The health of vulnerable adolescent girls: A strategic investment for double return

Worldwide there are 1.2 billion adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19. Nearly 90 percent of them live in developing countries, and approximately 600 million are female. While adolescence is normally a time of good health, numerous developmental and social changes occur during this period, many of which have health implications, especially for girls. Most of the girls and young women in the developing world live in conditions that make them vulnerable to health and social risks. They are often poor, out-of-school, married, migrants, members of ethnic minorities, or engaged in unsafe labor. Girls from many of the poorest communities continue to be plagued by communicable diseases, undernutrition, and harmful traditional practices. This guide emphasizes ideas and innovations to help maximize the potential of the poorest girls in the poorest communities. The guide is one of a set of five GIRLS FIRST! Perspectives on Girl-Centered Programming thematic reviews addressing the five strategic priorities defined in the UN Joint Statement, “Accelerating Efforts to Advance the Rights of Adolescent Girls,” which supports governments and partners in advancing key policies and programs for the hardest-to-reach adolescent girls

Multiple disadvantages of Mayan females: The effects of gender, ethnicity, poverty, and residence on education in Guatemala

Although access to primary education in Guatemala has increased in recent years, particularly in rural areas, levels of educational attainment and literacy remain among the lowest in Latin America. Inequalities in school access and grade attainment linked to ethnicity, gender, poverty, and residence remain. Age trends show that Mayan females are the least likely to ever enroll, and, if they do enroll, start school the latest and drop out earliest. Innovative programs for girls that combine instruction with social interaction in safe local community spaces may increase their educational attainment and their social networks and means of social support. In such programs, acquiring and mobilizing the support of the community and working with known and trusted Mayan organizations are likely to improve their cultural acceptability, effectiveness, and sustainability

Assessing the multiple disadvantages of Mayan girls: The effects of gender, ethnicity, poverty, and residence on education in Guatemala

Although access to primary education in Guatemala has increased in recent years, particularly in rural areas, rates of primary-school completion and literacy for young people remain among the lowest in Latin America, and problems such as late entry, grade repetition, and early dropout persist. Adult literacy is estimated to be 85 percent in Latin America as a whole, compared with 70 percent in Guatemala. Although indigenous peoples in Latin America generally have less schooling than nonindigenous peoples, ethnic differences are greatest in Guatemala, where indigenous (Mayan) adults have less than half the level of schooling of nonindigenous (Ladino) adults. Recent trends show that the ethnic gap is narrowing among young people, but large inequalities remain. Mayan females are the most disadvantaged group by far, and just two-thirds of 10–19-year-old Mayan females are literate. Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief No. 16 reports on Mayan girls’ school enrollment, grade progression, and educational attainment, along with policies for attracting and keeping Mayan girls in school

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Health Sector Reform in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges and Opportunities

Most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are at varying stages of a reform process to improve the response capacity of health systems by upgrading the effectiveness and sustainability of programs and services. Changes promoted by the reform focus on priority health needs and underprivileged society groups. Some problems, such as sexual and reproductive health (SRH), can be tackled with cost-effective technologies. Reform projects offer a unique opportunity to reconsider policies, programs, and services aimed at facing the issues encompassed in the term SRH. Nonetheless, the formulation of a strategy and the identification of concrete measures represent a challenge, as previous experiences that could sustain such efforts are few. This report describes one of the first projects carried out in LAC to explore strategies to promote the convergence of health sector reform processes and SRH improvement. The report presents a description of the fundamental concepts related to SRH and the general situation in the region, and examples of key contributions of research, policies, and programs. It describes the general aspects of health sector reform, presents relevant cases, and includes results of three subregional meetings held in 1999

The cost of reaching the most disadvantaged girls: Programmatic evidence from Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda

