39.4% of adolescent girls do not attend schools: NCPCR study

New Delhi: A report titled 'National Colloquium Report,' prepared by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) claimed that almost 40 per cent of girls in the age group of 15 to 18 from different states, including Delhi, are not attending any schools.

According to the Commission, around 39.4 per cent of the adolescent girls in the age group of 15-18 years are not attending any educational institution.

Meanwhile, the percentage of boys not attending any educational institution in the same age group is 35 per cent, the study shows.

Adolescent girls are among the most economically vulnerable groups who typically lack access to financial capital and have very limited opportunities to gain education, knowledge, and skills that can lead to economic independence and advancement.

Out of the total population of 15-18 year old out-of-school girls, 64.8 per cent are non-workers which is persons who do not 'work' at all including students, persons engaged in household duties, dependents, pensioners and beggars.

"In other words, around 65 per cent girls who do not attend any educational institution are either engaged in household activities, are dependents or are engaged in begging.

On the other hand, 33.4 per cent of out-of-school boys are non-workers," claimed the report.

Adolescent girls often lack social support and community social norms can create barriers to their economic advancement.

Adolescence is an important transition phase and many girls in the country are not allowed to be involved in any kind of constructive work important for the development of the nation and are confined to household work.

There are many reasons for such behavior among common people and a major cause of can be the religious mandate.

As per NCPCR's assessment, 2.5 crore children are not involved in any scheme run by the government. India has its own intricate problems which require authenticated innovative solutions.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development helped the NCPCR in preparing the report.

Other stakeholders included professors of top colleges, experts and NGOs.

Priyank Kanoongo, member, NCPCR, said that the aim of this colloquium was to create an opportunity for all the delegates and presenters to explore measures to provide opportunities for vocational and life skills training of adolescent girls.

''There is a need to develop Life Skills Curriculum framework at the National Level which can be adopted at the state level as per state-specific requirements," said Kanoongo.