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'Her Future Is Marriage': Young People's Attitudes Towards Gender Roles And The Gender Gap In Egypt, Maia Sieverding, Rasha Hassan
'Her Future Is Marriage': Young People's Attitudes Towards Gender Roles And The Gender Gap In Egypt, Maia Sieverding, Rasha Hassan
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
This report examines youth gender-role attitudes in Egypt using quantitative data, from the nationally representative Survey of Young People in Egypt 2009 and 2014, which provides a broad overview of youth gender-role attitudes throughout the country and among different subpopulations of youth. Qualitative data complements this analysis by offering a more in-depth view of how young people think about men and women’s roles in society and why they hold these beliefs. The findings also highlight the extent to which conservative attitudes of gender relations may influence practices even in the face of legal change. Gender-role attitudes are a deeply held …
Annotated Bibliography Of Nigerian Youth-Focused Hiv And Sexual And Reproductive Health Project Publications (Grey Literature), Population Council
Annotated Bibliography Of Nigerian Youth-Focused Hiv And Sexual And Reproductive Health Project Publications (Grey Literature), Population Council
HIV and AIDS
Adolescents and young adults (15–24 years) constitute about one-third of the total population of Nigeria, and their well-being is intricately tied to the country’s prospects for sustainable development. The HIV prevalence among 15–24-year-old men and women is 2.5 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively. In 2013, it was estimated that 160,000 adolescents (aged 10–19) in Nigeria were living with HIV. Rightfully, an increasing focus is being paid to the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of young Nigerians, however it is essential that the dialogue and interventions around young people’s SRH be informed and take into account the body of evidence available …
Understanding Youth Sexual And Reproductive Health-Seeking Behaviors In Ethiopia: Implications For Youth-Friendly Service Programming, The Evidence Project
Understanding Youth Sexual And Reproductive Health-Seeking Behaviors In Ethiopia: Implications For Youth-Friendly Service Programming, The Evidence Project
Reproductive Health
In Ethiopia, significant attention has been given to improving youth sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, including the establishment of youth-friendly services (YFS). Yet high rates of child marriage, unmet need for family planning, and adolescent childbearing persist, particularly in rural areas where over 84 percent of the population lives. Reaching rural youth with timely SRH information and services that are relevant to their varying ages and life stages remains a challenge. The Evidence Project is examining the coverage and reach of public and NGO-supported youth SRH services in several rural regions of Ethiopia. As this activity brief notes, the …
Annotated Bibliography Of Peer-Reviewed Literature Related To The Sexual And Reproductive Health Of Young People In Nigeria (2000-2014), Population Council
Annotated Bibliography Of Peer-Reviewed Literature Related To The Sexual And Reproductive Health Of Young People In Nigeria (2000-2014), Population Council
HIV and AIDS
The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development’s Programme of Action identified eight components (safe motherhood, gender equity, family planning information and services, prevention and treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction in both men and women, prevention and management of the complications of abortion, prevention and treatment of reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted infections including HIV, elimination of harmful customary practices, and screening for reproductive tract cancers—prostate, breast, and cervix) of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) for all persons including young people aged 10–24. This annotated bibliography is organized with the eight components as its guiding framework with several …
Provision Of Adolescent Reproductive And Sexual Health Services In India: Provider Perspectives, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, K.G. Santhya, Santosh Kumar Singh, Shilpi Rampal, Komal Saxena
Provision Of Adolescent Reproductive And Sexual Health Services In India: Provider Perspectives, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, K.G. Santhya, Santosh Kumar Singh, Shilpi Rampal, Komal Saxena
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The recently launched Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) program seeks to enable all adolescents and youth to realize their full potential by making informed decisions concerning their health and well-being and by accessing the services and support they need to implement their decisions. To realize this vision, the RKSK framework acknowledges the strengthening of Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs) and providing correct knowledge and information through counseling services as two of its seven critical components. As the government makes an effort to roll out the RKSK program at scale across the country, reviewing the experiences of the AFHCs established under …
Breaking The Silence: Learning About Youth Sexual And Reproductive Health In Egypt [Arabic], Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Sally Saher, Nora El Nawawi
Breaking The Silence: Learning About Youth Sexual And Reproductive Health In Egypt [Arabic], Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Sally Saher, Nora El Nawawi
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
