PHA-Exchange> Making 1 Billion Count: Investing in Adolescents' Health and Rights

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Making 1 Billion Count: Investing in Adolescents' Health and Rights
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The State of World Population Report for 2003 of the United Na-
tions Popu-lation Fund (UNFPA)
 
Report available online as Adobe PDF file (92 pp. 4.2 MB!):
English: http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2003/pdf/english/swp2003_eng.pdf
 
In HTML format:
French:  http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2003/swpmain_fre.htm
Spanish: http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2003/swpmain_spa.htm
 
Over 1.2 billion adolescents - one person in five - are making 
the transition from child-hood to adulthood. How well we prepare 
them to face adult challenges in a fast changing world will shape 
humanity's common future. Adolescents must be enabled to avoid 
early pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS 
while being given skills, opportunities and a real say in devel-
opment plans, stresses The State of World Population 2003 report 
by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
 
Around the world, innovative programmes are teaching adolescents 
about reproductive health and showing how relevant health ser-
vices can be made more "youth-friendly" to increase their use. 
Laws and policies are being revised to give greater attention to 
adolescents' needs and rights. Not investing in such efforts will 
perpetuate poverty, inequality, unsustainable population growth 
and HIV/AIDS.