Over the past two to three decades,the international The world is now waking up to the central importance community has paid increasing attention to the particular of the rights of adolescents-and to humanity's need to needs of adolescents.This reflects a keener understanding harness the idealism,energy and potential of the emerging of participation as a right of all children and especially generation.But even existing international commitments of adolescents.It also underscores a growing acknowl- will not be met unless there is a much greater concentra- edgement that advances in health and education achieved tion of resources,strategic planning and political will in early and middle childhood must be consolidated in towards the cause of adolescent rights. adolescence so as to effectively address the intergenera- tional transmission of poverty and inequality.In part,this Adolescents are as worthy of care and protection as young sharper focus has been forced by the global challenges- children,and as worthy of consideration and participa- such as the AIDS pandemic,massive global youth unem-tion as adults.Now is the moment for the world to recog- ployment and underemployment,demographic shifts and nize both what it owes to them and the singular dividends climate change-that have emerged as major threats to that investing in this age of opportunity can generate-for the present and future for millions of adolescents and the adolescents themselves and for the societies in which young people. they live. for success in a wired global economy.Without the frequent use of new media contributes significantly opportunity to become familiar with electronic me- to the development of both technological and social dia,adolescents may have trouble navigating social skills.Electronic media also provide an opportunity "Our challenge as interactions in online communities or recognizing for intense,self-directed,interest-driven study. biased,unreliable information. a global society is The benefits of far-reaching digital technologies to design and build The third divide is the lack of knowledge about how extend beyond learning to promoting creativity. young people use digital media across societies.In entrepreneurship and activism.Adolescents and online experiences for some countries-such as the United Kingdom,the young people are using these technologies to adolescents and young United States and parts of East Asia-both quantita- express themselves through videos,audio record- tive and qualitative data exist about the ways in which ings and games.They are creating inspiring political people that help them young people use new technologies,and these data movements,watchdog groups and new modes of seize the opportunities have begun to reveal how electronic media are chang- organizing that combine the online and the offline. ing practices among youth.Beyond basic information As they become young adults.some of them are -while mitigating the on access,however,such data are scarce in most parts inventing new businesses and technologies that challenges-of life that of the world.One challenge is that youth technology create jobs and opportunities.They teach one practices have only recently become subjects of re- another as they build out into the global cyber are partially mediated search,especially outside of a few parts of the world. environment. by digital technologies." It is clear,however,that engagement with digital Our challenge as a global society is to design and technologies is transforming leamning,socializing build online experiences for adolescents that help and communication among youth who are able to them seize the opportunities-while mitigating the access and use them.For these individuals,activities challenges-of life that are partially mediated by like content generation.remixing.collaboration and digital technologies.If the three divides of digital sharing are important aspects of daily life.Many of access can be bridged,new interfaces and experi- these activities are 'friendship-driven',serving to ences will expand adolescents'minds,connect them maintain relationships with people already known to people around the world and enable them to offine.Others are'interest-driven',allowing youth participate in the making and sharing of knowledge to develop expertise in specialized skill sets such as in the information economy. animation or blogging.In either context,the casual. THE EMERGING GENERATION 15
the emerging generation 15 Over the past two to three decades, the international community has paid increasing attention to the particular needs of adolescents. This reflects a keener understanding of participation as a right of all children and especially of adolescents. It also underscores a growing acknowledgement that advances in health and education achieved in early and middle childhood must be consolidated in adolescence so as to effectively address the intergenerational transmission of poverty and inequality. In part, this sharper focus has been forced by the global challenges – such as the AIDS pandemic, massive global youth unemployment and underemployment, demographic shifts and climate change – that have emerged as major threats to the present and future for millions of adolescents and young people. The world is now waking up to the central importance of the rights of adolescents – and to humanity’s need to harness the idealism, energy and potential of the emerging generation. But even existing international commitments will not be met unless there is a much greater concentration of resources, strategic planning and political will towards the cause of adolescent rights. Adolescents are as worthy of care and protection as young children, and as worthy of consideration and participation as adults. Now is the moment for the world to recognize both what it owes to them and the singular dividends that investing in this age of opportunity can generate – for the adolescents themselves and for the societies in which they live. “ Our challenge as a global society is to design and build online experiences for adolescents and young people that help