This collection of research (supported by the Ford Foundation office in Cairo) documents the Population Council’s efforts to build the capacity of young Egyptian researchers to study youth sexual and reproductive health. Understanding the needs of young Egyptians, including their sexual and reproductive health needs, is crucial for developing policies and programs that can help bring about desired changes and improve their health and well-being. Young people must be given accurate information and access to services to protect their sexual and reproductive health and to prepare them for taking on family responsibilities as they get older. This report sets the …
Breaking The Silence: Learning About Youth Sexual And Reproductive Health In Egypt, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Sally Saher, Nora El Nawawi
Breaking The Silence: Learning About Youth Sexual And Reproductive Health In Egypt, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Sally Saher, Nora El Nawawi
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
This collection of research (supported by the Ford Foundation office in Cairo) documents the Population Council’s efforts to build the capacity of young Egyptian researchers to study youth sexual and reproductive health. Understanding the needs of young Egyptians, including their sexual and reproductive health needs, is crucial for developing policies and programs that can help bring about desired changes and improve their health and well-being. Young people must be given accurate information and access to services to protect their sexual and reproductive health and to prepare them for taking on family responsibilities as they get older. This report sets the …
Assessing Equity Of Access In Programs For Young People, Adam Weiner
Assessing Equity Of Access In Programs For Young People, Adam Weiner
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Young people aged 10–19 make up almost 20 percent of the population in less developed regions. This vast, highly diverse population faces a variety of threats that could disrupt their healthy transition to adulthood, including early marriage and childbearing, school leaving, violence, exploitation, unemployment, and HIV/AIDS. The majority of youth programs fail to reach the most vulnerable; most programs are only accessible to those with greater levels of social and human capital, such as an education or friendship networks. Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief No. 28 describes how the Population Council, recognizing the need for generating …
Taking Programs For Vulnerable Adolescents To Scale: Experiences, Insights, And Evidence, Martha Brady
Taking Programs For Vulnerable Adolescents To Scale: Experiences, Insights, And Evidence, Martha Brady
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The international development community’s desire to alleviate poverty and improve health outcomes presents an extraordinary opportunity to transform the lives of young people, particularly girls. Cycles of illiteracy, poor job prospects, and social isolation can be broken but will require concerted efforts to reach large numbers of vulnerable adolescent girls with robust asset-building programs. Scaling-up effective pilot programs will be critical to achieving these goals. While there is an expanding body of research around scaling up health interventions, less is known or documented about scaling up cross-sectoral programs for adolescent girls. Bringing to scale programs directed toward poor, often invisible …
The Population Council's Approach: Promoting Healthy, Safe, And Productive Transitions To Adulthood, Population Council
The Population Council's Approach: Promoting Healthy, Safe, And Productive Transitions To Adulthood, Population Council
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
This Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood brief provides an overview of the Population Council’s focus on adolescents that began in the early 1990s. The focus has been accompanied by a commitment to move the field of adolescent research and programs from one often narrowly focused on sexuality, reproductive health, and behavior to the broader social and economic issues that underpin adolescent health and well-being. In 1998, with the publication of The Uncharted Passage—a benchmark review of the situation of adolescent girls in developing countries—the current program of work was launched. The Council’s approach has been characterized by …
Siyakha Nentsha: Building Economic, Health, And Social Capabilities Among Highly Vulnerable Adolescents In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Kelly Hallman, Eva Roca
Siyakha Nentsha: Building Economic, Health, And Social Capabilities Among Highly Vulnerable Adolescents In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Kelly Hallman, Eva Roca
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Young people growing up in South Africa face many challenges. HIV, orphanhood, early pregnancy, and limited employment prospects are some of the major obstacles to a healthy and productive adulthood. In KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the province with the highest HIV prevalence rates, the impact of HIV and AIDS is felt especially strongly, and already-disadvantaged adolescents face the prospect of falling even further behind socially and economically because of the disruption of key relationships in their lives. The Isihlangu Health and Development Agency and the Population Council developed and piloted a life-orientation program, Siyakha Nentsha, to improve the lifelong skills and well-being …
Protecting Young People From Sex Without Consent, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy
