UNFPA - Adolescent and Youth

In many places adolescents and young people are growing up without the opportunities, information, and services they need to reach their full potential. Young women and girls are especially disenfranchised. Ignoring the needs of youth incurs a high cost in lost development opportunities, social disruption, and ill health. And it means failing to fully support our next generation of parents and leaders.

UNFPA is committed to helping young people protect their rights to reproductive and sexual health.

The challenges young people face vary widely among regions and cultures -- from forced early marriage to increased poverty resulting from adjustment policies, and from armed conflicts to a lack of opportunities.

For many, unwanted pregnancy and early childbearing are critical issues, for others, the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases poses a terrible threat. But everywhere adolescents and young people need accurate information as well as non-judgmental counselling, and comprehensive and affordable services.

This need extends to those who are already married, but may have less knowledge than their peers about reproductive health, because of curtailed social and educational opportunities. Providing relevant information and appropriate services to all young people will help them avoid unwanted pregnancies, care for their reproductive and sexual health and take advantage of educational and other opportunities that affect their lifelong well-being.

UNFPA's work on behalf of adolescents and young people is part of its life-cycle approach to reproductive and sexual health, and is focused on the key areas described in the links on the left. Adolescents are also a primary focus of the Fund's work on prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. In addition, UNFPA is committed to the eradication of the threat to young women posed by female genital mutilation.

This work is facilitated by a strong network of partners, a wealth of experience and a broad presence at the country level, and through expertise in place in regional, multidisciplinary Country Technical Services Teams. Under the direction of the Technical Support Division, these teams help integrate adolescent reproductive health services and issues into a wide variety of programmes and activities.

"As we speak of the future, it is especially important to invest in young people. Their education and health status, including their reproductive health, will help determine their future as well as that of their communities and their countries. "All the developing countries where economies have grown fastest in the last 50 years have made investments in young people a priority."

Thoraya A. Obaid, UNFPA Executive Director