A newly published Special Supplement of the Journal of Adolescent Health takes stock of the progress made with adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights, twenty years since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).
Progress has been made in many important areas of public health in the last 20 years since the ICPD. Childhood mortality has been halved, maternal mortality levels are declining steadily but more slowly. The use of modern contraception is rising and more women are obtaining maternal health services. Yet, the situation on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH )is not as encouraging. There has been limited progress in reducing HIV infection, pregnancy, unsafe abortion, child marriage and female genital mutilation.
The aim of the authors in producing this Special Supplement on progress in ASRH policies and programmes in the 20 years since the ICPD is to contribute to answering the question: Why have we – as a global community – made such limited progress on adolescent health? And what needs to be done to move the agenda forward. The authors have worked with government officials, national and international NGOs – including youth leaders in these NGOs, staff from various United Nations agencies, and researchers to take stock of the progress made on ASRH and Rights over the last twenty years. The output of this work is a detailed and objective analysis of what progress has been made in research and in implementation.
Read the commentary online on the publisher's web site
Извор: Светска здравствена организација – 30.01.2015
