Overlooked and Uninformed: Young Adolescents' Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

This informational brief focuses on the overlooked and uninformed aspects of young (10 - 14 years old) adolescents’ sexual and reproductive lives. Its focus is informing policymaking and programming for this generation, which makes up 9 percent of the world’s population and as much as 15 percent in some low- and middle-income countries. Recognising the realities of young adolescent girls’ and boys’ lives - and particularly, their need to know about their bodies and their sexual rights and responsibilities - is, according to this brief, crucial for building the foundations of a safe passage through adolescence into adulthood. The period prior to adolescence and young adulthood is a time of intense socialisation into gendered sexual attitudes and behaviours. The brief discusses the earlier onset of physical maturity due to improved nutrition, early sexual initiation, the level of knowledge of sexual and reproductive health of this age group, and policy and programme responses.