The status of girls in India, especially those from vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, is in a dismal state.

According to Dasra, it is estimated that for every 100 girls that enroll in schools in rural India, 40 will reach grade four, 18 will reach grade eight, 9 will reach grade ten, and only 1 will make it to grade twelve. Furthermore, in the district of Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, surrounding the Milaan School, a startling 63 percent of girls drop out after class 8.

While for boys, adolescence might mean greater possibilities and a broadening world, for girls it means greater limitations. Adolescent girls, especially from socially and economically disadvantaged communities, spend less time in school than boys, perform a disproportionate share of domestic work, have restricted mobility, and have very few acceptable and safe public spaces for recreation.

The Girl Icon Fellowship program recognizes outstanding change-makers who seek to make a difference in their communities. It has been specifically designed for adolescent girls in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh – two of India’s most populated states ranked lowest on the Human Development Index.