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Why Prioritize Ethiopian 10-14 Year Olds?

Why Prioritize Ethiopian 10-14 Year Olds?. Jennifer Catino EngenderHealth October 9, 2007. Stages of adolescence Significance of puberty transition: Increased exposure to risks and vulnerabilities Largely neglected age group Importance of earlier investment

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Why Prioritize Ethiopian 10-14 Year Olds?

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  1. Why Prioritize Ethiopian 10-14 Year Olds? Jennifer Catino EngenderHealth October 9, 2007

  2. Stages of adolescence Significance of puberty transition: Increased exposure to risks and vulnerabilities Largely neglected age group Importance of earlier investment Opportunities of earlier investment Overview

  3. Stages of adolescence Age 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Girls Preadolescence EarlyAdolescence MiddleAdolescence LateAdolescence Youth YoungAdulthood Boys Preadolescence MiddleAdolescence LateAdol Youth YoungAdulthood EarlyAdolescence Chong, Erica, Hallman, Kelly, and Martha Brady. Investing When it Counts: Generating the evidence base for polices and programmes for very young adolescents. New York: UNFPA and Population Council, 2006.

  4. Developmental stages of young adolescents Chong, Erica, Hallman, Kelly, and Martha Brady. Investing When it Counts: Generating the evidence base for polices and programmes for very young adolescents. New York: UNFPA and Population Council, 2006.

  5. Social significance of puberty transition • 10-14 year olds often experience rapid transitions to new social roles - Caregiver - Bread winner - Spouse - Parent

  6. Increased exposure to risks and vulnerabilities • Premature school-leaving • Increased need for contribution to family economy • Unpaid domestic labor • Paid labor • Migration to seek economic opportunity • Social isolation • FGM • Early marriage

  7. Sexual maturation Consolidation of gender norms Disproportionate care and domestic work burden Withdrawal from and/or lack of safety in public space School leaving and school safety Loss of peers Migration for work Pressure for marriage Emergent issues for girls by age 12:

  8. SRH risks faced during early adolescence • Early sexual debut • Sexual coercion/violence • Early, unwanted pregnancy • Unsafe abortion • Maternal mortality • Maternal morbidity • Obsetric fistula • HIV/STIs

  9. Largely neglected age group • Despite significant vulnerabilities and needs, 10-14 year olds are NOT often: • Included in research • Included in policies • Targeted by existing youth programs and services

  10. Importance of early investment • Most youth programs start too late • If we really want to impact SRH, we need to prevent unwanted outcomes before they occur • Prevention of early and high fertility will also stem population growth, which will contribute not only to personal wellbeing, but also to national social and economic development

  11. May be easier to reach 10-14 year olds 10-14 year olds may be more open, flexible and creative May be easier to promote the development of positive behaviors rather than change negative ones Opportunities for early investment

  12. What do 10-14 year olds need? • Participation in finding solutions • Continued education • Social and peer support and protection • Safe places to meet, learn and recreate • Personal assets/life skills • Positive health habits/information/services • Opportunities for personal and professional development close to home

  13. Conclusions • Adolescence consists of a series of stages • 10-14 year olds experience rapid physical, emotional, social and cognitive changes • Transitions to new social roles often confer specific risks and vulnerabilities • Addressing these needs requires context-specific policies and programs

  14. Timing is everything! Early intervention = Effective prevention Thank you!

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