To study ARSH behavior & school dropouts in Delhi NCR region, India: Adolescence Reproductive Sexual Health

Young people face a number of barriers at the individual, family, community and health-systems levels that prevent them from achieving positive sexual and reproductive health outcomes. These barriers need to be addressed if India is to realise its demographic dividend and have a healthy young population. Barriers faced at the individual level include, early marriage, early and unsafe initiation into sexual activities, early child bearing, limited knowledge about and access to contraception to name a few. The lack of autonomy and decision making and existing gender imbalances further exacerbate young people's vulnerabilities. At the family level young people face lack of family support and unequal gender norms and have limited communication with parents on sexual and reproductive health related issues. There is a need for the health system to recognise the diverse needs of youth, (married and unmarried) and provide unbiased services that are targeted specifically to address their needs.