"Divya Chaudhry is a 16-year-old from Madhya Pradesh--the rural Indian state with the fifth largest population in the country--who is bravely defying tradition. She’s using skills she learnt from UNFPA to thrive - and to eventually become financially independent, and able to make empowered, decisive choices about her own life.

Divya is part of the increased female labor force participation in India. Young women like her, fueled by youth empowerment groups, are actively delaying marriage and family formation.
Instead of early marriage, Divya is studying for a career in science, and taking...