Life in the time of Covid-19: Mapping the impact of Covid- 19 on the lives of school going children especially girls in India

Among the households interviewed, more than 87 per cent of the male members worked in the unorganised sector, while more than half of the women took part in unpaid domestic work.

The report states that around 85 per cent of the households received some support from the government. This was higher in Bihar (92 per cent of households) and UP (91 per cent) than it was in Telangana (44 per cent).

Roughly 83 per cent of households in Assam, and 64 per cent in Telangana, reported having received food through anganwadi centres. Fewer households in Bihar (20 per cent) and UP (18 per cent) obtained food through these centres.

During the lockdown, a higher proportion of girls had to bear the responsibility of household chores and care work (71 per cent) than boys (38 per cent). About 79 per cent of boys – compared to 60 per cent of girls – reported spending time on leisure activities. And 56 per cent of boys – as against 46 per cent of girls – were able to spend time on their studies.

Survey results indicate that the presence of technological devices in households does not guarantee access to them. Just 11 per cent of children reported viewing or listening to educational broadcasts via television or radio, whereas 52 per cent reported having these devices at home.

All but 17 of the 3,176 households interviewed owned a mobile phone. Yet, only 30 per cent of children with phones at home were able to access the device at any time.

The report states that technology-based education has widened existing gaps in accessing education. This makes children from marginalised sections – especially girls – more vulnerable during the pandemic. Only 26 per cent of girls had access to phones, as opposed to 37 per cent of boys. Moreover, phones were owned by a male family member in 71 per cent of cases.

During the lockdown, girls were expected to contribute to domestic chores more often than boys. Their access to electronic devices for e-learning was also low, even if the household owned one. These gender differences could result in a high number of girls dropping out of schools, especially since social norms already devalue their education.

The report recommends that the government implement measures to enable continuity in education according to the provisions of the Right to Education Act, 2009; formulate decentralised and context-specific plans to simplify the school reopening process; provide adequate support to teachers; and safeguard students from dropping out due to economic distress.

Focus and Factoids by Meghashree Dev.

PARI Library's health archive project is part of an initiative supported by the Azim Premji University to develop a free-access repository of health-related reports relevant to rural India.