REDUCING POVERTY BY IMPROVING HEALTH AND LIVELIHOODS

Adolescent Health and Development

"The coordinated promotion and improvement of youth health and development is one of the most vital enterprises a global society can undertake to secure its future” Global Health Council

The world’s population of young people is the largest in history, nearly two billion. Ninety   per cent live in developing countries and face multiple challenges -  malnutrition and under-nutrition, early pregnancy and unsafe abortion, lack of marketable skills, and the highest rates of new HIV/AIDS infection. In high-income countries, new epidemics are emerging among pre-adolescents and adolescents, making them increasingly vulnerable. They suffer from the consequences of tobacco, alcohol and substance abuse, depression, eating disorders, and obesity. Moreover, they are victims of violence, injury, disability, and sexual abuse and exploitation. Lack of investment in the health, education, and well being of this group – the next generation – perpetuates the cycle of poor health and incurs great societal and global public health costs.

World population:  Age distribution (million) Developing Countries
Male	Female

World population:  Age distribution (million) High-Income Countries
Male	Female

Source: UN World Population Prospects 2005

Click below to read more:

UNICEF - Adolescence - A Time that Matters
WHO - Child and Adolescent Health
ICRW - International Agreements
Johns Hopkins University - Trends in Youth Development