Programming for adolescent health and development. Report of a WHO/UNFPA/UNICEF Study Group on Programming for...

One in every five persons is an adolescent (10-19 years of age). What happens, or does not happen, during the second decade of life has implications that last throughout a lifetime and affect both individual and public health. What sets adolescents apart from children is the increasing autonomy they demonstrate. Their own decisions, behaviours and relationships increasingly determine their health and development. Moreover, adolescence brings with it expanded capacities--for abstract thought and contemplating the future, for empathy and idealism, for critical thought including the questioning of self and others, and for reproduction. Yet the use of these new capacities is dependent on the environment in which adolescents live. So while adolescents display more self-reliance than children, they lack the status and resources of adults. Indeed, they are often dependent on adults to meet many of their basic needs. The consolidation of knowledge and experience acquired through the WHO/UNFPA/UNICEF Study Group on Programming for Adolescent Health is presented in this report. Verified by research, the report describes the guiding concepts and major interventions that are necessary components for country programming for adolescent health and development. The report asserts the value of addressing the health and development of adolescents simultaneously. It indicates the emerging evidence that actions to meet adolescents' needs for development also discourage them from adopting high-risk behaviours and protect them from the situations that lead to the major health problems. The report is illustrated by examples of programming efforts from around the world.