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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescents-health-risks-and-solutions">http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescents-health-risks-and-solutions</a><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white">N<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:24.75pt"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Adolescent Health: Risks & Solutions – Young Women<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:24.75pt"><img border="0" width="480" height="396" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D4714A.AD353150"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:22.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:16.5pt"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">5 February 2018
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:0%"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">AddThis Sharing Buttons</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:0%"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Share to PrintShare to EmailShare to FacebookShare to TwitterShare to Google+Share to More</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-line-height-alt:16.5pt">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Key facts<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:2.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:16.5pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Estimated 1.2 million adolescents died in 2015, over 3000 every day, mostly from preventable or treatable causes.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:2.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:16.5pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:2.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:16.5pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Road traffic injuries were the leading cause of death in 2015. Other major causes of adolescent deaths include lower respiratory infections,
suicide, diarrhoeal diseases, and drowning.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:2.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:16.5pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:2.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:16.5pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Globally, there are 44 births per 1000 to girls aged 15 to 19 per year.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:2.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:16.5pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:2.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:16.5pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Half of all mental health disorders in adulthood start by age 14, but most cases are undetected and untreated.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:2.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:16.5pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">5 February 2018 - Around 1.2 billion people, or 1 in 6 of the world’s population, are adolescents aged 10 to 19.<br>
<br>
Most are healthy, but there is still substantial premature death, illness, and injury among adolescents. Illnesses can hinder their ability to grow and develop to their full potential. Alcohol or tobacco use, lack of physical activity, unprotected sex and/or
exposure to violence can jeopardize not only their current health, but also their health as adults, and even the health of their future children.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Promoting healthy behaviours during adolescence, and taking steps to better protect young people from health risks are critical for the prevention of health problems in adulthood, and for
countries’ future health and ability to develop and thrive.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#C00000">Main Health Issues Include:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Early pregnancy and childbirth<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">The leading cause of death for 15– 19-year-old girls globally is complications from pregnancy and childbirth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Some 11% of all births worldwide are to girls aged 15–19 years, and the vast majority of these births are in low- and middle-income countries. The UN Population Division puts the global adolescent
birth rate in 2015 at 44 births per 1000 girls this age – country rates range from 1 to over 200 births per 1000 girls
<i>(1)</i>. This indicates a marked decrease since 1990. This decrease is reflected in a similar decline in maternal mortality rates among 15–19 year olds.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">One of the specific targets of the health Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3) is that by 2030, the world should ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including
for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes. To support this, a proposed indicator for the
<i>Global strategy for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health</i> is the adolescent birth rate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Better access to contraceptive information and services can reduce the number of girls becoming pregnant and giving birth at too young an age. Laws that specify a minimum age of marriage at
18 and which are enforced can help. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Girls who do become pregnant need access to quality antenatal care. Where permitted by law, adolescents who opt to terminate their pregnancies should have access to safe abortion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">HIV<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">More than 2 million adolescents are living with HIV. Although the overall number of HIV-related deaths is down 30% since the peak in 2006 estimates suggest that HIV deaths among adolescents
are rising. This increase, which has been predominantly in the WHO African Region, may reflect the fact that although more children with HIV survive into adolescence, they do not all then get the care and support they need to remain in good health and prevent
transmission. In sub-Saharan Africa only 10% of young men and 15% of young women aged 15 to 24 are aware of their HIV status.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">One of the specific targets of the health Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3) is that by 2030 there should be an end to the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical
diseases, hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases. Given the high prevalence of HIV in many countries, to achieve this, adolescents will need to be central to control efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Young people need to know how to protect themselves and must have the means to do so. This includes being able to obtain condoms to prevent sexual transmission of the virus and clean needles
and syringes for those who inject drugs. Better access to HIV testing and counselling, and stronger subsequent links to HIV treatment services for those who test HIV positive, are also needed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Other infectious diseases<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Thanks to improved childhood vaccination, adolescent deaths and disability from measles have fallen markedly – for example, by 90% in the African Region between 2000 and 2012. Diarrhoea and
lower respiratory tract infections are estimated to be among the top 5 causes of death for 10–19 year olds. These two diseases, together with meningitis, are the top three causes of adolescent death in African low and middle-income countries (LMICs).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Mental health<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Depression is the third leading cause of illness and disability among adolescents, and suicide is the third leading cause of death in older adolescents (15–19 years). Violence, poverty, humiliation
and feeling devalued can increase the risk of developing mental health problems.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;line-height:16.5pt">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Building life skills in children and adolescents and providing them with psychosocial support in schools and other community settings can help promote good mental health. Programmes to help
