Adolescents and Protection
A person below the age of 18 years is a child.
A person between 10-19 years is an adolescent.
- Adolescence is a transition phase from childhood to adulthood whereby many physical, social and emotional changes occur. Adolescents often take on additional responsibilities, experiment with newer ways of doing things and push for independence. It is a time when values and skills are developed which have great impact on their well-being.
- This critical transitional period requires special attention and protection. Adolescence is a particularly vulnerable phase during which young girls and boys are exposed to a range of protection issues such as:
- Child Marriage: Formal marriage or informal union before age 18. It is a reality for both boys and girls, although girls are disproportionately most affected. Child marriage can lead to a lifetime of disadvantage and deprivation.
- Teenage Pregnancy: Teenage pregnancy ends a girl’s childhood, curtails her education, minimizes her economic opportunities, exposes her to increased health problems and violence, and puts her at risk for early and high risk pregnancies.
- Bullying: Unwanted and aggressive behavior among school children that involves power imbalance causing psychological/emotional stress and depression.
- Violence: Intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself or towards another person/group/ community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development, or deprivation.