The most disadvantaged adolescent girls are the poorest girls from the poorest communities. They suffer from human rights abuses, lack education and economic opportunity, are affected by HIV/AIDS, and have poor reproductive and maternal health outcomes. To effectively reach these girls so that they can receive critical services such as gathering spaces, life skills, financial literacy, savings accounts, and reproductive health knowledge, they must be targeted as a distinct segment. It is important to invest in building the capacities of local partners and governments to deliver and scale-up low-cost, well-targeted programs. This technical report is intended to assist programmatic officers, donors, and policy analysts in making program and policy decisions on investments in adolescent girls. It draws upon current literature on investments in the most disadvantaged girls and highlights case studies from diverse second-generation girl platform programs in Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda. Average annual costs of individual program components, average annual costs per girl beneficiary, and unit costs of interest are presented

La santé des adolescentes vulnérables : un investissement stratégique doublement rentable

Le monde compte aujourd’hui 1,2 milliard d’adolescents âgés de 10 à 19 ans. Près de 90% d’entre eux vivent dans les pays en développement et environ 600 millions sont de sexe féminin. L’adolescence représente normalement une période de santé florissante bien que sujette à de nombreux changements socio-développementaux dont les implications affectent, tout particulièrement, la santé des filles. La plupart des centaines de millions de filles et jeunes femmes du monde en développement vivent dans des conditions et des circonstances qui les rendent vulnérables aux risques de santé et sociaux. Ces adolescentes sont souvent pauvres, déscolarisées, mariées, migrantes, membres de minorités ethniques ou sujettes à des conditions de travail dangereuses. Les filles de bon nombre des communautés les plus pauvres continuent de souffrir de maladies transmissibles, de dénutrition et de pratiques traditionnelles néfastes. Ce guide met l\u27accent sur les idées et les innovations pour aider à maximiser le potentiel des filles les plus pauvres dans les communautés les plus pauvres. GIRLS FIRST! Perspectives de programmation centrée sur les filles est une série de cinq comptes rendus thématiques, qui abordent les cinq priorités stratégiques définies dans la Déclaration conjointe des Nations Unies, «Intensifier l’action menée pour promouvoir les droits des adolescentes », au soutien des gouvernements et de leurs partenaires pour la promotion de politiques et programmes essentiels au profit des adolescentes les plus difficiles à atteindre. --- Worldwide there are 1.2 billion adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19. Nearly 90 percent of them live in developing countries, and approximately 600 million are female. While adolescence is normally a time of good health, numerous developmental and social changes occur during this period, many of which have health implications, especially for girls. Most of the girls and young women in the developing world live in conditions that make them vulnerable to health and social risks. They are often poor, out-of-school, married, migrants, members of ethnic minorities, or engaged in unsafe labor. Girls from many of the poorest communities continue to be plagued by communicable diseases, undernutrition, and harmful traditional practices. This guide emphasizes ideas and innovations to help maximize the potential of the poorest girls in the poorest communities. The guide is one of a set of five GIRLS FIRST! Perspectives on Girl-Centered Programming thematic reviews addressing the five strategic priorities defined in the UN Joint Statement, “Accelerating Efforts to Advance the Rights of Adolescent Girls,” which supports governments and partners in advancing key policies and programs for the hardest-to-reach adolescent girls

Equipping Mayan girls to improve their lives

Guatemala’s population is poorer, less educated, faster growing, and more ethnically diverse than most others in Latin America. The country’s fertility and infant mortality rates are among the highest in the region. Nearly half of the Guatemalan population is indigenous, and more than 20 Mayan ethnic groups live in isolated rural areas with limited access to basic services such as water, sanitation, schooling, and health care. Mayan girls are the country’s most disadvantaged group, leading lives characterized by limited schooling, early marriage, frequent childbearing, social isolation, and chronic poverty. The Population Council, in collaboration with local and international partners, launched Abriendo Oportunidades (“Opening Opportunities”) in 2004 to increase Mayan girls’ social support networks, connect them with role models and mentors, build life and leadership skills, and provide professional training and experience. The program makes critical investments in girls aged 8–18 to help them navigate adolescent transitions successfully. Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief No. 5 reviews Abriendo’s history and its current work to train girl leaders to address violence at the community level

