These adolescents have lived most or all of their lives under the Millennium Declaration, the unprecedented global compact that since 2000 has sought a better world for all.[break]
But even with the benefits reaped from the practice of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the adolescents all around the world are most affected by poverty and inequality.
“Nepal is amongst the top 10 countries where child marriage is highly prevalent,” says Babu Ram Pant, Youth Program Consultant at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Child marriage in Nepal has marred young Nepali girls with health problems arising from early pregnancy and has also led to many girls being deprived from going to schools.
The evidence of child marriages shows that girls aren’t allowed to exercise their decision making rights. Child marriage is only one of the problems faced by adolescent Nepali girls. “The problems are cross-cutting and revolve around the lack of access to proper health care, education and presence of gender inequality,” shares Pant.
“Due to the living standards, education and family background, adolescents in Nepal are vulnerable to many problems,” says Pant. He further adds that if adolescents aren’t given the skills and protection during this crucial age, then they are exposed to a lot of risks that affect their emotional and physical development.
To solve these problems, a multisectoral approach is required. “We need to act in different levels, searching for solutions at a family, community and state-level,” says Pant.
In the combo picture, an adolescent couple can be seen during their wedding ceremony at Gufapokhari, Sankhuwasabha, while young girls help out in the household chores.
A protective environment which deals with issues of education, health and gender inequality while allowing physical engagement and participation of the adolescents should be made accessible to all adolescents.
“The adolescents are suffering from the lack of a platform where their voices will be heard,” he further says.
As an urban adolescent, Ansu Sharma, 17, shares that, as a girl, eve-teasing is an everyday problem in her life. When the physical changes are actually taking place, eve-teasing and comments on the street affect her mentally.
“I find myself questioning whether they (eve-teasers) say things because of the way I am and because they think that I am unable to fight back,” shares Sharma, who although angered by such incidents on the street, thinks it’s best to not respond to the harassers.
Sharma also says that relationships with friends and the conflicts that arise also trouble her a lot. “I am not able to concentrate on my studies when I get into conflicts with my peers,” says Sharma who talks about the issue out with her sisters to lessen the stress.
As a 17-year-old living in Kathmandu, Utkrista Malla faces a dilemma between balancing family and peer pressure. “My parent’s pressurize me to study hard and my friend’s expect me to socialize with them,” opines Malla who also thinks that the need to look good, or one’s body image, is another pressure he faces as a teenager.
Adolescents often go through identity crisis. “Most adolescents are in conflict with themselves about whether they are children or adults, during this age. They are troubled with questions of who they really are,” says Chhori Laxmi Maharjan, Senior Consultant at the Ankur Counselling Center, Ekantakuna.
“They face a lot of confusion while making even small decisions and this identity crisis also leads to lack of self esteem which makes them hesitant to clear out their curiosity and talk to other people about important issues,” she says.
Adolescents are also not sure of whether the things they are saying or asking is correct or of importance and this leads to more suppression of their voices. “Thus, they are found experimenting in other areas leading to addiction with drugs and alcohol,” adds Maharjan.
The hormonal changes that adolescents go through also gets them frustrated, in conflict with their family members and dependent on harmful habits such as smoking and drinking, says Maharjan.
“The essential thing here is to ensure that parents are aware of the stage their adolescents are and they are able to provide behavioral responses to their children,” she talks about how parents can be more responsible towards their children, adding that teachers and even the peers play a crucial role in giving the right information required to adolescents so that this pivotal period in their lives are made easier.
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