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Home > Priority Areas > Youth and Gender

Youth and Gender

More than half of the world’s population today is youth under age 30, providing an important opportunity for development.

Yet young people have a particular set of challenges to overcome in order to lead healthy and productive lives, not the least of which is gender-based violence. Over a billion children (under age 18) are exposed to violence each year—and the health consequences into adulthood are well known.

As with adults, gender norms greatly influence young people’s attitudes and behaviors, and access to and use of information and services. Girls are particularly vulnerable to reproductive health problems for both biological and social reasons, and often have little say over the conditions of reproductive health and childbearing, whether they take place within marriage or outside it. Boys, however, are also at risk, either by complying with expected gender norms that encourage high-risk behavior, or by stepping outside of those norms.

Key themes of interest to the IGWG:

  • Child early and forced marriage.
  • Cross-generational sex.
  • Fostering a gender perspective in sex education and life skills programs.
  • Health services responsive to youth.
  • Gender socialization of boys and girls.

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Related News & Updates

Spring Dialogues: IGWG Members Lead the Conversation!

June 15, 2021

On May 26, the Interagency Gender Working Group (IGWG) convened the “Spring Dialogues: IGWG Members Lead the Conversation!” virtual event, the first time IGWG members from around the world directed the discussion at an IGWG event. The Spring Dialogues focused on priority topics and technical challenges identified by IGWG members in the 2021 IGWG Member Survey, with volunteers from India and Nigeria facilitating discussion groups. Read More

Emerging Strategies to Engage Men and Boys in Addressing the Gendered Impact of COVID-19: A Virtual Forum

October 23, 2020

Hosted by the Interagency Gender Working Group Male Engagement Taskforce Background: The data and reporting are increasingly clear: Men have specific vulnerabilities and roles related to COVID-19, and key gender considerations underpin them. Some of these vulnerabilities and roles relate to men’s health behaviors (such as their comparatively lower use of masks), men’s historically limited roles in caregiving, and increased rates of domestic violence experienced...Read More

DO’s & DON’Ts for Engaging Men & Boys: Now Available in French, Portuguese, and Spanish

October 1, 2020

What: What should you do, and not do, when engaging men & boys in health promotion and gender equity? This 2-page resource brings together recent best practices and lessons learned for male engagement across health areas. It is intended to guide decision-making about programs, policy, media coverage, research, and funding priorities. Who: Developed by the USAID Interagency Gender Working Group’s Male Engagement Taskforce, which is...Read More

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Partnering with Youth for Impact: Profiles of MOMENTUM Youth Partners From Across the Globe

hosted at USAID's MOMENTUM Project
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New Website: The Child, Early, & Forced Marriages & Unions (CEFMU) and Sexuality Working Group

hosted at The Child, Early, & Forced Marriages & Unions (CEFMU) and Sexuality Working Group
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Social Norms Research Agenda

hosted at The Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University's Passages Project
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