title: Twenty years after International Conference on Population and Development: where are we with adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights?
abstract: The International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994 laid out a bold, clear, and comprehensive definition of reproductive health and called for nations to meet the educational and service needs of adolescents to enable them to deal in a positive and responsible way with their sexuality. In the context of the ongoing review of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action and the considerations for a post-2015 development agenda, this article summarizes the findings of the articles presented in this volume and identifies key challenges and critical answers that need to be tackled in addressing adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights. The key recommendations are to link the provision of sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services; build awareness, acceptance, and support for youth-friendly SRH education and services; address gender inequality in terms of beliefs, attitudes, and norms; and target the early adolescent period (10-14 years). The many knowledge gaps, however, point to the pressing need for further research on how to best design effective adolescent SRH intervention packages and how best to deliver them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Health Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: chandramouliv@who.int.
authors.forename: Venkatraman
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chandra-Mouli
authors.affiliation: Independent Consultant, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Joar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Svanemyr
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Health Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Avni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Health, Education and Research, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fogstad
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Health Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lale
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Say
authors.affiliation: International Women's Health Coalition, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Health Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Temmerman
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D019093:Circumcision, Female / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000639:trends; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060728:Reproductive Health / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D046269:Reproductive Rights / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D012736:Sex Education; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescents; Gender; ICPD; Reproductive health; Sexual health; Sexuality education; Violence; Youth; Youth participation