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!