UNICEF and the Graduate Program in International Affairs (GPIA) at The NewSchool will host an international conference on adolescent girls in April 2010. With an emphasis on reviewing existing evidence and policies, the conference will focus on the role and potential agency of
adolescent girls in meeting emerging global challenges. The conference, to be held in New York April 26 through 28 2010 will create a space for engaging debates and peer consultation among UNICEF and UN staff, New School faculty and students, academic and research institutions from across the globe, NGO practitioners, and other external experts and partners from a number of perspectives and disciplines. read more
Today there are 1.5 billion young people aged 12-24 in the world; within that cohort 600 million are adolescent girls. However, many of these girls remain invisible to policy makers and in programme development. Their full potential has yet to be seen. The opportunities they have in the coming years will shape their lives, families, and nations. If educated, skilled, and empowered, they play a key role in building healthy families, communities, governments and economies in those countries.
Recent years have seen a growing interest and recognition of adolescent girls as a strategic group in addressing poverty alleviation and gender equality. The promotion of their rights is critical in supporting social justice and building inclusive societies. While the experiences gained, through programmes in promoting protective environments in schools, working to eliminate harmful traditional practices, and addressing sexual abuse have changed the lives of millions of girls, and provided valuable insights, there has not yet been sufficient empirical evidence or knowledge generated to drive effective and innovative policies, in particular around emerging development issues. Even as these remain critical concerns, there is a need for a broader conceptual framework that will expand beyond issues related to reproductive health.
