Empowering Adolescent Girls through Life Skills Education in India: A System-Integrated Approach

• In Event: Learning for Liberation: Pathways to Empowerment and Equality

Proposal

Background: Life skills are critical everyday abilities that enable adolescents to navigate complex social, emotional, and professional landscapes with confidence and competence. In India, adolescent girls - particularly those from marginalized communities - often lack the agency, resources, and institutional support to develop these skills. To address this gap, Room to Read India implemented a system-integrated life skills education program (2018–2021) in partnership with state governments of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, aiming to reach adolescent girls in Grades 6–8 across 365 residential government schools.

Research Objectives: Following the implementation of multiple stakeholder strategies promoting girls’ equity and education, Room to Read India conducted an end of project review study with the following primary research questions:
1. What were girls’ and educators’ experiences of the life skills intervention?
2. What were the program enablers and barriers of the life skills intervention?
3. To what extent do educators feel prepared to sustain the life skills intervention and support girls with life skills development moving forward?

Methods: A mixed-methods research design was employed. Purposive sampling was used to select 30 schools (18 in Chhattisgarh and 12 in Rajasthan) with active program implementation and trained staff. In-depth interviews were conducted with 180 girls and 57 educators. Quantitative data were analyzed using t-tests and chi-square tests, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed to understand participant experiences, perceived outcomes, and program sustainability.

Key Findings:
• Impact on Girls: 98% of girls reported the program positively impacted their daily lives, and 95% felt better prepared for the future. Enhanced emotional awareness, self-confidence, communication, and decision-making skills were observed, particularly regarding menstrual health, early marriage prevention, and education continuity.
• Impact on Educators: Educators reported increased empathy, improved student relationships, and personal growth in areas such as self-esteem and communication. The program shifted teacher-student dynamics toward more open and respectful engagement.
• Enablers and Barriers: High-quality program materials and contextualized content (worksheets, comic books, videos) were key enablers. Educators valued in-person training over virtual sessions, citing limitations in technology access and connection during online formats, particularly during COVID-related school closures. Remote delivery efforts, though innovative, could not fully bridge the digital divide in remote areas.
• Sustainability: 96% of educators felt prepared to continue the program post-Room to Read support, with significantly higher preparedness in Rajasthan (p < 0.05), attributed to prior exposure to similar initiatives and stronger baseline capacity.

Conclusion and Way Forward: This study demonstrates the potential of a structured, system-integrated life skills program to empower adolescent girls and transform educational environments. Embedding such programs within existing government systems, combined with sustained training and high-quality resources, fosters both scalability and sustainability. However, digital infrastructure and equitable access remain key challenges, especially in remote areas.

These findings offer valuable insights for educational policymakers, practitioners, and development partners looking to implement effective, gender-responsive life skills education for marginalized adolescent populations. In a world increasingly divided by inequality, conflict, and exclusion, this system-integrated approach to life skills education not only equips girls for personal and professional futures but also contributes to building inclusive, empathetic, and peaceful communities from the ground up.

Authors

• Kaushlendra Kumar, Room to Read India Trust

• Poornima Garg, Room to Read India Trust