142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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299596
Inequities and Investments: The Landscape of Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health in Asia and the Middle East

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014

Marta Pirzadeh, MPH , Research Utilization: youth, FHI 360, Durham, NC
Joy Cunningham, MPH , Research Utilization, FHI 360, Research Triangle Park, NC
Sixty percent of the world’s young people live in Asia and over 30% of the Middle East population is between the ages of 15 and 29.  Youth in this region, especially girls, face challenges that threaten their reproductive health and ability to thrive. Early marriage, gender inequality, unintended pregnancy, and HIV and other sexually transmitted infections are causes and consequences of many challenges.  Girls and young women have limited reproductive rights. Growing youth populations also present an opportunity for the Asia and Middle East (AME) regions: healthy, empowered young people can be productive, influential community members. Investments in young people’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH) can vastly improve their lives and have a positive influence in the region.

Through USAID’s Advancing Partners & Communities award (APC), we conducted a landscape analysis on key youth gender and SRH indicators, successful programmatic approaches and activities, programmatic needs, and relevant laws and policies. Regional reports incorporate results from stakeholder interviews.

Youth SRH issues in the AME vary greatly by country. Data are limited and are often not easily accessible or disaggregated by age or gender. The implementation of effective youth SRH programs and policies requires a comprehensive understanding of the complicated issues affecting young people.

The landscape analysis provides an overview of gender and SRH issues and opportunities of young people living in the AME region. This presentation will highlight findings and discuss the need for country-specific and disaggregated data to inform youth SRH policy, advocacy and programming in the region.

Learning Areas:

Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Describe sexual and reproductive health issues, including gender inequalities, of young people living in the Asia and Middle East region. Identify key findings from current literature that affect youth SRH outcomes. Recognize the importance of country-specific and disaggregated data to inform youth SRH policy, advocacy and programming in the AME region.

Keyword(s): Youth, Reproductive Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the project manager for this activity.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.