Transcript Links between youth employment, education and sexual

Links between youth employment,
education and sexual reproductive
health
Dr. Frank Anthony
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport
Youth Population
Today, 27% of the world’s population is between
the ages of 10–24 years
In a number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa,
there are 5 times the number of people <15 years
than over 55
In many developing countries, young people make
up 25–30% of the population
Youth Population by Regions
(millions)
Regions
2006
2025 ( Projections)
Africa
305
424
Asia
1,087
1,063
North America
71
74
South America
161
165
Oceania
8
8
Europe
140
111
World
1773
1845
Impact of population changes
1. Currently it is a challenge to meet the
education and employment needs of the
existing population globally.
2. With projected increases in population these
challenges will become more acute.
EDUCATION AND SRH
Life transition
from adolescence to adulthood
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Education
Health
Family formation
Empowerment
Employment
Improvement in Education
• Most countries mandate education up to age 14 years.
• There has been an increase in secondary school
enrolment:
Gender
1980
Present
Boys
54%
63%
Girls
44%
56%
• This has had a positive impact on adolescents
especially girls.
Health
• Can engaged in risky behaviors with negative
consequences on health
– Substance abuse ( alcohol, drugs, cigarettes)
– Sex ( Child abuse, teen pregnancy)
– STI
– CNCD ( Inactive lifestyle)
Adolescent Pregnancy
• Each year an estimated 14 million adolescents
between the ages of 15 and 19 give birth.
Adolescent fertility rates in the Caribbean
2005-2010
Adolescent Pregnancy
Infant and under five mortality
• 1 million babies born to adolescent mothers
will not make it to their first birthday.
• Several hundred thousands more will be dead
by age 5
» Giving Girls Today and Tomorrow. Breaking the Cycle of
Adolescent Pregnancy.
Pregnancy
- the number 1 killer of adolescent girls.
• Each year at least 70,000 die.
• At least 2 million more are left with chronic illness or
disabilities that may bring them lifelong suffering, shame
and abandonment.
• 2.2 – 4 million adolescents resort to unsafe abortions.
• 99% of maternal deaths occur in the developing world of
these 74% are preventable.
» Giving Girls Today and Tomorrow. Breaking the Cycle of Adolescent
Pregnancy.
% adolescents aged 13-15 that had sexual
intercourse before age 14 - among those who ever
had sex
PAHO Database of GSHS
Multiple partnerships: Percentage of adolescents aged
13-15 who ever had sexual intercourse with two or more
people during their life
PAHO Database of GSHS
Emerging trends
• Multiple sexual partners
• This can increase the risk of HIV and STIs.
• Delay in the age of marriage.
– Girls in secondary school are more likely to begin child
rearing much latter than girls without schooling.
– Overall delay in marriage have not led to a delay in sexual
initiation.
• Students are less likely to have had sex than non
students.( BSS)
• Students are more likely to use contraceptives than
non students.(BSS)
• First sex is more likely to occur before marriage.
Emerging trends
• Rise in out of wedlock births
• Rise in clandestine abortions.
• Education helps to empower women in the
labor market.
• SHR Education ( including options of
contraception) at school helps to empower
women on choices.
Power of Education
For Girls
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Helps girls staying in school longer.
Help to postpone marriage.
Delay family formation
Empowered to make the right choices on SRH
including contraception options.
• Reduce pregnancy related deaths.
• Empowered young women to be more
economically independent.
Recommendations
• Provide more SRH education in schools (especially
secondary schools).
• Provide universal access to SRH services to the youth
population.
• Create more youth friendly spaces to provide information
to the youth population on SRH.
• The Health System must provide SRH services to young
people as part of the essential package of services.
• Current laws that are barriers to health systems providing
these services must be amended.
• Sustain programs on HIV/STI ( despite funding cuts).
• Introduce new programs to tackle CNCD ( to teach physical
literacy at schools)
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Education and Youth Employment
• Education
– helps young people to be more successful in the
labor market.
– Increase potential productivity and employability.
– Strong linkage between educational attainment
and employment outcome.
– Higher education gives a person a comparative
advantage in the labor market.
– Persons with primary education are usually more
vulnerable.
Youth employment
• Global youth unemployment rate will rose
from 12.6% 2010 to 12.7% in 2011.
• 75 million young people globally are
unemployed.
• Global youth unemployment rates are larger
than that of older groups.
• Rates of female unemployment rates are
higher than male unemployment.
Youth employment
Youth Employment
• Need to focus on the relevance of education that
is provided.
– Are our schools preparing students for the world of
work?
– Skills mismatch what is taught and what is needed.
– Years of training ( Primary, secondary, tertiary)
• Universal Primary Education ( achieved)
• Need to set new goal of Universal Secondary Education.
– Expansion of tertiary education
• Migration ( Brain drain)
• Absorption of tertiary graduates into the workforce
Youth Employment
• Expanding skills training opportunities for
disadvantage youth.
• National skills strategies ( need to include
disadvantage youth)
• Packaging skills training with pro poor programs.
• Making micro financing available.
• Expanding access to traditional apprenticeships.
• Facilitating entrepreneurship.
Recommendations
• Provide second chance education programs
for those with low or no foundation skills.
• Remove barriers that limit access to secondary
school. ( Universal secondary education)
• Give urban poor access to skills training for
better jobs.
• Create programs that target youth in deprived
rural areas.
Recommendations
• Link skills with social protection for the poorest
youth.
• Prioritize training for disadvantage young women.
• Harness the possibilities of technology to create
new job opportunities.
• Strengthen data collection.
• Mobilize resources to meet the training needs of
disadvantage youths.