New Guttmacher Study: Better Access,
Improved Support, More Research!
Time is ticking, fast, particularly for very young adolescents aged 10-14
years old. This is a stage in life that is characterised by rapid physical
changes, such as the onset of puberty. It also includes very dynamic social
and emotional situations that include first-time intimate and sexual
experiences for some, as found in a recent study conducted by the Guttmacher
Institute. Because of this quickly evolving period in life, it is crucial
that young adolescents have the chance to build a solid and well informed
foundation regarding their sexual and reproductive health needs. Currently,
we are in the midst of the largest generation of young people in history, and
ensuring that they have full and universal access to their sexual and
reproductive health rights (SRHR) is vital if they are to achieve their full
potential.
Evidence of this need can be seen in the latest Guttmacher Institute report.
It found that in 2016, over 3/4 of a million births in low- and middle-income
countries were from girls under the age of 15, and more than 1/2 of these
were in Africa. It’s true, the overwhelming majority of very young
adolescents around the world are living in low- and middle-income regions.
This only further emphasises the need to ensure their access to quality SRH
services and information, ultimately empowering them to lead healthy and
self-determined lives.
Stacked Odds
While past evidence has found that various institutional, cultural and legal
barriers are to blame for older adolescent’s lack of access to SRH services
and care, the report makes the fair and valid presumption that barriers are
even greater for the very young. This is compounded by the fact that many
young participants of the study reported that their first sexual intercourse
experiences were a result of coercion or violence, as opposed to choice. In
addition, a related factor that cannot be ignored is the ongoing catastrophe
of the practice of child and enforced marriages worldwide, which
disproportionately affects girls. The combination of these preventable risk
factors stack the odds against very young adolescents even higher. This
stresses the urgent need for their improved access and support for SRH
services, and improvements in programs that address gender based violence and
promote equitable gender norms. When girls win, we all win.
A Way Forward
Data regarding the extent of access to SRH services, as well as the reach and
quality of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) for young students was
reported by the Guttmacher Institute as being very limited to non-existent.
They viewed primary schools as invaluable environments for fostering CSE for
very young adolescents, which is especially so because the information and
support may be able to reach them before or at the onset of sexual
activities. Policymakers and program planners must prioritize the filling of
these and other research gaps. This fosters evidence base interventions that
can effectively address the needs and actual experiences of 10-14 year olds
in low- and middle-income countries. Recommendations have been made towards
the provisions of youth friendly SRH services, keeping young adolescents in
school, improved implementation of national CSE curricula and policies, and
enhancing programs that foster and address equitable gender norms and child
marriages, especially for girls.
It is the sum of all the parts combined that are needed to move forward. The
UNFPA has noted that past measures in many countries have focused on changing
the behaviours of girls and have failed to address all of the other
aforementioned underlying determinates. They acknowledge and advocate for a
broad-based approach which corroborates with researchers recommendations made
above. Gender equality and the fulfilment of SRHR are also central to the
agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Goals cannot be
fully achieved without them. Ultimately, this will have long lasting positive
outcomes for young adolescents by building their human capital and focusing
on their agency, so they can make well informed decisions about their health
and sexual lives. Wouldn’t you want this for your children too?
Read more about DSW’s work on SRHR.