Taking actionThe peril is clear, but so is the potential. And it is also obvious that to take action for girls requires taking action for boys. Their lives and problems are deeply intertwined -- and so must be the solutions.Almost 10 years ago, the Convention on the Rights of the Child defined the upper age limit of childhood as 18, recognizing that adolescents are entitled to the help and protection of society. The disturbing realization that this generation is at risk has alerted governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals to some key realities: that young people as individuals have rights to information, skills and services, and that as a group they are key to the future of their nations. Anyone who has worked with young people knows what a resource they are, especially in overcoming the problems their generation faces -- among them early pregnancy, school drop-out rates, substance abuse and violence. To participate in the solutions, they need information, they need skills and services, and they need a safe and supportive environment, including trusted adults to whom they can turn for advice. The world has begun to respond. In 1994, the international community acknowledged young people's reproductive health rights in the Programme of Action at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo. It said that adolescents need appropriate direction and guidance in sexual and reproductive matters in a manner consistent with their evolving maturity. Another milestone was the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995). It was the first international women's conference at which the Platform for Action contained a section addressing the rights of girls and young women. These conferences have recognized that young people, girls in particular, have been denied their rights and that society has not paid attention to their needs. These gatherings have also galvanized the political commitment to address adolescent concerns. We know what works. Now we must take advantage of the political consensus to help young people cope with the social and sexual changes of adolescence. The evidence shows that young people successfully take charge of their lives when they receive the information and learn the skills they need -- and acquire the self-confidence to employ them. Numerous studies have shown, for instance, that sex education delays young people's sexual initiation or reduces the number of partners. The media can play a role in opening minds and changing policies. Radio, television and video, magazines and newspapers, even the Internet reach into all but the most isolated corners of the developing world. These media can be used to reinforce fundamental messages, such as the fact that we must keep girls in school -- the most cost-effective development intervention known, given the positive ripple effect of girls' education on the lives of their children and communities. Creating a better future for adolescents also means helping them connect with others who struggle with the same questions and concerns. Young people are creating their own media initiatives to reach their peers. Kenya's Kenyatta University has launched KU Peer, a student-run magazine with a nationwide circulation of 20,000, to inform young people about health issues and to recruit peer educators. The Palestinian Ministry of Youth and Sport is sponsoring a magazine produced by young people and focusing on child rights issues, with upcoming editions devoted to gender and child labour. China's Radio Shanghai hosts a talk show called 'Whisper', which takes questions from listeners on adolescent health. Hosted by a presenter with a friendly name like 'Aunt Ling', it can be heard in almost half of China. 'Straight Talk', a radio programme run by young people to discuss youth issues including health and sexuality, airs in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. The scripts for India's 'Dehleez', a popular dramatic radio serial, incorporate messages about appropriate health behaviour. Jamaica's Red Cross Peer Educator project uses a similar strategy. But information is not enough. Young people need services, especially youth-friendly health services. In Zambia, three pilot clinics have been staffed with 52 peer educators, 16 to 26 years old, who are trained to teach negotiating skills and provide counselling on issues including HIV/AIDS, pregnancy and substance abuse. In Swaziland, an education campaign aims to motivate young people to use the services of 80 health workers specially trained in adolescent health promotion. In an initiative in Costa Rica, young people are consulted about the health services provided, and they can take their questions to specially trained health workers. In Ukraine, the Young People's Development Programme provides youth health services as part of an effort that also aims to prevent crime, drug abuse and suicide. While young people deal with the confusing developments of adolescence, they need education and vocational skills to enable them to support themselves. One model is a programme in Maqattam, near Cairo, that offers both literacy and vocational classes for girls -- and also sends a strong message about self-worth by promising 500 Egyptian pounds ($148) to each girl who agrees to defer marriage until the age of 18 and whose marriage is consensual. Plans are under way to bring boys and men into the programme to encourage their support of girls and women, both married and single. These initiatives are a first step towards confronting the issues that must be addressed if today's generation of young people is to reach its adult potential. These actions hold promise, but they are far too few. No country is making enough use of the institutions already in place, especially schools, religious institutions and youth clubs, to provide a safe haven for young people to work out their concerns with each other and with supportive adults. A couple of decades ago, before the age of child rights, before the age of AIDS, adolescents in developing countries were the nearly forgotten people. But a social revolution is under way. It presents an opportunity to change the rules, to transform not only their lives but the path their nations follow in the 21st century. Young people are full of energy and ideas. It is up to us to make sure that both girls and boys have the opportunity to capitalize on their monumental potential. |