India, Aug. 17 -- The recent suicides by young women students in Balasore, Noida and Kharagpur underscore the critical shortcomings in the ecosystem designed to protect and support female students, ultimately undermining public trust in the effectiveness of gender equity initiatives. "Young women in India, especially from underprivileged backgrounds, face many challenges in their pursuit of higher education. Beyond the obvious struggles like money and society's 'no', it's the daily battles that wear them down. They juggle housework and caregiving. Getting to college means risking unsafe buses. There is pressure on them for early marriage. And then there is a crippling feeling of inadequacy, lack of self-worth and finally a lack of agency," says Dr Kiran Modi, founder and managing trustee of Udayan Care, which works in facilitating higher education for girls. According to a longitudinal study conducted by her organisation in partnership with Duke University, at least one-fifth of the girls surveyed had harboured suicidal tendencies. Systemic change can only happen if girls are empowered from an early age. The Udayan Shalini Fellowship (USF) has for the past 23 years has addressed the obstacles that prevent girls from pursuing their educational aspirations. These include lack of family support, challenging socio-economic backgrounds, and restrictive cultural norms. USF has 38 chapters across India and provides education, agency, and leadership pathways to over 18,000 primarily first-generation learners. It actively identifies and supports at-risk adolescent girls who demonstrate a passion for higher education and a commitment to achieving their academic goals. Each fellow receives five to six years of comprehensive support, creating a holistic environment with interconnected services designed to address their individual needs and challenges. USF alumni have gone on to excel in diverse fields. A 2023 impact evaluation that of USF found that 73% of fellows are first-generation college attendees, breaking the cycle of poverty and limited educational opportunities in their families. Notably, 42% of fellows choose to pursue science streams, contributing to the diversification of women's representation in STEM fields. Anurag Behar, CEO, Azim Premji Foundation, says, "Women face the same challenges in higher education as they face in the rest of our society. Two things can help: First, having more women in leadership roles, and second, any violation must be dealt with quickly, decisively, and fairly. What concerns me equally, or perhaps, even more are the challenges faced by women that are outside their institution . If there is an everyday pressure on money not being available for commuting to college, or for food at the canteen or for buying books, it's a huge strain." Since the 1950s, the government has launched numerous initiatives with the primary goal of enhancing educational opportunities for women. The Kothari Commission (1964-1966), offered a comprehensive review of the Indian education system that emphasised the importance of gender equality, and the National Policy of Education (1986) outlined a long-term vision for education reform. These efforts led to a significant and measurable increase in women's access to higher education institutions. Data reveals a substantial rise in female enrolment. There has been a notable increase of 23% in women's enrolment in STEM courses. It is clear that if young women's access to higher education has to grow, families, educational institutions and society at large must come together to provide responsive and safe spaces. Young women must be ensured access to counselling services, and mentoring support, enabling them to build a degree of agency....