If developing countries harness the potential of young people by promoting their health, education, employment and human rights, their economies can be radically transformed and strengthened, says a flagship report by the United Nations Population Fund published on 18 November.
According to State of world population 2014, with the right policies nations can benefit from a “demographic dividend” as decreasing mortality and fertility rates lead to a larger working population and greater social and economic prosperity.
However, the report contends that too many countries are not investing sufficiently in the future of the globe’s 1.8 billion young people aged 10–24 years, with their needs and concerns too often overlooked. For example, in two out of three countries they are excluded from national development plans and poverty reduction strategies; for many, human rights violations are the norm and sexual and reproductive health and rights, seen as essential for young people to realize their full potential, are frequently unattainable because of gaps in information and services.
State of world population 2014 highlights the serious repercussions of such gaps in relation to HIV. Today, more than 2 million people aged 10–19 years old are living with the virus and young people account for about one in seven of all new HIV infections. AIDS-related deaths are increasing among adolescents, while falling in other age groups, and young people still lack comprehensive knowledge of how to keep themselves safe from HIV.
There are a number of recommendations given to empower young people, especially girls, and to promote healthier and more successful individuals and societies. These include ensuring equal access to sexual and reproductive health services, such as HIV prevention and treatment services, keeping more girls and adolescents in secondary school and ending child marriage.
