Need action to create safer, healthier environment for adolescent girls in state: Experts
Patna: Policy makers, development planners and academics of the state reviewed and validated the critical evidence supporting investments, reducing child marriage and adolescent pregnancy in Bihar, at a workshop jointly organised by the
Gender Resource Centre
of Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) here on Friday.Through collaborative dialogue and evidence-based discussions, the workshop on "The Case for Investment in Interventions to Child Marriage and Reduce Adolescent Pregnancy in Bihar" underscored the need for coordinated action to create a safer, healthier, and more equitable environment for adolescent girls across the state.They observed that despite the state's rich cultural heritage and vibrant demographics, alarming statistics from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) depict a sorry state of affairs so far as the growth and development of girl child is concerned.
The statistics reveal that Bihar has the second-highest incidences of child marriage in the country, with 40.8% of women married before reaching the legal age of 18. Additionally, the prevalence of adolescent pregnancies continues to be a significant concern, with 11% of girls aged between 15 and 19 are either already mothers or pregnant with their first child.Prominent among those who attended the workshop and shared their experiences included development commissioner, Pratyaya Amrit; social welfare department's secretary, Bandana Preyashi; CNLU's vice-chancellor Faizan Mustafa and others.
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