Adolescents in a changing world: the case for urgent investment - draft for consultation

Overview

Today’s adolescents face serious challenges, in a rapidly shifting world. These range from rapid changes in population and the impact of climate change on mental health and wellbeing to the learning crisis and persistent inequality, violence and the neglect of human rights, especially for women.

The world urgently needs a new investment program to improve the wellbeing of adolescents. The costs of inaction are very high. This investment must cover all five domains of adolescent wellbeing and the linkages between them, and respond to the expressed needs of the adolescents themselves. It needs to be a global program carried out at the local level, with initiatives tailored to the realities of individual countries and involving the young people themselves.