Protecting Young People From Sex Without Consent, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Over the last decade, a growing body of evidence has laid to rest any illusion that the young are protected from unwanted sexual advances or forced sex both within and outside of marriage. Studies have established the prevalence of unwanted sex within marriage among young women and its risk factors; the association between poverty and forced sex among adolescent girls in South Africa; levels and correlates of forced sex reported by young people in Ethiopia and Kenya. Evidence has established that sex without consent among the young exists in every region of the world, and that girls, as well as …
Education During Humanitarian Emergencies: The Situation Of Displaced Children And Youth In Darfur, Sudan, Safaa El-Kogali
Education During Humanitarian Emergencies: The Situation Of Displaced Children And Youth In Darfur, Sudan, Safaa El-Kogali
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
More than 39 million children and youth who live in conflict-affected fragile states do not have access to education. With an increase in the average duration of refugee displacement from 9 years in the early 1990s to 17 years today, whole generations of children have little chance to recoup the potential educational investment lost during their years living in the midst of a humanitarian emergency. The Population Council and the Women’s Refugee Commission launched a research project to identify the link between education and children’s protection and well-being in Darfur, Sudan. The objective was to document the educational environment in …
Calling Attention To Young Adolescents: Building The Evidence Base To Inform Policies And Programs, Martha Brady
Calling Attention To Young Adolescents: Building The Evidence Base To Inform Policies And Programs, Martha Brady
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Young adolescence is a critical life-cycle stage marked by a dynamic combination of opportunity and risk. During this time, children undergo tremendous physical, emotional, social, and cognitive changes as well as socialization into prevailing sexual and gender norms. For the majority, young adolescence is characterized by relatively good health and stable family circumstances, but it can also be a period of vulnerability due to a number of rapid transitions that force some young people into adult roles. Most young adolescents experience the onset of puberty (girls earlier than boys), which typically marks an abrupt life change. Some young adolescents will …
La Estrategia Del Population Council: Promoción De Transiciones A La Vida Adulta Sanas, Seguras Y Productivas, Population Council
La Estrategia Del Population Council: Promoción De Transiciones A La Vida Adulta Sanas, Seguras Y Productivas, Population Council
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Este informe sobre la “Promoción de transiciones a la edad adulta: Sanas, seguras y productivas” proporciona una visión general del enfoque del Population Council sobre los adolescentes que comenzó a principios de la década de 1990. El enfoque se ha visto acompañado por un compromiso de trasladar el campo de la investigación y los programas de adolescentes de uno que a menudo se enfoca en la sexualidad, la salud reproductiva y el comportamiento a uno que contemple los problemas sociales y económicos más amplios que constituyen la base de la salud y el bienestar de los adolescentes. En 1998, con …
La Démarche Du Population Council: Promouvoir La Santé, La Sécurité Et La Productivité Transitions Vers L'Âge Adulte, Population Council
La Démarche Du Population Council: Promouvoir La Santé, La Sécurité Et La Productivité Transitions Vers L'Âge Adulte, Population Council
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Ce document “Promouvoir des transitions vers l’âge adulte saines, securisées et productives” donne un aperçu de l’attention du Population Council sur les adolescents qui a commencé au début des années 1990. L'accent a été accompagné d'un engagement à ouvrir le champ des études et des programmes consacrés aux adolescents en élargissant le simple domaine de la sexualité, de la santé génésique et des comportements aux grandes questions sociales et économiques qui sous-tendent la santé et le bien-être des adolescents. En 1998, avec la publication de The Uncharted Passage—un examen de référence de la situation des adolescentes dans les pays en …
Ampliación De Programas Para Adolescentes Vulnerables: Experiencias, Entendimientos Y Evidencia, Martha Brady
Ampliación De Programas Para Adolescentes Vulnerables: Experiencias, Entendimientos Y Evidencia, Martha Brady
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
El deseo de la comunidad de desarrollo internacional por aliviar la pobreza y mejorar los resultados de la salud presenta una oportunidad extraordinaria para transformar la vida de la gente joven, particularmente de las niñas. Ciclos de analfabetismo, escasas posibilidades de trabajo y aislamiento social pueden frenarse, pero requerirán de esfuerzos coordinados para alcanzar a una gran cantidad de niñas adolescentes vulnerables con programas sólidos construídos en base a los valores. El hecho de ampliar los programas piloto efectivos será crítico para lograr estos objetivos. A pesar de que hay un cuerpo de búsqueda en expansión alrededor de intervenciones de …
Sexual And Reproductive Health Of Young People In India: A Review Of Policies, Laws And Programmes, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, K.G. Santhya
Sexual And Reproductive Health Of Young People In India: A Review Of Policies, Laws And Programmes, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, K.G. Santhya
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
This paper synthesizes the key policies, laws, and programs in India that focus on or have implications for the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people. It includes a summary of what is known about the sexual and reproductive health situation of young people, an assessment of the salient features of current policies, laws, and programs, and a discussion of the extent to which these policies, laws, and programs have responded to the sexual and reproductive health needs of young women and men. The review by the Population Council clearly shows that there is considerable recognition of the …
