title: Righting the mismatch between law, policy and the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people in the Asia-Pacific Region.
abstract: The context of sexual relations is changing in the Asia-Pacific. While the age of sexual debut remains the same, young people are generally marrying later and sex outside of marriage is increasing. The first systematic review of how laws and policies govern young people's access to sexual and reproductive health services was conducted in 2013. The study considered >400 national documents and held focus group discussions with >60 young people across three countries in the region. This paper examines the study findings in light of epidemiological data on young people's sexual behaviour and health, exposing a critical mismatch between the onset of sexual activity and laws and policies governing consent (to sex and medical treatment), and the restriction and orientation of services to married persons. An enabling legal and policy environment is an essential foundation for efforts to improve young people's sexual and reproductive health. This paper argues that international guidance and commitments (including the widely ratified Convention on the Rights of the Child) provide a framework for recognising young people's evolving capacity for independent decision-making, including in the realm of sexual and reproductive health. A number of countries in the region are using these frameworks to expand access to services, providing valuable examples for others to build on.
authors.affiliation: Consultant, John Godwin Consulting, Elizabeth Bay, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Godwin
authors.affiliation: Consultant, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Asia Pacific Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand. Electronic address: szabo@unfpa.org.
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szabo
authors.affiliation: Regional HIV and AIDS Adviser for Asia and the Pacific; and Chief, HIV Prevention and Health Promotion (HP2) Unit, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Justine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sass
authors.affiliation: Technical Advisor on HIV/Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Josephine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sauvarin
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001208:Asia; D002648:Child; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D009520:New Zealand; D033282:Parental Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D060728:Reproductive Health; D046269:Reproductive Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Asia-Pacific region; adolescents and young people; age of consent laws; enabling environment; evolving capacity; law and policy; sexual activity; sexual and reproductive health services