World leaders have been called upon to allocate more funding and undertake multi-sectoral actions to decrease the mortality rate of adolescents and young people globally.
The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, the World Health Organisation, the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation throw the challenge at a forum held virtually on Zoom.
The plea comes in the wake of the preview conference for the 1.8 billion campaign, with the resolution emphasising the need for increased investment to secure the long-term health and well-being of adolescents and young people globally.
Director of the Department of Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing at the WHO, Dr. Anshu Banerjee, identifies the challenges facing today’s adolescents and young people in a world shaped by digitalisation, urbanisation, and mobility.
According to him, these changes offer unprecedented opportunities, including access to services and information, learning, employment, and connectivity that fosters and nurtures relationships.
Adding that they also present new challenges, such as the increased risk of depression and anxiety, exposure to (often gender-based) violence and abuse, or experiences of poverty and unhealthy lifestyles, which affect young people’s health and wellbeing now.
So also on the increase, mortality rate of young people due to factors like drug use, abuse, and early marriage, among other issues.
The Global Forum for Adolescents, scheduled for October 11-12, 2023, is poised to be the world’s largest-ever gathering for adolescent well-being. The event aims to bring together over 6,000 youth advocates and global policy and decision-makers for a two-day virtual main stage, accompanied by national events in countries worldwide.
The forum, a significant milestone of the 1.8 billion Young People for Change campaign, will witness the launch of advocacy tools, research products, innovation materials, and key data to support efforts in garnering more investment and commitments from governments in adolescent well-being.
Among the priorities outlined for adolescent well-being are strengthening established social protection policy mechanisms, preventing stigmatization among less privileged youths, and ensuring sexual education for youths, among others.
