Making Waves: Media's Potential for Girls in the Global South

There are around 600 million adolescent girls living in developing countries. Doubly marginalised because oftheir gender and age, many live a bleak existence -- excluded from access to basic public services, unable to shape the decisions that affect their lives and vulnerable to violence at home and on the street. Their voices often go unheard.Slowly, this is beginning to change. Over the past two decades girls have become a growing priority for the international development community. Investing in their health education and employment prospects is nowwidely considered to have an important ripple effect on other development outcomes such as economic growth and social equality. As a result, development assistance programmes that support girls' empowerment are now seen by many as not just the "right" thing to do, but a necessity Less well understood is where media fits into this equation The interplay between media and gender norms has long been recognised and a substantial literature explores how media affects girls in the Global North But against a backdrop of rapidly changing media landscapes -- characterised by increasing competition for audiences sensationalism and expanding access to new technologies -- the role that media plays in girls' lives in the Global South demands further examination.Drawing on expert interviews as well as insights from the media and development literature, this policy briefing seeks to fill this gap. It argues that media -- whether traditional or online -- matters a great deal in the lives of girls in the developing world. It matters because it has the ability to be harmful to girls' interests and self-esteem, and it matters because it can also be so effective in playing a positive role in girls' lives. Specifically, media can influence girls' aspirations and behaviours around their health and livelihoods open the door to greater participation in society and ensure that girls' issues move higher up the public agenda. If challenges around media access and control and the extent to which media organisations value girls as part of their audience, are addressed head on, media can play a vital role in helping to advance the wellbeing of adolescent girls in regions of the world where their interests have traditionally been most neglected

Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults

This report was prepared to assist federal, state, and local policy makers and program leaders, as well as employers, nonprofit organizations, and other community partners, in developing and enhancing policies and programs to improve young adults' health, safety, and well-being. The report also suggests priorities for research to inform policy and programs for young adults.Young adulthood - ages approximately 18 to 26 - is a critical period of development with long-lasting implications for a person's economic security, health and well-being. Young adults are key contributors to the nation's workforce and military services and, since many are parents, to the healthy development of the next generation. Although 'millennials' have received attention in the popular media in recent years, young adults are too rarely treated as a distinct population in policy, programs, and research. Instead, they are often grouped with adolescents or, more often, with all adults. Currently, the nation is experiencing economic restructuring, widening inequality, a rapidly rising ratio of older adults, and an increasingly diverse population. The possible transformative effects of these features make focus on young adults especially important. A systematic approach to understanding and responding to the unique circumstances and needs of today's young adults can help to pave the way to a more productive and equitable tomorrow for young adults in particular and our society at large

Game Changer: Investing in Digital Play to Advance Children's Learning and Health

Based on a literature review and interviews with digital learning experts, explores how digital games can foster skills and knowledge for better academic performance and health. Makes recommendations for government research, partnerships, and media

Redefining Boundaries In Families Through Social Networking Leisure

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence the use of social networking sites (SNS) for leisure has on boundaries between families and the outside world, as well as boundaries between family members. The family systems theory and the concept of boundaries served as a basis for this study. Seven families (22 individual family members) took part in the study. Group and individual interviews were conducted for this study. The data supported previous research claiming that connection with the outside world was among the major reasons for using SNS. The findings also suggested that families tried to preserve clear boundaries between themselves and the outside world by controlling who can access their accounts, what information can be shared and what is appropriate time to use SNS. The findings also suggested that the boundaries between family members are constantly being redefined to meet the changing realities of technological worl

Young adolescents and digital media: uses, risks and opportunities in low- and middle-income countries: a rapid evidence review

This rapid evidence review examines adolescents’ access to and use of digital media (especially mobile phones and the internet), together with the associated digital skills and practices, opportunities and risks, and forms of safety mediation, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The review is especially concerned with 10- to 14-year-old girls’ digital media uses, although little evidence specifically addressed this group. It is guided by two overarching research questions: 1. What do scholars and practitioners know about how young adolescents are using digital media (computers, mobile phones and other information and communication technologies, ICTs) and the key challenges these children face? What are the opportunities involved in their use of such media and what are most significant gaps in our knowledge? 2. What evidence is there of local, national and international development programmes’ effective use of digital media to target 10- to 14-year-olds (rather than older adolescents)? What are the most significant gaps in the existing knowledge about these interventions and their outcomes

Modular Distance Education: The Role of Socio Demographic Profile, Family Structure, and Parental Involvement on the Student’s Final Grade in Science

The current descriptive-correlational study focused on the role of socio-demographic profile, family structure, and parental involvement on the student’s academic achievement in science during the Modular Distance Education at Bugallon Integrated School. Correlation analysis showed that gender is highly related to the students’ final grade in science (r = 0.167, p < 0.05), number of devices available is highly related to final grade in science (r = 0.326, p < 0.01), and internet usage is highly related to final grade in science (r = 0.245, p < 0.01). For parents’ socio-demographic characteristics, correlation analysis showed that income is positively highly related to the students’ final grade in science (r = 0.241, p < 0.01), father’s educational attainment is positively related to the students’ final grade in science (r = 0.191, p < 0.05), and mother’s educational attainment is positively highly related to the students’ final grade in science (r = 0.332, p < 0.01). The student's Family Structure was not significantly related to the students’ final grade in science. The number of learners in household was also not significantly related to science grade. For parental involvement, retrieval of student’s modules in school (r = 0.251, p < 0.01), enquiring the teachers  on the student’s performance in their modules (r = 0.217, p < 0.01), encouraging the student to do their performance task (r = 0.390, p < 0.01), monitoring the student’s television watching habit and playing games (r = 0.272, p < 0.01), and involving the student in decision making regarding their education (r = 0.220, p < 0.01) were the only significantly related to academic achievement in science as manifested by science grade which was shown by the correlation analysis. Further, the study did not show any significant difference between the family structure (living with whom), and students’ final grade in science

The prevalence and characteristics of sexting behaviours among adolescents and adults in Cape Town, South Africa

Includes bibliographical references.'Sexting' is defined as the act of sending sexually suggestive text messages (SSTMs), or the self-generation of nude or semi-nude images (NSNIs) and sending them to others via digital devices. It has recently emerged as a risk behaviour, particularly as it relates to adolescent sexuality. The consequences of sexting may include humiliation, ostracism, depression, anxiety, suicide and criminal or legal action. As such, research into the practice is vital in order to mitigate the risk to adolescents. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of sexting among a sample of adolescents and adults in Cape Town, South Africa

An Evidence-Based Approach To Digital Inclusion for Health

This report is the first deliverable of the ?Digital Inclusion and Social Knowledge Media for Health: Frameworks and Roadmaps? project. It discusses the concept of social and digital exclusion and suggests that a focus on the digital mediation of social processes may provide more purchase for public service providers. This focus leads to the consideration of the way in which digital services might support a range of health-related factors which are both directly and indirectly linked to specific health outcomes. The report discusses some examples in the light of a consideration of the specific (and spatial) health needs and priorities of Solihull Care Trust. The report concludes with suggestions for directions for future research and development

Girls Grow: A Vital Force in Rural Economies

Analyzes participation of adolescent girls in rural economies. Recommends empowering girls to be agents of social and economic change by supporting their personal and professional development, health, safety, and equal access