About Young Lives India
Young Lives is an international study of childhood poverty following the changing lives of 12,000 children in India, Ethiopia, Peru and Vietnam over 15 years.The study is unique in that it directly links the evidence-base of research to policymakers and planners, both in the study countries and internationally.
Young Lives is a collaborative research project coordinated by a team based at the University of Oxford . Our research partners in each study country represent a range of government, independent and academic institutions.
The strength of Young Lives lies in the knowledge, expertise, skills and diversity of the international team. It draws together experts in the field of childhood poverty across a wide range of disciplines – ranging from anthropology, economics, education, health and nutrition, psychology, social policy, sociology, and policy. The study countries – India, Ethiopia, Peru and Vietnam – were selected to reflect a wide range of cultural, political, geographical and social contexts.
In India, we are following 3,000 children (2,000 born in 2001-02 and 1,000 born in 1994-95) in 20 sentinel sites across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The study uses a pro-poor sample that includes nearly an equal number of boys and girls, located in both rural and urban communities.
Our research provides insights into every phase of childhood and facets of child development across generations.
There are three main components in our study:
● Quantitative longitudinal research: five rounds of surveys of all 3,000 children, their caregivers, and community leaders
● Qualitative longitudinal research: in-depth interviews with a smaller group of 48 children, their peers, and parents
● Two school surveys, at primary- and secondary-levels, conducted in private and government schools
● Policy and Communications: sharing of our findings with relevant stakeholders like policymakers
For more information about Young Lives India, please see our flyer.
Our innovative approach to poverty research is enabling us to collect a wealth of information not only about children's material and social circumstances, but also their perspectives on their lives and aspirations for their futures, set against the social and environmental realities of their communities.
Through our pro-poor sample we are building up a comprehensive picture of what poverty means for children in India today. We are interested in children's subjective experience and views about their lives as well as more standard poverty measures.
Indian children play an active role in our work, and we work with policymakers to provide the evidence they need to design effective child poverty reduction policies.
Linked with our commitment to communications and policy engagement, we are using our research results to influence the development of thinking, policy and practice on child poverty and to improve poor children's lives.