them seize the opportunities – while mitigating the challenges – of life that are partially mediated by digital technologies.” for success in a wired global economy. Without the opportunity to become familiar with electronic media, adolescents may have trouble navigating social interactions in online communities or recognizing biased, unreliable information. The third divide is the lack of knowledge about how young people use digital media across societies. In some countries – such as the United Kingdom, the United States and parts of East Asia – both quantitative and qualitative data exist about the ways in which young people use new technologies, and these data have begun to reveal how electronic media are changing practices among youth. Beyond basic information on access, however, such data are scarce in most parts of the world. One challenge is that youth technology practices have only recently become subjects of research, especially outside of a few parts of the world. It is clear, however, that engagement with digital technologies is transforming learning, socializing and communication among youth who are able to access and use them. For these individuals, activities like content generation, remixing, collaboration and sharing are important aspects of daily life. Many of these activities are ‘friendship-driven’, serving to maintain relationships with people already known offline. Others are ‘interest-driven’, allowing youth to develop expertise in specialized skill sets such as animation or blogging. In either context, the casual, frequent use of new media contributes significantly to the development of both technological and social skills. Electronic media also provide an opportunity for intense, self-directed, interest-driven study. The benefits of far-reaching digital technologies extend beyond learning to promoting creativity, entrepreneurship and activism. Adolescents and young people are using these technologies to express themselves through videos, audio recordings and games. They are creating inspiring political movements, watchdog groups and new modes of organizing that combine the online and the offline. As they become young adults, some of them are inventing new businesses and technologies that create jobs and opportunities. They teach one another as they build out into the global cyber environment. Our challenge as a global society is to design and build online experiences for adolescents that help them seize the opportunities – while mitigating the challenges – of life that are partially mediated by digital technologies. If the three divides of digital access can be bridged, new interfaces and experiences will expand adolescents’ minds, connect them to people around the world and enable them to participate in the making and sharing of knowledge in the information economy
Adolescents are often considered the next generation of actors on the social and economic stage; therefore all societies would benefit from harnessing their energy and skills.A16-year-old girl leads an adolescent girls hygiene-monitoring group that is transforming the slum neighbourhood she lives in, Comilla,Bangladesh. CHAPTER 2 Realizing the Rights of Adolescents 16 THE STATE OF THE WORLD'S CHILDREN 2011
16 THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2011 Adolescents are often considered the next generation of actors on the social and economic stage; therefore all societies would benefit from harnessing their energy and skills. A16-year-old girl leads an adolescent girls’ hygiene-monitoring group that is transforming the slum neighbourhood she lives in, Comilla, Bangladesh. Realizing the Rights of Adolescents CHAPTER 2
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GLobal challenges for adolescents 17 Realizing the Rights of Adolescents
CHALLENGES AND Realizing the rights of adolescents and advancing their development requires a keen understanding of their current circumstances.Using the latest available data from international surveys,supplemented by national sources and research studies where appropriate,this chapter examines the state of adolescent health and education before looking at gender and protection issues. At the international level,the evidence base on middle child- growing and sustained commitment of international and hood(5-9 years)and adolescents(10-19 years)is consider- national stakeholders to education,increasingly for girls as ably thinner than it is for early childhood(0-4 years).This well as boys. relative paucity of data derives from several factors.The survival and health care of children under five years-the The evidence base at the international level on secondary time of greatest mortality risk for individuals-has been at education,is far narrower.Sufficient data do not exist to the cornerstone of international efforts to protect and care determine the share of secondary-school-age children who for children for more than six decades.In recent decades, complete education at this level globally,or to assess the vast leaps have taken place in the collection of health data, quality of the education they receive.And as with health, driven by the child survival revolution of the 1980s,the 1990 not many developing countries can provide comprehensive World Summit for Children,the Convention on the Rights disaggregated data on key quantitative and qualitative of the Child and the push for the MDGs.Consequently, indicators. national and international health information systems for children mostly focus on the early years,concentrating on Child protection is the third field in which the availability such indicators as neonatal deaths,infant immunization and of data is fundamental to understanding how vulnerable underweight prevalence among under-fives adolescents are to violence,abuse,exploitation,neglect and discrimination.It is heartening that since UNICEF and oth- Health information on adolescents,by contrast,is not ers began to adapt the 1980s concept of 'children in espe- widely available in many developing countries apart from cially difficult circumstances'into the more holistic concept indicators on