Adolescence

the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with UNICEF,addressed this issue by developing a new, flexible policyregarding student pregnancy that, with input from thestudent, her family and the school, works to create a moresupportive environment to enable the young mother toreturn to school with a suitable care plan in place. 13Finally, governments and other stakeholders must take intoaccount that one type of education does not fit all. Otherpost-secondary options, such as job training programmes,may be more appealing to families who might otherwise taketheir children out of school because of economic burdens.Adolescents who have been out of school for severalyears may need specialized programmes to fit their educationalneeds. Following the conflict in Sri Lanka in 2009,UNICEF worked with the Government to develop a curriculumto reintegrate children and adolescents who hadbeen out of school for at least six months. The curriculumincluded a psychosocial component that helped youngpeople cope with the stresses of the conflict. 14Institutionalize mechanisms foryouth participationActive participation of adolescents in family and civiclife fosters positive citizenship as they mature into adults.Furthermore, adolescents’ contributions enrich and informpolicies that benefit society as a whole. Adults at all levelsof community and political life must challenge processesand systems that exclude youth involvement.The personal benefits of participation for adolescents areimmense. Building decision-making abilities in young peopleempowers them when it comes to making decisions abouttheir own health and well-being. Adolescents who participateactively in civic life are more likely to avoid risky activitiessuch as drug use or criminal activity, to make informeddecisions about sex, to take ownership over their legal rightsand to navigate their way through the array of challengesthey encounter on their journey to adulthood. When theybecome adults, this empowerment will inform the decisionsthey make on behalf of their own children.National youth councils, community service initiatives,digital communication and other forms of adolescentparticipation mentioned in this report are all effectivemeans of educating youth about their rights while empoweringthem as decision-makers. These efforts should not,however, overshadow the meaningful contributions thatyoung people can make in their daily lives. Contributing tofamily decisions, joining school governments, volunteeringin the community and meeting with local representativesare all part of a young person’s rights and responsibilities.Determining roles in the partnership between adults andadolescents has always been challenging, and it can becomeeven more so as both parties work to understand whatInvesting in secondary educationhas a significant impacton overall economic growthand can accelerate progress towardsachieving several of theMDGs. Adolescents, orphanedor separated from their familiesby earthquake, study for theiruniversity entrance exams atSichuan University in Chengdu,China.68THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2011