Published Paper Details:

Girls in India confront a complex web of interrelated challenges that undermine their health, education, safety and life chances. This paper synthesizes national surveys, government reports, NGO analyses and peer reviewed studies to examine seventeen core issues affecting girls, including skewed sex ratios, period poverty, anaemia, limited healthcare access, mental health crises, sexual violence, dowry and domestic abuse, child marriage, school dropout, employment and political underrepresentation, superstition driven stigma, cyber harassment and the pressures of non-traditional family choices. Despite these adversities, Indian girls demonstrate remarkable resilience, emotional intelligence and leadership potential. Drawing on evidence from NFHS, NCRB, UNICEF, MOSPI, NITI Aayog and leading research articles, this study highlights both structural failures and promising programmatic responses. The review concludes with targeted policy priorities to strengthen health services, expand educational retention, improve legal redress and community norms, and invest in girls' economic and civic empowerment.