Giving Compass' Take:

• Chandrima Das explains how young people in India are using the internet to find information about their reproductive health, creating an opportunity for organizations to reach them online. 

• How can funders use this information to their advantage? What are the disadvantages of reaching out online, rather than in person? 

• Learn about barriers to reproductive health and rights.

As many as 232 million young people in India* between the ages of 15 and 24 are in the process of discovering their sexuality–in the shadow of tremendous stigma.

In 2015, FSG spoke to 500 of these young men and women in Mumbai and Jaipur to assess their unfulfilled reproductive and sexual health needs and identify potential solutions.

Our research, which was supported by the Packard Foundation, confirmed that many prevailing misconceptions, beliefs and attitudes regarding sex and sexuality among young people are similar to what one may find among older generations.

The good news is that a solution may lie in an unexpected place: the smartphones and tablets these young men and women carry. India’s rapidly growing internet user base (currently 433 million**) may well hold the key to a healthier, more aware and more empowered generation.

Our research indicates that urban youth are accessing information in new ways, particularly on the internet and often through personal devices. As many as 77 percent of male respondents and 54 percent of female respondents use the internet, of which 59 percent access it on a personal device, such as a mobile phone or tablet.

This tendency to look up information online can be leveraged by credible and interactive platforms to address the information gaps in reproductive health. And the following characteristics of internet-centric channels work particularly well when it comes to building awareness:

  • Anonymity
  • Engaging and shareable content
  • Wide and cost-effective dissemination

Read the full article about reproductive health by Chandrima Das at India Development Review.