BMJ Collection on Adolescent Well-being

The world’s 1.2 billion adolescents (young people aged 10-19 years) now represent almost 16% of the world’s population; yet this group has received limited attention from global agenda-setting initiatives, such as universal health coverage and sustainable development. This needs to be addressed, given that adolescence represents a critical period of the life course during which many factors contributing to lifelong well-being are set.

The BMJ, in collaboration with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), launched the first tranche of a special collection on adolescent well-being, arguing for greater priority to be placed on the needs and well-being of adolescents globally. This BMJ collection examines how the domains of adolescent well-being impact on future outcomes, and how these can be supported and promoted by evidence-based policymaking and programming. Within the collection, the argument is put forward that the world’s adolescents cannot be supported to reach their full potential without addressing the multidimensional nature of well-being in this group, and by working across sectors such as health and education.

Read the full collection here:
https://www.bmj.com/adolescent-wellbeing

Breaking down silos between health and education to improve adolescent well-being

In the article “Breaking down silos between health and education to improve adolescent well-being” Nicola Gray (co-Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education) and colleagues examine the mutual reinforcement of adolescent health and education, the challenges of intersectoral working, and the joint investment needed to secure well-being during adolescence, into adult life, and for the next generation.