Young adolescent girls have historically been given low priority within development programs, receiving less that two cents for every dollar spent. Young girls generally enter adolescence healthy, while older adolescents struggle with consequences of early sexual onset, including maternal mortality and HIV infection. Yet, social disadvantages faced by young adolescent girls relative to boys and men are the cause of these and other consequences that extend beyond health, particularly to school dropout and increasingly limited opportunities for the girl, her family and her community. This article from PSI’s Impact Magazine discusses the importance of improving the health of young adolescent girls, and also introduces The Girl Effect, a global movement.
No-Teen-Drama.pdf