Impact of COVID-19 on the lives of vulnerable young people in New Delhi, India: a mixed method study.

Background: India is home to the largest child population in the world. India also has faced a devastating burden of COVID-19 infections. During the first wave of COVID-19, the Indian government's lockdown measures brought loss of livelihoods for millions. We aimed to explore the social, psychological and health impacts of the government's pandemic measures on children and young people (CYP), and their families. Methods: Bal Umang Drishya Sanstha (BUDS) is a non-profit organisation providing child health and welfare services to marginalised urban slum communities in New Delhi, India. As part of formative evaluation of BUDS's COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts, the team conducted a rapid survey of 60 children (10-17 years) and 62 young adults (18-25 years) who were beneficiaries of the relief programme. The team also undertook semi-structured interviews with nine young women attending BUDS's second-chance education programme. Results: Almost all respondents had some understanding of COVID-19 (54 children (90%) and 53 young adults (85%)) and the reasons for public health measures (59 children (98%) and 56 young adults (90%)). Over 80% of girls and 60% of boys experienced financial strains and food shortages. Gender discrepancies were particularly evident in areas of family stress, with girls and young women disproportionately experiencing distress and family violence. Girls were more likely to be fearful of contracting the disease, while boys were more concerned about getting back to school. In-depth interviews with young women revealed that government ration schemes were insufficient to support vulnerable families; there were interesting cultural understandings of and responses to the pandemic. Young women reported high rates of anxiety and distress. Conclusions: The lockdown had a multitude of adverse social, health and psychosocial effects on marginalised CYP, disproportionately affecting girls and young women. A tailored response based on equity and child rights is urgently required to address concerns voiced by CYP.

Social Determinants of Child Marriage in Rural India.

BACKGROUND: Child marriage represents a grave violence against children and deprives them of their rights to health, education, and a livelihood. Because child marriage should be recognized as a social and medical emergency, the social determinants of child marriage in India need to be mapped. The aim of this qualitative case study was to document social determinants of child marriage identified by the authors while providing community mobile health services in rural Mewat District, India. CASE REPORT: We present qualitative participatory medical histories and assessments of two clinical cases: an adolescent who is waiting to get married and a young woman who was married as an adolescent but developed multiple health complications after her husband abandoned her. CONCLUSION: Patriarchy, coercion, social customs, and norms were identified as major social determinants. The two cases demonstrate that social norms influence intergenerational norms and lead to uninformed decision-making and child marriage. In low- and middle-income countries, medical professionals should urgently address child marriage as a major public health problem. Primary care physicians and medical professionals should implement preventive measures and provide anticipatory guidance to prevent child marriage.