Dr. Raghu Sharma, Rajasthan’s State Health Minister, and Mamta Bhupesh, Women and Child Development Minister, made a vow on Tuesday to make strong commitments to improve the health and overall well-being of adolescents.
Rajasthan has a 32 percent youth and adolescent population however, due to the regressive culture and, especially for girls, the pervasive patriarchal society, adolescents in the state have been confronting health and other difficulties that might negatively affect their health.
According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) (2015-16), nearly 35% of Rajasthani females marry before the age of 18. According to the release, the 2018 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) survey found that 20% of females drop out of school for a variety of reasons, including early marriage and motherhood.
“We are committed to investing in the health and holistic development of adolescents and young for a just, inclusive, and prosperous Rajasthan,” the promise added.
According to the text, adolescents will be made stakeholders in policymaking and development program ideas through their inclusion in talks about decisions that will affect their lives and general well-being. According to the release, representatives of the national-level non-governmental organization (NGO), Population Foundation of India, the campaign’s architects, were resent for the signing of the document.
“As a grassroots organization, we have observed that when governments use their resources efficiently and synergize with civil society organizations, change happens more quickly and at a much bigger scale,” said Divya Santhanam, Senior State Program Manager, Population Foundation of India.
The Ministers of Health and WCD’s renewed commitment will be critical in ensuring that adolescent health is a top priority in Rajasthan.” The Rajasthan state government has been active in launching health campaigns such as Nirogi Rajasthan, Zero Teenage Pregnancy, and the establishment of Model Community Health Centers (CHCs) in all 200 constituencies. Adolescent Friendly Health Centers (AFHCs) are included in these CHC Models to ensure that adolescents have access to health services.
