Giving Compass' Take:

• Adolescents in India are significantly impacted by the pandemic, and it's essential to consider their needs post-pandemic in the upcoming months after the lockdown. 

• How can organizations help maintain the progress on issues affecting adolescents during the pandemic? How could they benefit from donor capital? 

• Learn how collaboration has helped adolescents. 

Disasters and crises have had many less highlighted consequences on vulnerable sub-groups, including those often overlooked, such as adolescents and youth. The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. While understandably the nation is engaged in fighting a pandemic of huge proportions, this relatively healthy and safe sub-population’s needs may not appear to warrant immediate attention. Nevertheless, as we look ahead to the post-lockdown period and beyond, the ways in which the pandemic may have affected our 365 million plus adolescents and youth, and their needs in the upcoming months and years, must be considered. After all, what happens to this generation affects not only their health and well-being in adolescence, but also their health and well-being as adults, and that of the next generation.

There is limited research on the situation and needs of adolescents in disasters and crises that can guide how we respond to concerns surrounding this group today as well. But, even during the lockdown, several organisations have initiated action for young people. Insights from some of these were reflected in a recent webinar hosted by the 10to19 Dasra Adolescent Collaborative.

High on the list of what needs to be addressed for young people is education. Girls attending the webinar passionately described their concerns about their education. While well-off urban schools have transitioned into online classrooms, these facilities are not available universally. Nor is this a simple transition to make. A recent state-representative survey of adolescents confirmed that only five percent live in a household that owns a computer. The same survey found that few adolescents aged 10-14 own a mobile phone (1-6 percent), 18 percent of unmarried girls aged 15-21 own a mobile phone and that it is far from universal even among boys aged 15-21 (64 percent).

Read the full article about impact of the pandemic on adolescents by Shireen Jejeebhoy at India Development Review.