Why Prioritize Ethiopian Why Prioritize Ethiopian 10-14 Year Olds?10-14 Year Olds?
Jennifer CatinoJennifer CatinoEngenderHealth EngenderHealth October 9, 2007October 9, 2007
OverviewOverview Stages of adolescenceStages of adolescence Significance of Significance of
puberty transition: puberty transition: Increased exposure to Increased exposure to risks and risks and vulnerabilities vulnerabilities
Largely neglected age Largely neglected age groupgroup
Importance of earlier Importance of earlier investment investment
Opportunities of Opportunities of earlier investment earlier investment
Age 14 19 2120 22 23 2415 1716 1811 12 13109
Girls
Boys
Preadolescence Early Adolescence
Middle Adolescence
Late Adolescence
Youth Young Adulthood
Youth Young Adulthood Preadolescence Early Adolescence
Middle Adolescence
Late Adol
Stages of adolescence
Chong, Erica, Hallman, Kelly, and Martha Brady. Investing When it Counts: Generating the evidence base for polices and programmes for very young adolescents . New York: UNFPA and Population Council, 2006.
Developmental Developmental
domainsdomainsPreadolescencePreadolescence
9-12 years (girls)9-12 years (girls)
10-13 years (boys)10-13 years (boys)
Early AdolescenceEarly Adolescence
12-14 years (girls)12-14 years (girls)
13-15 years (boys)13-15 years (boys)
BodyBody Growth spurtGrowth spurt
Secondary sex characteristicsSecondary sex characteristics
Sensation seekingSensation seeking
Menstruation in girlsMenstruation in girls
Ejaculation in boysEjaculation in boys
BrainBrain More logical thinkingMore logical thinking
Craving for new informationCraving for new informationAbstract thinkingAbstract thinking
SexualSexual Exploration of sex rolesExploration of sex roles Increased sexual arousal and Increased sexual arousal and experimentationexperimentation
Sexual preferences exploredSexual preferences explored
Gender norms consolidatedGender norms consolidated
EmotionalEmotional Increased self-consciousnessIncreased self-consciousness
Need for greater privacy, Need for greater privacy, autonomyautonomy
High level self-consciousness High level self-consciousness
Increased stressIncreased stress
Separation from parents – dependency on Separation from parents – dependency on friendsfriends
SocialSocial Academic, social demands Academic, social demands increaseincrease
Gradual separation from Gradual separation from parentsparents
Increased peer pressureIncreased peer pressure
More time spent alone and in peer groupsMore time spent alone and in peer groups
Interest in opposite sex “friends”Interest in opposite sex “friends”
New social privileges expectedNew social privileges expected
Susceptibility to peer pressure at peakSusceptibility to peer pressure at peak
Developmental stages of young adolescents
Chong, Erica, Hallman, Kelly, and Martha Brady. Investing When it Counts: Generating the evidence base for polices and programmes for very young adolescents . New York: UNFPA and Population Council, 2006.
Social significance of Social significance of puberty transitionpuberty transition
10-14 year olds often experience 10-14 year olds often experience rapid transitions to new social rolesrapid transitions to new social roles- Caregiver - Bread winner- Caregiver - Bread winner
- Spouse - Parent- Spouse - Parent
Increased exposure to risks Increased exposure to risks and vulnerabilities and vulnerabilities
Premature school-leavingPremature school-leaving Increased need for contribution to family Increased need for contribution to family
economyeconomy– Unpaid domestic laborUnpaid domestic labor– Paid laborPaid labor– Migration to seek economic opportunity Migration to seek economic opportunity
Social isolationSocial isolation FGM FGM Early marriage Early marriage
Emergent issues for girls Emergent issues for girls by age 12:by age 12:
Sexual maturationSexual maturation Consolidation of Consolidation of
gender normsgender norms Disproportionate care Disproportionate care
and domestic work and domestic work burdenburden
Withdrawal from Withdrawal from and/or lack of safety in and/or lack of safety in public spacepublic space
School leaving and School leaving and school safetyschool safety
Loss of peersLoss of peers Migration for workMigration for work Pressure for marriage Pressure for marriage
SRH risks faced during early SRH risks faced during early adolescence adolescence
Early sexual debutEarly sexual debut Sexual coercion/violenceSexual coercion/violence Early, unwanted pregnancyEarly, unwanted pregnancy Unsafe abortionUnsafe abortion Maternal mortalityMaternal mortality Maternal morbidityMaternal morbidity
– Obsetric fistulaObsetric fistula HIV/STIsHIV/STIs
Largely neglected age Largely neglected age groupgroup
Despite significant vulnerabilities and Despite significant vulnerabilities and needs, 10-14 year olds are NOT needs, 10-14 year olds are NOT often:often:– Included in researchIncluded in research– Included in policies Included in policies – Targeted by existing youth programs Targeted by existing youth programs
and services and services
Importance of early Importance of early investment investment
Most youth programs start too lateMost youth programs start too late If we really want to impact SRH, we If we really want to impact SRH, we
need to prevent unwanted outcomes need to prevent unwanted outcomes before they occurbefore they occur
Prevention of early and high fertility Prevention of early and high fertility will also stem population growth, will also stem population growth, which will contribute not only to which will contribute not only to personal wellbeing, but also to personal wellbeing, but also to national social and economic national social and economic development development
Opportunities for early Opportunities for early investmentinvestment
May be easier to May be easier to reach 10-14 year reach 10-14 year oldsolds
10-14 year olds may 10-14 year olds may be more open, be more open, flexible and creative flexible and creative
May be easier to May be easier to promote the promote the development of development of positive behaviors positive behaviors rather than change rather than change negative ones negative ones
What do 10-14 year olds What do 10-14 year olds need?need?
Participation in finding solutions Participation in finding solutions Continued educationContinued education Social and peer support and protection Social and peer support and protection Safe places to meet, learn and recreateSafe places to meet, learn and recreate Personal assets/life skillsPersonal assets/life skills Positive health habits/information/servicesPositive health habits/information/services Opportunities for personal and Opportunities for personal and
professional development close to homeprofessional development close to home
ConclusionsConclusions
Adolescence consists of a series of stages Adolescence consists of a series of stages 10-14 year olds experience rapid physical, 10-14 year olds experience rapid physical,
emotional, social and cognitive changesemotional, social and cognitive changes Transitions to new social roles often confer Transitions to new social roles often confer
specific risks and vulnerabilities specific risks and vulnerabilities Addressing these needs requires context-Addressing these needs requires context-
specific policies and programs specific policies and programs
Timing is everything!Timing is everything!
Early intervention = Effective Early intervention = Effective preventionprevention
Thank you!Thank you!