1. Adolescents in Emergencies
The Case for Action

2. Defining Adolescence
AGE?
… for BOYS?
… For GIRLS?

3. Gender Matters, Context Matters Social & Cultural Construct
Defining Adolescence
Gender Matters, Context Matters
Social & Cultural Construct
10-19 Years

5. History in the Making, Right Now
260 Million
530 Million
1.2 Billion
1.7 Billion
2.1 Billion

6. History in the Making, Right Now
260 Million
530 Million
1.2 Billion Adolescents (10-19) make up 16% of the world’s population today | Youth in SSD = 20.6%
1.7 Billion
2.1 Billion
Source: UNICEF | June 2016, update

7. Trends in the Making, Right Now
Earlier / Younger / Less Later / Older / More
Reaching Puberty
Marrying
Having Sex
Source: UNFPA| SOWP 2014

8. Trends in the Making, Right Now
Earlier / Younger / Less Later / Older / More
Reaching Puberty
Marrying
Having Sex
Source: UNFPA| SOWP 2014

9. Girls Face More Risks - Less access to resources and services - Less likely to remain in school, compared to boys - High burden of care - High rates of sexual violence - Physical and mental health - More likely to die during childbirth than complete secondary school (UNICEF 2016)
Only about 10 percent of girls in South Sudan complete primary school, and the typical age of marriage in rural areas is rarely over 15.
The South Sudanese government reported that in 2013, just 730 girls were in the last year of secondary school out of a total population over 12 million.
Using various data from UNICEF, IMC, SS gov’t, SSD has the highest maternal mortality in the world, and based on the # of maternal deaths (4000 among yr old girls), this is 6x higher than the # of girls who graduated secondary school.

10. Access to Services is Insufficient

11. 10 – 14
15 – 19
20+0 +
AGE
GENDER
Source:  Weiner, Adam “Assessing equity of access in youth programs,” Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief no New York: Population Council.

12. What about boys? ― Burdened by pressures to provide and protect ― More vulnerable to harmful masculinities, aggressive survival & violence ― Pushed into formal and informal armed groups ― Risk of mental health problems associated with substance abuse ― Vulnerable to being pushed into risky work

13. Breakdown of social & cultural systems Exposure to violence & chaos
Disruption of school and friendships
Absence of role models
Personal traumas, including loss of family members, loss of protection mechanisms
Emergencies disrupt what is usually a time of life set aside for learning, for the development of skills and relationships, for exploration …
Young people are keenly aware of the possibility that this loss will never be recovered. (Betancourt & Khan, 2008).
Welcome and thank you

14. Food
Shelter
WASH
Health
Nutrition
Education
Livelihoods
Safely
Effectively
Do No Harm
Accountably

15. in the roles & responsibilities they assume
Viewed as
in the roles & responsibilities they assume
Intersecting vulnerabilities
Food
Shelter
WASH
Health
Nutrition
Education
Livelihoods
Safely
Effectively
Do No Harm
Accountably
Unique protection risks, including exploitation, violence & harmful practices
Why?
Unique protection risks, particular when girls begin to menstruate
Girls are vulnerable not only because of who they are, but also because of what they represent e.g., symbols of purity, defilement and conquest. Even commodities.
Eg. Boko Haram

16. Health cluster/actors
“safe spaces” for adolescent girls
[targeted & tailored]
Health cluster/actors
Education cluster/actors
Shelter cluster/actors
WASH cluster/actors
Livelihood & Early Recovery cluster/actors
Food cluster/actors
Protection cluster/actors

17. Adolescent Girls: NOT a homogenous group
Body change knowledge/ Comprehensive SRH
In school/ out of school
Vocational or livelihoods skills/
Literacy & numeracy
With/ without disabilities
Living with 1 or more parents/ unaccompanied/ HHs
Nutritional needs of pregnant or lactating girls
Married/ parenting/ VYA
Different girls; different needs

18. AGENCY & ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY TARGETED & TAILORED PROGRAMS
DELAY MARRIAGE
AGENCY & ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY
Education
MALNUTRITION
TARGETED & TAILORED PROGRAMS