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Adolescent girls' issues: moving up the development agenda Adolescent girls' issues: moving up the development agenda
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Adolescence, defined by the World Health Organisation as the age from 10 to 19, offers a key window to break cycles of poverty. If interventions take place early enough, girls can be supported to stay in school, delay their first birth and build their health, social, and economic assets.Adolescence, defined by the World Health Organisation as the age from 10 to 19, offers a key window to break cycles of poverty. If interventions take place early enough, girls can be supported to stay in school, delay their first birth and build their health, social, and economic assets.
Yet a recurrent criticism from experts is that the field has traditionally suffered from a lack of both attention and research on marginalised girls during their adolescent years. Girls' issues often concentrate on health and motherhood while boys' concerns have traditionally focused on violence, conflict and employment.Yet a recurrent criticism from experts is that the field has traditionally suffered from a lack of both attention and research on marginalised girls during their adolescent years. Girls' issues often concentrate on health and motherhood while boys' concerns have traditionally focused on violence, conflict and employment.
"The fact is that from their last immunisation until the birth of their first child, adolescent girls have been off screen when it comes to development practice," says Judith Bruce, senior associate and policy analyst within the Population Council's poverty, gender, and youth programme."The fact is that from their last immunisation until the birth of their first child, adolescent girls have been off screen when it comes to development practice," says Judith Bruce, senior associate and policy analyst within the Population Council's poverty, gender, and youth programme.
The organisation has undertaken extensive work to urge policymakers and practitioners to engage in girl-centered design, an approach that places adolescents at the heart of each and every programme decision – from identifying which girls to target, when and why, to measuring results at the level of the girl.The organisation has undertaken extensive work to urge policymakers and practitioners to engage in girl-centered design, an approach that places adolescents at the heart of each and every programme decision – from identifying which girls to target, when and why, to measuring results at the level of the girl.
There is a pressing need to invest in the development of vulnerable young women. According to the Coalition for Adolescent Girls, 70% of the word's 130 million out-of-school young are girls. As many as 50% of the victims of sexual assault are girls aged 16 or younger and young women in developing countries are more likely to be mothers before the age of 18 and face a higher risk of dying in childbirth.There is a pressing need to invest in the development of vulnerable young women. According to the Coalition for Adolescent Girls, 70% of the word's 130 million out-of-school young are girls. As many as 50% of the victims of sexual assault are girls aged 16 or younger and young women in developing countries are more likely to be mothers before the age of 18 and face a higher risk of dying in childbirth.
With the right support, education and resources, adolescent girls can be empowered to change their lives. For example, every year of schooling increases a girl's individual earning power by 10–20%, while the return on secondary education is even higher, in the 15–25% range.With the right support, education and resources, adolescent girls can be empowered to change their lives. For example, every year of schooling increases a girl's individual earning power by 10–20%, while the return on secondary education is even higher, in the 15–25% range.
In some African countries, 30-70% of households are headed by single mothers. In failing to support teenage girls the chance to break cycles of poverty is consistently being missed. "Targeting adolescent girls represents the best investment in future generations," says Bruce.In some African countries, 30-70% of households are headed by single mothers. In failing to support teenage girls the chance to break cycles of poverty is consistently being missed. "Targeting adolescent girls represents the best investment in future generations," says Bruce.
While advances have been made in education, other areas such as child marriage, gender-based violence and maternal mortality have seen less progress. In a report identifying the challenges faced in achieving its strategic vision for women and girls, the UK's Department for International Development found that the lack of evidence on adolescent girls affected its ability to deliver an effective support programme.While advances have been made in education, other areas such as child marriage, gender-based violence and maternal mortality have seen less progress. In a report identifying the challenges faced in achieving its strategic vision for women and girls, the UK's Department for International Development found that the lack of evidence on adolescent girls affected its ability to deliver an effective support programme.
The department has funded a four-year programme of work to assess the socialisation effects that arise during adolescence and to identify the discriminatory social institutions and the laws, norms and practices that may prevent adolescent girls from reaching their full potential.The department has funded a four-year programme of work to assess the socialisation effects that arise during adolescence and to identify the discriminatory social institutions and the laws, norms and practices that may prevent adolescent girls from reaching their full potential.
The head of the Overseas Development Institute's social development programme, Caroline Harper, stresses that adolescent girls are not a homogenous group and subsets will have complex and varying needs.The head of the Overseas Development Institute's social development programme, Caroline Harper, stresses that adolescent girls are not a homogenous group and subsets will have complex and varying needs.
"When working with adolescent girls you are often faced with intersecting issues that are interconnected. The variety of issues may come from different drivers. Early marriage is different from sexual violence, which is a different issue to tackle from access to employment. But all these challenges coalesce around the common theme of the lack of power and efficacy for girls," says Harper."When working with adolescent girls you are often faced with intersecting issues that are interconnected. The variety of issues may come from different drivers. Early marriage is different from sexual violence, which is a different issue to tackle from access to employment. But all these challenges coalesce around the common theme of the lack of power and efficacy for girls," says Harper.
Given the challenges adolescent girls face, many projects aim to empower marginalised young women from different angles, be they economic, political or social. One example is the Right to Play foundation, which runs specific projects to empower girls through sport. The organisation believes that the inter-relationship between gender, poverty, education and health demonstrates the need for all nations to address gender equality as a central part of their efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.Given the challenges adolescent girls face, many projects aim to empower marginalised young women from different angles, be they economic, political or social. One example is the Right to Play foundation, which runs specific projects to empower girls through sport. The organisation believes that the inter-relationship between gender, poverty, education and health demonstrates the need for all nations to address gender equality as a central part of their efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the number of organisations advocating for adolescent girls' issues to be given greater priority, but the growth in interest is yet to result in an upsurge in the number of projects.Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the number of organisations advocating for adolescent girls' issues to be given greater priority, but the growth in interest is yet to result in an upsurge in the number of projects.
As discussion continue over the framework that will replace the goals after 2015, some hope that gender issues will be given more importance.As discussion continue over the framework that will replace the goals after 2015, some hope that gender issues will be given more importance.
"It would be good if the higher level discussions featured gender in an explicit way. At the moment the jury is out as to whether it will feature in a strong, authoritative manner within the post-MDG framework," adds Harper."It would be good if the higher level discussions featured gender in an explicit way. At the moment the jury is out as to whether it will feature in a strong, authoritative manner within the post-MDG framework," adds Harper.
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