strengthen the ties between adolescents and their families are also important. If problems arise, they should be detected and managed by competent and caring health workers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Violence<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Violence is a leading cause of death in older adolescent males. Interpersonal violence represents 43% of all adolescent male deaths in LMICs in the WHO Americas Region. Globally, 1 in 10 girls
under the age of 20 years report experiencing sexual violence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Promoting nurturing relationships between parents and children early in life, providing training in life skills, and reducing access to alcohol and firearms can help to prevent injuries and
deaths due to violence. Effective and empathetic care for adolescent survivors of violence and ongoing support can help deal with the physical and psychological consequences.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Alcohol and drugs<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Harmful drinking among adolescents is a major concern in many countries. It reduces self-control and increases risky behaviours, such as unsafe sex or dangerous driving. It is a primary cause
of injuries (including those due to road traffic accidents), violence (especially by a partner) and premature deaths. It can also lead to health problems in later life and affect life expectancy. Setting a minimum age for buying and consuming alcohol and regulating
how alcoholic drinks are targeted at the younger market are among the strategies for reducing harmful drinking.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Drug use among 15–19 year olds is also an important global concern. Drug control may focus on reducing drug demand, drug supply, or both, and successful programmes usually include structural,
community, and individual-level interventions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Injuries<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death and disability among adolescents. In 2015, over 115 000 adolescents died as a result of road traffic accidents. Young drivers need advice
on driving safely, while laws that prohibit driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs need to be strictly enforced. Blood alcohol levels need to be set lower for teenage drivers. Graduated licences for novice drivers with zero-tolerance for drink-driving
are recommended.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Drowning is also a major cause of death among adolescents – 57 000 adolescents, two-thirds of them boys, are estimated to have drowned in 2015, and teaching children and adolescents to swim
is an essential intervention to prevent these deaths.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Malnutrition and obesity<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Many boys and girls in developing countries enter adolescence undernourished, making them more vulnerable to disease and early death. At the other end of the spectrum, the number of adolescents
who are overweight or obese is increasing in low, middle and high-income countries.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Exercise and nutrition<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Iron deficiency anaemia is the leading cause of years lost to death and disability in 2015. Iron and folic acid supplements are a solution that also helps to promote health before adolescents
become parents. Regular deworming in areas where intestinal helminths such as hookworm are common is recommended to prevent micronutrient (including iron) deficiencies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Developing healthy eating and exercise habits in adolescence are foundations for good health in adulthood. Reducing the marketing of foods high in saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, free sugars,
or salt and providing access to healthy foods and opportunities to engage in physical activity are important for all but especially children and adolescents. Yet available survey data indicate that fewer than 1 in every 4 adolescents meets the recommended
guidelines for physical activity: 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Tobacco use<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">The vast majority of people using tobacco today began doing so when they were adolescents. Prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors and increasing the price of tobacco products through
higher taxes, banning tobacco advertising and ensuring smoke-free environments are crucial. Globally, at least 1 in 10 adolescents aged 13 to 15 years uses tobacco, although there are areas where this figure is much higher. Cigarette smoking seems to be decreasing
among younger adolescents in some high-income countries.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Rights of adolescents<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">The rights of children (people under 18 years of age) to survive, grow and develop are enshrined in international legal documents. In 2013, the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC),
which oversees the child rights convention, published guidelines on the right of children and adolescents to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, and a General Comment on realizing the rights of children during adolescence was published
in 2016. It highlights states’ obligations to recognise the special health and development needs and rights of adolescents and young people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) also sets out the rights of women and girls to health and adequate health care.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">WHO response<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">In May 2017, WHO – World Health Organization - published a major report:
<i>Global Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents (AA-HA!): Guidance to support country implementation</i>.</span><span lang="EN">
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245"><a href="http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/255415/9789241512343-eng.pdf;jsessionid=F28D875BC3A4A2F11FEBD5619B437705?sequence=1%20">http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/255415/9789241512343-eng.pdf;jsessionid=F28D875BC3A4A2F11FEBD5619B437705?sequence=1</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">The AA-HA! Guidance has drawn on inputs received during extensive consultations with Member States, United Nations agencies, adolescents and young people, civil society and other partners.
It aims to assist governments in deciding what they plan to do and how they plan to do it as they respond to the health needs of adolescents in their countries. This reference document targets national-level policy-makers and programme managers to assist them
in planning, implementing , monitoring and evaluation of adolescent health programmes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">Overall, WHO carries out a range of functions to improve the health of young people, including:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">*Production of evidence-based guidelines to support health services and other sectors;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">*Making recommendations to governments on adolescent health and the provision of high quality, age-appropriate health services for adolescents;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">*Documenting progress in adolescent health and development; and<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<![if !supportLists]><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#3C4245"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span lang="EN" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#3C4245">*Raising awareness of health issues for young people among the general public and other interested stakeholders.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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