India Needs Youth Mental Health Focus To Strike Demographic Gold

Relevance: GS2 - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

(Source: The Hindu, 10/10/2023)

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Why in the news?

• The World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10, every year.
• India is a nation characterized by its vast population, exceeding 1.4 billion individuals, and is currently undergoing a profound demographic shift.
• Among its populace, there exists a substantial group of adolescents aged 10 to 19 years, numbering approximately 253 million.
  • This specific demographic cohort plays a crucial role in what economists and demographers commonly refer to as India's 'demographic dividend.'
• A study released by the International Labour Organization (ILO) states that 15% of working-age adults, globally, live with a mental disorder.
• Informal workers, which make up 90% of the population, despite their significant contribution to the national income, face ongoing economic, physical, and mental vulnerabilities.

The State of Youth Mental Health in Public Health Policies

• Adolescent Health Challenge: The focus on youth mental health in public health policies and programs, particularly for adolescents, is insufficient. While governments worldwide recognize the importance of adolescent health and have introduced numerous policies, mental health does not receive attention.
  • Adolescence is a crucial period marked by physical and mental changes, and societal pressures, such as body image expectations, academic stress, and peer pressure, significantly impact mental well-being.
  • A report has stated that among Indians aged 13-17 years, the prevalence of severe mental illness was 7.3% (as of 2015-2016).
• In India, the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), a government policy dedicated to adolescent health, has been in operation for almost a decade. However, its mental health strategies have been implemented slowly.
  • The RKSK, managed under the National Health Mission, has not shared critical data, including mental health statistics, violence, injuries, and substance misuse.
  • There has also been limited discussion on mental health treatment, and district-level vacancies for trained counselors dedicated to adolescent health persist.
• Other policies, such as the Sarva Shiksha Yojana (focused on learning disabilities), National Youth Policy (addressing substance abuse), National Mental Health Policy, and Yuva Spandana Yojana (only in Karnataka), touch on factors influencing mental health in adolescents. However, these policies often treat mental health as a secondary concern within the broader context of adolescent well-being.

India’s Informal Workforce

• India's informal workforce makes up over 90% of the working population, and they lack regulatory protection, often working in unsafe conditions, enduring long hours, and having limited access to social and financial support.
• This precarious situation leads to high uncertainty and negatively impacts their mental health, with limited access to mental health care.
• Gender disparities are significant, as more than 95% of working women in India are engaged in low-paying, precarious informal employment, facing not only economic challenges but also patriarchal norms in their social and family lives.
• Informal workers, despite their significant contribution to the national income, face ongoing economic, physical, and mental vulnerabilities.
• India's allocation for mental health in the budget, currently less than 1% of the total health budget.

Challenges in Youth Employment and Aging Population

• Impact of Unemployment on Youth Mental Health: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has noted that unemployment and low-quality employment have consistently had negative effects on mental health.
  • A study by the Lokniti group, conducted in India, interviewed over 9,000 youths aged 15 to 34 across 18 states and found that they are highly susceptible to negative emotions, particularly due to the high levels of youth unemployment in the country.
• Youth Unemployment Crisis in India: An International Labour Organization (ILO) report highlights that young workers in India are increasingly moving towards precarious and informal work, often accepting lower pay and poor working conditions out of desperation. This situation sometimes leads them to exit the labor force altogether.
• Gender Disparities in Unemployment: The State of Inequality in India Report 2022 reveals that the unemployment rate is even higher among educated young women, reaching 42%.
• Challenges of an Aging Society: There is no apparent social security plan for the aging population in India. Census data from 2011 shows that 33 million elderly individuals continue to work in informal jobs post-retirement.
  • An ILO study on elderly employment in India reveals high levels of poverty among them, both in terms of economic dependency and access to financial assets.
• Impact on Physical and Mental Health: The lack of proper financial and healthcare security for working elderly individuals can significantly impact their physical and mental health, making them more vulnerable.

Social Security for Informal Workers

• The informal workers in India are facing mental distress due to accumulating debt and rising healthcare costs.
• A study by Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) in Delhi found that post-COVID-19 recovery among informal workers is uneven, with many still experiencing food insecurity and reduced consumption.
• Mental health and well-being are affected by factors like food security and financial stability. Although some schemes received increased funding, others like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) saw funding cuts.
• In 2021, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported that 26% of suicide victims were daily wage earners, highlighting the importance of employment guarantee programs in improving mental health outcomes.
• Social security in India can take on three roles: promotional (augmenting income), preventive (averting economic distress), and protective (providing relief from external shocks).
• However, a review of the Code on Social Security 2020 reveals that critical issues related to the social security of India's informal workforce remain unaddressed. The current Code does not prioritize the universalization of social security, which is essential to ensure the well-being of the country's informal workers.

What is Mental Health?

• Health is critical to a country's development, hence the World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as " a state of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity".
• WHO defines mental health as mental well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
• Hence, mental health is the foundation for individual well-being and the efficient operation of a community.

Why is World Mental Health Day Celebrated?

• World Mental Health Day is marked on 10th October every year to spread awareness and education about mental health issues across the world.
• The first time World Mental Health Day was observed was on 10th October, 1992.
• The day was started as an annual activity of the World Federation for Mental Health by the then Deputy Secretary-General Richard Hunter.
• Theme for 2023: The theme of World Mental Health Day this year is ‘mental health as a universal human right’.

Government’s Initiatives to Promote Mental Health

• National Mental Health Program (NMHP): Since 1982, the government has been implementing the National Mental Health Program (NMHP) to address the enormous burden of mental disorders and a shortage of qualified professionals in the field of mental health.
• Mental Health Act: The Mental HealthCare Act of 2017 guarantees every affected person access to mental healthcare and treatment from government-run or funded services.
• Kiran Helpline: In 2020, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the 'Kiran' toll-free helpline to provide support to people experiencing anxiety, stress, depression, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health concerns.
• Manodarpan Initiative: This is a Ministry of Education initiative aimed at providing psychosocial support to students, family members, and teachers for their mental health and well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• MANAS Mobile App: The Government of India launched the MANAS (Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System) Mobile App in 2021 to promote mental wellbeing across age groups.
• National Youth Policy: It aims to provide a comprehensive framework and vision for the development and empowerment of young people, recognizing them as a critical national demographic. The policy is aligned with the UN SDGs, mainly encompassing quality education, reduced inequalities, decent work and economic growth.

Way Ahead

• Considering that India is currently in a demographic phase where a significant portion of its population is of working age, it is crucial to address the quality of employment and provide long-term social security for this demographic group.
• In order to address the looming epidemic of adolescent mental health issues in India involves a comprehensive approach that considers awareness, prevention, intervention, and equity.
• As India's population ages and its working-age population continues to grow, addressing the quality of employment and social security for both youth and the elderly becomes increasingly important for the nation's overall well-being.
• Proactive policies are urgently needed to enhance mental health recognition and action. This is crucial not only for upholding the fundamental human right to good health, including mental health but also for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 3 (good health and well-being) and SDG 8 (decent work for all/economic growth).

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