World health leaders call for urgent action to promote adolescent well-being

Apr 1, 2021

Governments and health officials around the world are today calling for urgent action for the well-being of adolescents.

In an open letter published by The BMJ, they warn that the current generation of adolescents – 1.2 billion people aged 10 to 19 around the world – “risk inheriting a world ravaged by climate change and marked by covid-19 “.

The 30 signatories include the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, the World Health Organization, the United Nations and its associated agencies, youth-led organizations, civil society, foundations, academia and representatives. governments in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe.

Although adolescents have been spared the most serious direct effects of the pandemic, the indirect effects on their well-being are devastating, they say.

They explain that even before covid-19, adolescents and young adults faced many challenges to their well-being, including social injustice and inequalities, inadequate mental health, and a crisis in connecting with family. , the community and society, an increasing number of people living on the streets. or drop out of school.

However, between 2003 and 2015, development assistance for adolescent health represented only 1.6% of total development assistance for health, despite a third of the total global burden of disease whose roots are believed to be linked. during teenagehood.

When adolescents enter adulthood, many face unemployment or unstable jobs, they add. In 2017, 34% of young women and 10% of young men aged 15 to 24 did not have a job, education or training, with more pronounced disparities in North Africa and South Asia.

And even among employed adolescents and young adults, a growing proportion have poor job security, variable weekly incomes, and minimal or no health or social security coverage.

“These examples show that as a global community we have not paid enough attention to the multidimensional and intersectional nature of adolescent well-being and the importance of the transition to young adulthood,” write -they.

As a result, they are committed to launching a call to action for adolescent well-being to ensure that today’s adolescents are empowered to solve the problems they inherit.

At its core, there is an agreed new definition and conceptual framework for adolescent well-being to inform policy and programming.

This framework includes good health and optimal nutrition; connectivity, positive values ​​and contribution to society; security and an enabling environment; learning, competence, education, skills and employability; and agency and resilience.

“We invite everyone – policy makers, policymakers, civil society, service providers, educators, donors, innovators and, most importantly, adolescents themselves – to support this call to action,” they write.

“Together, we can make sure this translates into concrete policies, integrated programs and sustainable investments in adolescent well-being.”

They stress that adolescents, young people and youth-led organizations “are at the heart of this initiative and will continue to be.” But they say that “we all have a role to play in achieving these goals if we are to create a more equitable and inclusive world for this generation and future generations.”