Romance And Sex Before Marriage Among Young Women And Men In Andhra Pradesh, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips), Population Council
Romance And Sex Before Marriage Among Young Women And Men In Andhra Pradesh, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips), Population Council
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
This policy brief documents the extent of pre-marital romantic and sexual relations experienced by young men and women in Andhra Pradesh, India and the extent to which pre-marital sexual experiences among young people are informed, safe, and wanted. Findings clearly highlight that many young men and a small minority of young women in Andhra Pradesh had engaged in sex before marriage and that many of them had initiated sexual activities uninformed, had engaged in unsafe relations, and/or had experienced unwanted relations. Findings that relatively few youth had been exposed to family life or sex education emphasize the need for increased …
Violence Within Marriage Among Young People In Tamil Nadu, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips), Population Council
Violence Within Marriage Among Young People In Tamil Nadu, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips), Population Council
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Global attention to violence against women has increased significantly over the last decade. The recent United Nations General Assembly resolution called upon member states to intensify their efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women. In India, policies and programs have increasingly focused on preventing violence against women and supporting women who experience such violence. While several studies in India have highlighted the widespread prevalence of physical and sexual violence within marriage, little is known about violence within marriage among young people and the health consequences of those experiences for young women. This policy brief documents the perceptions of …
Multisectoral Youth Rh Interventions: The Scale-Up Process In Kenya And Senegal, Stephanie Joyce, Ian Askew, Anta Fall Diagne, Nafissatou J. Diop, Humphres Evelia
Multisectoral Youth Rh Interventions: The Scale-Up Process In Kenya And Senegal, Stephanie Joyce, Ian Askew, Anta Fall Diagne, Nafissatou J. Diop, Humphres Evelia
Reproductive Health
As in many developing countries, young people in Kenya and Senegal (aged 10–20) account for about 25 percent of the population. To ensure their future contribution to their countries, it is of vital strategic importance to safeguard their welfare. Rapid social change in both countries exposes youth to sexual and reproductive health (RH) risks, including unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and sexual violence. Beginning in 1999, the Population Council’s FRONTIERS program conducted operations research studies that tested the feasibility, acceptability, and cost of a public-sector, multisectoral intervention to enhance young people’s RH knowledge and behavior. Study findings showed …
Parents Matter: How Supportive Parenting Influences The Behaviours Of Youth, Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Parents Matter: How Supportive Parenting Influences The Behaviours Of Youth, Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
In India, policies and programs have increasingly recognized the need to actively engage parents in enabling adolescents to make safe and healthy transitions to adulthood. The design of appropriate strategies to engage parents is, however, hampered by the paucity of evidence available. Little is known about the socialization of daughters and sons, the extent to which socialization practices differ for daughters and sons, and the extent to and ways in which parents communicate sensitive matters to their adolescent children. Similarly, research is limited that sheds light on the role of socialization patterns and parental interaction in influencing young people’s schooling …
Young People's Participation In Civil Society And Political Life In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Young People's Participation In Civil Society And Political Life In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Youth participation in civil society and political life is increasingly recognized as an important development objective. The opportunities for participation that young people experience in their communities may influence their development and the types of transitions they make to adulthood. Moreover, behaviors and attitudes relating to community participation that individuals adopt as young people predict lifelong civic affiliations and perspectives. In India, the National Youth Policy 2003 has underscored the role of India’s youth in political decision-making, and has argued for greater representation of youth in appropriate bodies as well as more extensive youth participation in program design and implementation. …
Romance And Sex Before Marriage Among Young Women And Men In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Romance And Sex Before Marriage Among Young Women And Men In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Premarital partnerships among youth are widely discouraged in India. Indeed, there is a widespread perception that youth do not find opportunities to mix and form romantic relationships, and that premarital sex is negligible. These kinds of perceptions are often cited to argue against the provision of sexuality or family life education and sexual and reproductive health services to unmarried young people. While several small studies have noted that sizable proportions of young people, particularly young men, are sexually active before marriage, the lack of rigorous evidence on the levels and patterns of intimate partnerships among youth continues to hamper the …
