Adolescence
Lack of modern teaching equipment, old-fashioned curriculum and corrupted system often fail to prepare adolescents for their roles in society. UNICEF works actively in this field, supporting child centered and democratic schools, enabling new generations to recognize their rights, protect their health and lives and eventually as grown-ups raise their children in that spirit as well. Various surveys show that a significant number of adolescents in BIH feel marginalized, hopeless and excluded. The key obstacle to youth development is the absence of a stable and functional economy, which would improve the status of young people as well as other marginalized groups. The Government has started taking steps towards creation of the youth policy; however, a coherent action plan is still at the beginning.
Health care system is decentralised and the responsibility is divided among cantonal, entity and municipal authorities. Youth friendly counselling developed or child-friendly services do not exist in BIH. UNICEF is making pioneer steps supporting free testing on HIV/AIDS, initiated by local NGOs, as well as voluntary confidential counselling and testing (VCCT) as a base for prevention and support to vulnerable and adolescents at risk. An especially vulnerable group is the returnee population. For young minority returnees, problems exist in choosing the school, language, religious education; teenagers often face evident discrimination. In addition to that, the educational system does not take into account the needs of the market; and lacks to provide practical knowledge and skills to future job seekers so they can compete on the market.
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