Adolescent development and participation
Investing in adolescents builds strong economies, inclusive communities and vibrant societies.
The second decade of life is a time of transformation.
During adolescence (ages 10–19), girls and boys begin to interact with the world in new ways – taking chances, learning skills and experiencing unfamiliar emotions.
They venture beyond their families to form powerful connections with peers. They search for ways to stand out and belong, to find their place in society and make a difference in their world.
Today’s generation of young people is larger than ever before. But far too many are not getting what they need to realize their full range of rights. Poverty and deprivation, gender inequality and other forms of discrimination intersect with climate change, economic upheaval, conflict and displacement to threaten adolescents’ well-being.
And through it all, adolescents are too often ignored by policymakers – or worse, viewed as problems or threats.
Key facts
- There are 1.2 billion adolescents worldwide – the largest cohort ever, and the most educated and urbanized.
- 90 per cent of adolescents live in low- and middle-income countries, and 125 million live in areas affected by armed conflict.
- Sub-Saharan Africa’s growing adolescent population, expected to reach 500 million by 2050, has the potential to fuel powerful change – if Governments invest in and engage it.
- 1 in 4 of the poorest adolescents has never attended school, and more than 200 million adolescents of secondary school age are out of school.
- Adolescents are the only age group among whom AIDS-related deaths are not decreasing.
A window of opportunity
The rapid physical and cognitive development that marks adolescence creates a critical window of opportunity.
The adolescent brain develops at a rate unseen since early childhood – making girls and boys hypersensitive to influences in their environments. Adolescents’ inclination to try new things can spark innovation and achievement, but it can also leave them vulnerable.
These are the years when gender roles may be solidified – with girls bearing the brunt of gender inequality.
Adolescents’ prospects depend on the quality of their environments, relationships and experiences. The care and support they receive, the services they can access, the social norms that guide their communities, and the extent to which they can influence decisions that affect them all make a difference.
UNICEF’s work with adolescents
Investing in adolescents strengthens their ability to advance human rights and build a bright future for themselves, their families and entire countries.
UNICEF takes a life-course approach to adolescent development and participation, identifying critical risks and opportunities that have implications for the realization of children’s rights, from the first decade through the second.
We address gaps in data to build evidence that drives action where it is most needed. With Governments and other partners, UNICEF works to strengthen health care, education and protection systems to ensure critical supplies and services reach the last mile, even in emergencies.
We advocate for adolescents’ rights at the national level, while locally engaging families and communities – often through programmes that change behaviours and social norms.
Our emphasis on equity puts the most marginalized adolescents – including girls, those who belong to ethnic or racial minorities, and those with disabilities – at the centre.
UNICEF works with health providers to support gender-responsive services tailored to adolescents’ needs, including for HIV prevention and treatment. We support nutrition to fuel developing bodies and brains, work to ensure that girls have what they need to manage their menstrual health and hygiene, and generate evidence on adolescent mental health.
UNICEF works with Governments and other partners to expand and protect access to quality, gender-equitable education, and to improve student participation and learning. We work alongside adolescents to co-create solutions that support their transition into adult life and work, like traditional and non-formal paths to education and skills development.
To keep adolescents safe and supported, UNICEF works to prevent and respond to violence within families, among peers, in schools and online. We also tackle the growing risks adolescents face in humanitarian settings, promote adolescent-friendly justice systems, and address harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation.
To expand opportunities for adolescents to participate meaningfully in their communities and the political processes that affect them, UNICEF empowers them to actively engage and voice their views and opinions. We also work with partners, including youth organizations, to change the social norms that stand in the way, and develop platforms for adolescents to share their experiences and propose solutions.
More from UNICEF
Resources
Adolescent Empowerment Technical Note
Aims to provide a common understanding of adolescent empowerment in relation to UNICEF’s work and to support UNICEF staff and partners to translate the concept of adolescent empowerment into effective programmes.
Parenting of Adolescents Programming Guidance
Aims to guide efforts to strengthen evidence-based programming for parenting of adolescents. Parents play an essential role in influencing how adolescents interact with the complex factors that shape their development. As children mature into adolescence, the parenting relationship evolves, and parents require new developmentally-appropriate skills and strategies to meet their children’s needs. Building on parents’ existing strengths and equipping them to provide support to their adolescent children through parenting programming has the potential to have a profound positive influence on adolescent development, consolidating and magnifying benefits from earlier investments.
Advancing Child-Centred Public Policy in Brazil through Adolescent Civic Engagement in Local Governance
UNICEF supports strengthening of adolescents’ capacities to exercise their rights to participate in local governance to increase policy effectiveness for advancing adolescent development.
ENGAGED AND HEARD! Guidelines on Adolescent Participation and Civic Engagement
These guidelines have been developed to enhance systematic programming and advocacy to realize adolescents’ right to be heard in matters affecting them.
Programme Guidance for the Second Decade: Programming with and for Adolescents
These guidelines have been developed to enhance systematic programming and advocacy to realize adolescents’ right to be heard in matters affecting them.
Adolescent Kit for Expression and Innovation: Adapted Resource Package for COVID-19
This package of guidance, tools, activities and supplies aims to promote positive outcomes for adolescents’ psychological well-being. It was developed through human centered-design processes with adolescents aged 10-19 and focuses on developing their skills to express themselves, participate in decisions that affect them, and contribute to positive change in their communities.
Committee on the Rights of the Child: Comment on Adolescent Rights
Read guidance for States on measures to promote comprehensive adolescent development consistent with the realization of adolescents’ rights, from the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Adolescent Data Overview
Explore the latest data on adolescents, from UNICEF global databases.
Adolescent Country Tracker
Explore this set of key indicators across five domains of adolescent well-being, plus additional indicators of their environment.
The Adolescent Brain: A Second Window of Opportunity – A Compendium
Experts in adolescent neuroscience present findings from their research to foster better collaboration between the scientific community and social service providers working with adolescents.
Innocenti Research Digest on Adolescents
Read this quarterly publication that reviews the latest global evidence on adolescent well-being.
Voices of Youth
Check out original content by and for young people from around the world, offering insight, opinion and inspiration in four languages.
Conceptual Framework for Measuring Outcomes of Adolescent Participation
This framework identifies key aspects of adolescent participation and how it works in practice, with a view to building evidence to support adolescents’ right to participation.
Adolescents and a Sustainable Future: An Investment Opportunity for the Private Sector
This document makes the case for investing in adolescents and partnering with UNICEF to advance their rights.