sexual and reproductive health collected of child protection,we now have many more key protection by major international health surveys,particularly in the indicators.Thanks to the USAID-supported Demographic context of HIV and AIDS.Where health data on adoles- and Health Surveys (DHS)and the UNICEF-supported cence are available,it is often not disaggregated by sex, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys(MICS)in particular- age cohort or other factors that could give much-needed but also to national systems-data are available on child details on the situation of adolescents. labour,child marriage,birth registration and female genital mutilation/cutting.More recently,through both expanded Education presents a similar story.The decades-long inter- household surveys and targeted studies,data have emerged national drive for universal primary education and,more on other child protection concerns such as violence. recently,for early childhood development has fostered the development of indicators and analysis of education in the But the scope for more and better information on child pro- first decade of life.This is most welcome,and it reflects the tection remains vast.Many aspects of this most vulnerable of 18 THE STATE OF THE WORLD'S CHILDREN 2011
18 THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2011 growing and sustained commitment of international and national stakeholders to education, increasingly for girls as well as boys. The evidence base at the international level on secondary education, is far narrower. Sufficient data do not exist to determine the share of secondary-school-age children who complete education at this level globally, or to assess the quality of the education they receive. And as with health, not many developing countries can provide comprehensive disaggregated data on key quantitative and qualitative indicators. Child protection is the third field in which the availability of data is fundamental to understanding how vulnerable adolescents are to violence, abuse, exploitation, neglect and discrimination. It is heartening that since UNICEF and others began to adapt the 1980s concept of ‘children in especially difficult circumstances’ into the more holistic concept of child protection, we now have many more key protection indicators. Thanks to the USAID-supported Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and the UNICEF-supported Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) in particular – but also to national systems – data are available on child labour, child marriage, birth registration and female genital mutilation/cutting. More recently, through both expanded household surveys and targeted studies, data have emerged on other child protection concerns such as violence. But the scope for more and better information on child protection remains vast. Many aspects of this most vulnerable of At the international level, the evidence base on middle childhood (5–9 years) and adolescents (10–19 years) is considerably thinner than it is for early childhood (0–4 years). This relative paucity of data derives from several factors. The survival and health care of children under five years – the time of greatest mortality risk for individuals – has been at the cornerstone of international efforts to protect and care for children for more than six decades. In recent decades, vast leaps have taken place in the collection of health data, driven by the child survival revolution of the 1980s, the 1990 World Summit for Children, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the push for the MDGs. Consequently, national and international health information systems for children mostly focus on the early years, concentrating on such indicators as neonatal deaths, infant immunization and underweight prevalence among under-fives. Health information on adolescents, by contrast, is not widely available in many developing countries apart from indicators on sexual and reproductive health collected by major international health surveys, particularly in the context of HIV and AIDS. Where health data on adolescence are available, it is often not disaggregated by sex, age cohort or other factors that could give much-needed details on the situation of adolescents. Education presents a similar story. The decades-long international drive for universal primary education and, more recently, for early childhood development has fostered the development of indicators and analysis of education in the first decade of life. This is most welcome, and it reflects the Realizing the rights of adolescents and advancing their development requires a keen understanding of their current circumstances. Using the latest available data from international surveys, supplemented by national sources and research studies where appropriate, this chapter examines the state of adolescent health and education before looking at gender and protection issues. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
OPPORTUNITIES areas for adolescents are still hidden from view,partly owing nutrition,which yield physiological benefits that persist to intractable difficulties associated with the collection of into adolescence. such information in circumstances often involving secrecy and illegality.Furthermore,the international household sur- Those children who reach adolescence have already negoti- veys from which much of the data on adolescents is derived ated the years of greatest mortality risk.While the survival of do not,by definition,capture adolescent males and females children in their earliest years is threatened on many fronts living outside the household-in institutions,for example,or -for example,by birth complications,infectious diseases and on the streets,in slums or in informal peri-urban settlements undernutrition-mortality rates for adolescents aged 10-14 where records do not exist. are lower than for any other age cohort. Rates for young people aged 15-24,while Oft-quoted estimates of the number of chil- dren associated with or affected by armed “Adolescents need slightly higher,are still relatively low.Girls have lower