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Realising the health and wellbeing of adolescents

Realising the health and wellbeing of adolescents
Realising the health and wellbeing of adolescents
Adolescence is a critical stage of life characterised by rapid biological, emotional, and social development. It is during this time that every person develops the capabilities required for a productive, healthy, and satisfying life. In order to make a healthy transition into adulthood, adolescents need to have access to health education, including education on sexuality1; quality health services, including sexual and reproductive; and a supportive environment both at home and in communities and countries.

The global community increasingly recognises these vital needs of adolescents, and there is an emerging consensus that investing intensively in adolescents’ health and development is not only key to improving their survival and wellbeing but critical for the success of the post-2015 development agenda.2 The suggested inclusion of adolescent health in the United Nations secretary general’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health is an expression of this growing awareness and represents an unprecedented opportunity to place adolescents on the political map beyond 2015. Ensuring that every adolescent has the knowledge, skills, and opportunities for a healthy, productive life and enjoyment of all human rights3 is essential for achieving improved health, social justice, gender equality, and other development goals.

We argue that the priority in the revised Every Women Every Child Global Strategy needs to be giving adolescents a voice, expanding their choices and control over their bodies, and enabling them to develop the capabilities required for a productive, healthy, and satisfying life. We call for a global, participatory movement to improve the health of the world’s adolescents as part of a broader agenda to improve their wellbeing and uphold their rights.
0959-8138
15-18
Laski, Laura
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Matthews, Z.
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Neal, S.
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Adeyemo, G.
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Patton, G.
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Sawyer, S.
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Fuchs-Montgomery, N.
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Capasso, A.
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Gold, S.
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Petroni, S.
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Say, L.
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Khosla, R.
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Chandra Mouli, V.
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Ferguson, B.J.
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Melles, M.
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Kasedde, S.
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Oyewale, T.
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Yasrebi, N.
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Lehtimaki, S.
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Engel, D.
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Chalasani, S.
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Awasti, P.
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Sharaf, L.
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Laski, Laura
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Matthews, Z.
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Neal, S.
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Adeyemo, G.
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Patton, G.
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Sawyer, S.
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Fuchs-Montgomery, N.
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Capasso, A.
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Gold, S.
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Petroni, S.
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Say, L.
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Khosla, R.
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Chandra Mouli, V.
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Ferguson, B.J.
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Melles, M.
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Kasedde, S.
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Oyewale, T.
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Yasrebi, N.
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Lehtimaki, S.
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Engel, D.
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Chalasani, S.
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Awasti, P.
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Sharaf, L.
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Laski, Laura, Matthews, Z. and Neal, S. et al. (2015) Realising the health and wellbeing of adolescents. British Medical Journal, 351 (h4119), supplement 1, 15-18. (doi:10.1136/bmj.h4119).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical stage of life characterised by rapid biological, emotional, and social development. It is during this time that every person develops the capabilities required for a productive, healthy, and satisfying life. In order to make a healthy transition into adulthood, adolescents need to have access to health education, including education on sexuality1; quality health services, including sexual and reproductive; and a supportive environment both at home and in communities and countries.

The global community increasingly recognises these vital needs of adolescents, and there is an emerging consensus that investing intensively in adolescents’ health and development is not only key to improving their survival and wellbeing but critical for the success of the post-2015 development agenda.2 The suggested inclusion of adolescent health in the United Nations secretary general’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health is an expression of this growing awareness and represents an unprecedented opportunity to place adolescents on the political map beyond 2015. Ensuring that every adolescent has the knowledge, skills, and opportunities for a healthy, productive life and enjoyment of all human rights3 is essential for achieving improved health, social justice, gender equality, and other development goals.

We argue that the priority in the revised Every Women Every Child Global Strategy needs to be giving adolescents a voice, expanding their choices and control over their bodies, and enabling them to develop the capabilities required for a productive, healthy, and satisfying life. We call for a global, participatory movement to improve the health of the world’s adolescents as part of a broader agenda to improve their wellbeing and uphold their rights.

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Published date: 2015
Organisations: Social Statistics & Demography

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Local EPrints ID: 392835
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/392835
ISSN: 0959-8138
PURE UUID: 1c91f0e6-4d88-4ec3-958a-9a5b23cc137b
ORCID for Z. Matthews: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1533-6618
ORCID for S. Neal: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1812-7221

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Date deposited: 18 Apr 2016 10:31
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:34

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Contributors

Author: Laura Laski
Author: Z. Matthews ORCID iD
Author: S. Neal ORCID iD
Author: G. Adeyemo
Author: G. Patton
Author: S. Sawyer
Author: N. Fuchs-Montgomery
Author: A. Capasso
Author: S. Gold
Author: S. Petroni
Author: L. Say
Author: R. Khosla
Author: V. Chandra Mouli
Author: B.J. Ferguson
Author: M. Melles
Author: S. Kasedde
Author: T. Oyewale
Author: N. Yasrebi
Author: S. Lehtimaki
Author: D. Engel
Author: S. Chalasani
Author: P. Awasti
Author: L. Sharaf

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