the paper. These results review indicators of educational and vocational training aspirations, reproductive health knowledge, social efficacy and mobility, and savings formation. The implementation of the experimental program to provide counseling on vocational skills and savings formation using peer educators, and the provision of training through existing courses is critically reviewed. The paper concludes with recommendations for the integration of livelihoods skill building within other adolescent reproductive health programs.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this session the participants will be able to: 1. Identify key elements of adolescent livelihoods programs, including objectives and features of program activities. 2. Describe the process of adding an adolescent livelihoods component to a reproductive health project.
Keywords: Adolescents, International, Reproductive Health Research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.