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Why Kanyashree

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Illustration representing Kanyashree Scheme objectives

Kanyashree Scheme Objectives

  • Incentivizing girls to continue in education for a longer period of time, and complete secondary or higher secondary education, or equivalent in technical or vocational streams, thereby giving them a better footing in both the economic and social spheres.
  • Disincentivising marriage till at least the age of 18, the legal age of marriage, thereby reducing the risks of early pregnancies, associated maternal and child mortality, and other debilitating health conditions, including those of malnutrition.
  • Ensuring the scheme confers more than just monetary support; making it a means of financial inclusion and a tool of empowerment for adolescent girls. The scheme’s benefits are therefore paid directly to bank accounts in the girls’ names, leaving the decision of utilization of the money in their hands.
  • Reinforcing the positive impact of increased education and delayed marriages by enhancing the social power and self-esteem of girls through a targeted behaviour change communication strategy. This strategy not only builds awareness of the scheme, but also includes adolescent-friendly approaches like events, competitions, Kanyashree clubs, and endorsements from strong women figures as role models to promote social and psychological empowerment.

As more and more girls remain in school, it is envisaged that they will use the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge that will help them become economically independent. Even if girls do get married soon after they turn 18, it is expected that their education and enhanced social and emotional development will give them a better foundation for their adult lives. Over time, as entire generations of women enter marriages only after gaining some degree of economic independence, it is expected that the practice of child marriage will be eradicated, and women will attain their right to health, education, and socio-economic equality.