Adolescent girls in rural Haryana a study of their problems and coping mechanisms

Abstract

The present study was carried out primarily to explore the problems faced by adolescent girls, especially in rural India, focusing upon the state of Haryana. The other reasons for conducting this study was to assess the access adolescent girls have to the resources in terms of health, education and media etc. The ultimate aim of the study was to understand the perception of family and community about adolescent girls in order to gauge the cultural prevailing norms and its impact on their life. The findings of the present study underline the enormous role played by cultural norms, especially in defining gender roles, irrespective of religion, caste and rural residence. At the same time, poverty made things worse for girls, especially in rural settings. The findings of this study underline the need to address the issues faced by adolescent girls in rural areas, especially those in poverty and remote villages. newline