VISAKHAPATNAM: The percentage of teenage girls pursuing education in the age group of 13 to 19 years is more than the national average of 80.6 per cent, according to the findings of a sample survey conducted by Teen Age Girls (TAG). The TAG survey covered 74,000 teenage girls in more than 600 districts across 30 States.
The TAG report focuses on data whether 5.4 million teenage girls in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have access to clean drinking water and sanitation among others. The survey findings have been used to prepare a TAG Index, comparing the performance of each State on the status of its teenage girls for policymakers, researchers and activists.
According to the TAG report, about 96.6 per cent of teenage girls in the State are unmarried, while 86.6 per cent aspire to marry only after they are 21 years old. Besides 71 per cent wish to pursue higher studies, 81.5 per cent wish to learn English and computer skills and 69.4 per cent wish to work after their studies and have a career in mind under the education and marriage category.
Under the health and well-being category, about 82.8 per cent of teenage girls in Andhra Pradesh do not support open defecation, 56.4 per cent use hygienic methods of menstrual protection, 45.6 per cent of teenage girls have normal levels of haemoglobin and 50.5 per cent teenage girls have normal Body Mass Index (BMI).
The TAG report was presented by Project Nanhi Kali and was compiled by Naandi Foundation, with support from Mahindra & Mahindra Limited.
The all women team of 1,000 surveyors crisscrossed the country and met 74,000 teenage girls across 600 districts to conduct the survey. This digital platform for data collection helped complete interviews quickly, the survey findings have been analysed, data vetted and compiled into a comprehensive report.
"The TAG report was born out of the realisation that more needs to be done to ensure the country’s girls grow up to be confident, informed, self-reliant, and independent young women," CEO of Naandi Foundation Manoj Kumar said.