Growing Up Global: The Changing Transitions to Adulthood in Developing Countries

According to the Population Council, the largest generation of young people in history is now making the transition from childhood to adulthood. Eighty-six percent of this group, nearly 1.5 billion individuals, live in the developing world. The lives of many of these young men and women are profoundly different from those of their parents. While change itself is not new, globalisation has accelerated its speed and scale.

"Growing Up Global: The Changing Transitions to Adulthood in Developing Countries", edited by Population Council researcher Cynthia Lloyd and published by the U.S. National Academies' National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, reviews the available research and presents policy and programme recommendations.

This report finds that, compared to the situation 20 years ago, young people are entering adolescence in better health and reaching puberty earlier. They are also more likely to attend school, more likely to postpone entering the labour force, and more likely to delay marriage and childbearing. These broad statements, however, capture only the average tendencies for young people in developing countries. Despite dramatic progress in certain areas, many young people still lack adequate schooling and good health - both of which are essential for ensuring their productivity and well-being.

Click here for related information, resources, and a link to the pre-publication report. The final version of the document will be available in 2005.