Bad mental health, the growing rates of obesity, exposure to violence and climate change are among the key challenges our teenagers face today, according to a global report.
The Historical Report, made by adolescent health experts, including the Investigation Institute of Murdoch (MCRI), has revealed how support for the health and well -being of young people could improve economic, social and public health for coming generations.
The Health and Welfare Commission of the adolescents of 2025 found the investment in the health and well -being of adolescents does not coincide with the scale of the problems faced by young people. By gathering 44 commissioners and 10 youth commissioners, the commission declared, while adolescents represent 24 percent of the population (about two billion people), receive only 2.4 percent of global development and health financing.
By 2030, more than half of adolescents will live in countries where their demography experiences an excess of complex diseases.
The report found that the ongoing challenges faced by this age group included:
- High cases of poor mental health and limited support services
- Growing obesity rates due to complex environmental and commercial factors
- Lack of digital security and cyberbullying exposure and erroneous information
- Experience violence in areas affected by conflicts and within the home
- Continuous consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and related public health measures
- Broad of lagoons in reproductive rights, particularly for young women
- Environmental challenges and impacts of climate change
Posted in The lancetThe report predicted that by 2050, 70 percent of the world’s adolescents will live in urban areas. While this potentially brings benefits, unplanned rapid urbanization can also accelerate poverty, isolation and insecure housing, he found.
The report declared that urban public spaces should be more susceptible and adapted to young people, such as safe and attractive spaces to congregate, which would have a powerful effect on health results.
He also found that urgent measures were required to better protect young people from violence and guarantee equitable access to education and reproductive rights. Almost half of adolescents have experienced violence, deeply affecting their social and emotional and well -being development. While world efforts have largely closed the gender gap in secondary education, by 2030, almost a third of young women will not be in education, employment or post -secondary training.
Mcri’s professor, Peter Azzopardi said there was a great need for specific actions that focused on early intervention.
“Significant associations, based on evidence and multisectors with young people will be the key to improving health and well -being,” he said. But we must be responsible ensuring that any progress is closely monitored and regularly reported. As our population ages and fertility rates decrease, the health of our teenagers becomes even more crucial. “
Possible solutions and actions described include:
- Advocate for change and amplify the needs and voices of young people
- Development of approaches focused on the objective through the UN Secretary’s Office with an approach to measuring and improving the health and well -being of adolescents
- Involve young people in community -based environmental programs
- Expand public health programs that improve sexual and reproductive health results and reduce gender violence
- Strengthen actions within the health and education sectors while reinforcing collaborations
- Limit the exposure of advertising advertising
- Promote and encourage the healthy use of social networks and online spaces
Mcri’s teacher, Susan Sawyer, said that associations with young people were an cornerstone of the report, which aimed to resort to their capacity and leadership to help shape the world in which they wanted to live.
“This report represents a large amount of current information about the state of the health of our young people,” he said. The findings are alarming and demand urgent actions and responsibility, in collaboration with adolescents, to create safer spaces and significant changes. “
But Professor Sawyer said the lack of national leadership around the health of adolescents remained an important barrier to overcome the challenges.
“A common myth is that teenagers are healthy and, therefore, do not need health services,” he said. However, our findings show that in all countries, adolescents need access to receptive health services that can identify and respond confidentially to their emerging health needs. “
The report will be launched in the 78th of the World Health Organization.th Health Assembly in Geneva.