Education And Transition To Work Among Youth In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Education And Transition To Work Among Youth In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The extent to which India will be able to successfully harness its demographic dividend depends significantly on the situation of its youth, notably on the levels of education and market-oriented skills they attain. In many states, youth have made progress on these fronts. Youth in Maharashtra have made considerable strides in terms of educational attainment, yet it is not clear that they are prepared for the challenges they will face in a globalized world. Looking at the current educational and employment situation of youth in Maharashtra, this policy brief argues that significant investments in terms of appropriate policies and programs …
Evaluation Of Berhane Hewan: A Pilot Program To Promote Education And Delay Marriage In Rural Ethiopia, Annabel Erulkar, Eunice N. Muthengi
Evaluation Of Berhane Hewan: A Pilot Program To Promote Education And Delay Marriage In Rural Ethiopia, Annabel Erulkar, Eunice N. Muthengi
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The Berhane Hewan Program pilot-tested in rural Ethiopia from 2004–06 was developed to sensitize community members to the dangers of child marriage, prevent early marriage among unmarried adolescents, and provide support for girls who are already married. The program included social mobilization of girls aged 10–19 into groups led by female mentors; support to stay in school or convening of groups outside of school including nonformal education and livelihoods skills; and community-wide conversations on early marriage and reproductive health issues affecting girls. Economic incentives were provided to families who did not marry off their daughters during the project period. Population-based …
The Female Condom In Ghana: Exploring The Current State Of Affairs And Gauging Potential For Enhanced Promotion, Reshma Naik, Martha Brady
The Female Condom In Ghana: Exploring The Current State Of Affairs And Gauging Potential For Enhanced Promotion, Reshma Naik, Martha Brady
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The female condom (FC) is the only safe and effective female-initiated method that provides simultaneous protection against unintended pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. An exploratory exercise was conducted by the Population Council to gain an understanding of the current and historical landscape of FC procurement, distribution, and programming in Ghana and to explore the viability of enhancing national FC promotion. The exercise revealed that a large-scale launch of the FC occurred in Ghana in 2000 and was largely successful in raising product awareness; however, uptake remained low. Momentum has waned since the initial launch and financial …
How Early Marriage Compromises Girls' Lives, Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
How Early Marriage Compromises Girls' Lives, Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The policy and program discourse around early marriage has increased significantly over the last decade in India. For example, several national-level policies formulated since 2000, including the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006, have advocated special program attention to delay age at marriage and to enforce existing laws against child marriage. Also, programmatically several initiatives have been launched to prevent early marriage. Despite these commitments, substantial proportions of girls continue to marry in adolescence. As recently as 2005–06, 47 percent of women aged 20–24 were married by 18 years nationally. While the situation of married young women in India has …
Sexuality Education For Youth In Maharashtra: Yes Or No?, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Sexuality Education For Youth In Maharashtra: Yes Or No?, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Serious reservations have been expressed in Maharashtra about the sexuality component of programs intended to build awareness of safe and healthy behaviors for school-going youth. This policy brief answers: Is there a need for sexuality education in school and out-of-school in Maharashtra? Are the concerns expressed supported by evidence? Evidence was obtained from the Youth in India: Situation and Needs study conducted in Maharashtra, which explored young people’s awareness of sexual and reproductive matters, sexual experiences of youth, parent–child communication on sexual and reproductive matters, and experience and acceptability of sexuality education programs. Parents were asked whether they had discussed …
Female-Initiated Prevention Methods (Fipm) In Kenya: Focus On The Female Condom, Martha Brady
Female-Initiated Prevention Methods (Fipm) In Kenya: Focus On The Female Condom, Martha Brady
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
As noted in this brief, the female condom (FC) is the only female-initiated prevention product that provides simultaneous protection against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Although available for more than a decade, the FC remains limited in supply, not readily available, and underutilized. Obstacles to widespread availability and use are often generalized (e.g., high costs, resistance of partners, or unavailability). With the upcoming second generation of FCs—and ultimately microbicides—being added to female-initiated prevention methods, the need to overcome these impediments with concrete solutions is critical. Government and donor commitment to long-term, sustained supply and program support is essential. …