rates of mortality in adoles- conflict and child trafficking and of those the opportunity to cence than boys,though the difference is in conflict with the law-to name but three assert themselves, much more marked in industrialized coun- areas-are outdated,not fully reliable and tries than in developing countries. generally believed to vastly underestimate express themselves. the true scope of the abuse. Yet in 2004 almost 1 million children to flourish." under age 18 died of an injury.?Risks to This pattern ofdata collection is beginning Mamadou,19,Senegal adolescent survival and health stem from to change.Enhanced national surveys and several causes,including accidents,AIDS, censuses,along with international house- early pregnancy,unsafe abortions,risky hold surveys such as MICS and DHS,are behaviours such as tobacco consumption providing an increasingly rich vein of evidence on the situ- and drug use,mental health issues and violence.These risks ation of adolescents and young people on a wide range of are addressed below,with the exception of violence,which is issues.Recent work by the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, tackled later on in the section on gender and protection. the Education for All Initiative and other mechanisms are providing a stronger evidence base on education than before.Analysis of this new data is enriching our under- Survival and general health risks standing of the state of adolescents worldwide and will Accidents are the greatest cause of mortality enhance the international community's ability to realize among adolescents their rights. Injuries are a growing concern in public health in relation to younger children and adolescents alike.They are the leading cause of death among adolescents aged 10-19, Health in adolescence accounting for almost 400,000 deaths each year among Healthier adolescents today,despite lingering risks this age group.Many of these deaths are related to road Despite popular perceptions to the contrary,adolescents traffic accidents.3 across the world are generally healthier today than in previous generations.This is in large measure a legacy of Fatalities from injuries among adolescents are highest greater attention to and investment in early childhood, among the poor,with low-and middle-income countries higher rates of infant immunization and improved infant experiencing the greatest burden.Road traffic accidents REALIZING THE RIGHTS OF ADOLESCENTS 19
realizing the rights of adolescents 19 areas for adolescents are still hidden from view, partly owing to intractable difficulties associated with the collection of such information in circumstances often involving secrecy and illegality. Furthermore, the international household surveys from which much of the data on adolescents is derived do not, by definition, capture adolescent males and females living outside the household – in institutions, for example, or on the streets, in slums or in informal peri-urban settlements where records do not exist. Oft-quoted estimates of the number of children associated with or affected by armed conflict and child trafficking and of those in conflict with the law – to name but three areas – are outdated, not fully reliable and generally believed to vastly underestimate the true scope of the abuse. This pattern of data collection is beginning to change. Enhanced national surveys and censuses, along with international household surveys such as MICS and DHS, are providing an increasingly rich vein of evidence on the situation of adolescents and young people on a wide range of issues. Recent work by the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, the Education for All Initiative and other mechanisms are providing a stronger evidence base on education than before. Analysis of this new data is enriching our understanding of the state of adolescents worldwide and will enhance the international community’s ability to realize their rights. Health in adolescence Healthier adolescents today, despite lingering risks Despite popular perceptions to the contrary, adolescents across the world are generally healthier today than in previous generations. This is in large measure a legacy of greater attention to and investment in early childhood, higher rates of infant immunization and improved infant nutrition, which yield physiological benefits that persist into adolescence. Those children who reach adolescence have already negotiated the years of greatest mortality risk. While the survival of children in their earliest years is threatened on many fronts – for example, by birth complications, infectious diseases and undernutrition – mortality rates for adolescents aged 10–14 are lower than for any other age cohort. Rates for young people aged 15–24, while slightly higher, are still relatively low. Girls have lower rates of mortality in adolescence than boys, though the difference is much more marked in industrialized countries than in developing countries.1 Yet in 2004 almost 1 million children under age 18 died of an injury.2 Risks to adolescent survival and health stem from several causes, including accidents, AIDS, early pregnancy, unsafe abortions, risky behaviours such as tobacco consumption and drug use, mental health issues and violence. These risks are addressed below, with the exception of violence, which is tackled later on in the section on gender and protection. Survival and general health risks Accidents are the greatest cause of mortality among adolescents Injuries are a growing concern in public health in relation to younger children and adolescents alike. They are the leading cause of death among adolescents aged 10–19, accounting for almost 400,000 deaths each year among this age group. Many of these deaths are related to road traffic accidents.3 Fatalities from injuries among adolescents are highest among the poor, with low- and middle-income countries experiencing the greatest burden. Road traffic accidents CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES “Adolescents need the opportunity to assert themselves, express themselves, to flourish.” Mamadou, 19, Senegal