Navigating Gendered and Structural Barriers to Aspirations: Experiences of Youth in Kalyanpuri, New Delhi - A Study Report

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of intense change when young people begin to form aspirations shaped by their socio-economic realities. For adolescents and youth from underprivileged backgrounds, particularly girls, these aspirations are often constrained by limited resources, gender norms, and everyday violence. This report presents findings from research and programmatic work conducted by the Institute of Social Studies Trust (ISST) in Kalyanpuri, Delhi, through its Saathi and Yuva Saathi Centres. Using mixed methods—situational analysis, qualitative case studies, and participatory observations—the study explored how aspirations are formed and negotiated. While both girls and boys face structural barriers, girls contend with deeper restrictions on mobility, access to resources, and control over their agency and decision-making. Gendered violence, both within homes and in public spaces, further undermines their sense of agency and overall well-being. The findings underscore the importance of gender-sensitive, community-rooted interventions that expand adolescents’ real freedoms and choices, strengthen their capacity to aspire, and enable them—especially girls—to imagine and pursue more just and equitable futures.