Towards messages that matter: Understanding and addressing HIV and SRH risks among married young people in India

Although there is increasing interest in young people\u27s sexual and reproductive health (SRH) situations and needs in India, married young people have received little attention as a vulnerable group with distinct needs because marriage is assumed to be safe and because married youth are assumed to face none of the stigma that their unmarried counterparts experience in accessing SRH services. However, emerging evidence shows that within this subpopulation, married young women and men constitute groups with distinct risks of HIV and other poor SRH outcomes. There remains a need to better understand their unique vulnerabilities and to design programs that take into account their special circumstances. The Population Council and the Family Planning Association of India undertook a research project intended to better understand the situation and vulnerabilities faced by married young women and men, and to develop communication materials for married young women and men and training materials for providers to address HIV and other SRH risks experienced by these subpopulations. The study was conducted in rural settings in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, and in Dhar and Guna districts of Madhya Pradesh