Preparación de las niñas mayas para mejorar su calidad de vida

La población de Guatemala es más pobre, menos educada, de crecimiento más acelerado y étnicamente más diversa que la mayoría de los demás países en América Latina. Las tasas de fertilidad y mortalidad infantil del país son unas de las más altas en la región. Casi la mitad de la población de Guatemala es aborigen, y más de 20 grupos étnicos mayas viven en áreas rurales aisladas, con acceso limitado a servicios básicos como agua, higiene, caminos escuelas y cuidado de la salud. Las niñas mayas son el grupo menos favorecido del país, que llevan vidas caracterizadas por una escolaridad limitada, matrimonio temprano, maternidad frecuente, aislamiento social y pobreza crónica. El Population Council, en colaboración con diferentes socios locales e internacionales, lanzó Abriendo Oportunidades en 2004 para incrementear las redes de apoyo social de las niñas mayas, conectarlas con modelos de roles y mentores, crear una base de habilidades esenciales para la vida cotidiana y el liderazgo, y brindar capacitación y experiencia profesional práctica. El programa realiza inversiones críticas en niñas de 8 a 18 años a fin de ayudarlas a afrontar exitosamente las transiciones de la adolescencia. Promoción de transiciones a la vida adulta: Sanas, seguras y productivas N° 5 revisa la historia de Abriendo Oportunidades y su trabajo actual para capacitar a las líderes femeninas en el abordaje de la violencia a nivel de la comunidad. --- Guatemala’s population is poorer, less educated, faster growing, and more ethnically diverse than most others in Latin America. The country’s fertility and infant mortality rates are among the highest in the region. Nearly half of the Guatemalan population is indigenous, and more than 20 Mayan ethnic groups live in isolated rural areas with limited access to basic services such as water, sanitation, schooling, and health care. Mayan girls are the country’s most disadvantaged group, leading lives characterized by limited schooling, early marriage, frequent childbearing, social isolation, and chronic poverty. The Population Council, in collaboration with local and international partners, launched Abriendo Oportunidades (“Opening Opportunities”) in 2004 to increase Mayan girls’ social support networks, connect them with role models and mentors, build life and leadership skills, and provide professional training and experience. The program makes critical investments in girls aged 8–18 to help them navigate adolescent transitions successfully. Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief No. 5 reviews Abriendo’s history and its current work to train girl leaders to address violence at the community level

Causas de bajos logros educacionales y transición temprana a la edad adulta en Guatemala

Aunque la asistencia a la escuela y los logros educacionales en Guatemala son bajos al compararse con otros países de América Latina, son las mujeres mayas quienes experimentan una situación de mayor desventaja. Tradicionalmente, la información detallada sobre demografía, educación y estilo de vida de los adolescentes en Guatemala ha sido escasa. La mayor parte de los estudios sobre bienestar se enfocan a los niños o a las mujeres en edad de crianza, siendo pocos los estudios dedicados a los años intermedios. Aprovechando los datos representativos de una encuesta de hogares, este estudio examina los patrones de escolaridad y matrimonio de los adolescentes indígenas y los compara con patrones de mujeres no indígenas y de varones indígenas. En Guatemala, la escolaridad y el bienestar de las y los adolescentes, especialmente de los mayas, constituyen una preocupación creciente del gobierno, las ONG y los actores bilaterales. Esta investigación contribuirá a determinar de qué modolas políticas y programas se pueden diseñar y orientar de manera más efectiva a fin de mejorar la educación de las mujeres mayas. --- Although school attendance and educational attainment in Guatemala are low compared to other Latin American countries, it is Mayan women who experience the greatest disadvantage. Traditionally, detailed information on the demographics, education, and lifestyle of adolescents in Guatemala has been scarce. Most of the studies on well-being focus on children or women of child-rearing age, with few studies devoted to the middle years. Drawing on representative data from a household survey, this study examines the patterns of schooling and marriage of indigenous adolescents and compares them with patterns of non-indigenous women and indigenous men. In Guatemala, schooling and the well-being of adolescents, especially the Mayans, are a growing concern of the government, NGOs, and bilateral actors. This research will help determine how policies and programs can be designed and targeted more effectively to improve the education of Mayan women