Taking into account youth issues is one of the major current challenges for the development of countries. The majority of the African population is young, precisely the age group of 15 to 35 years according to the African Youth Charter which are the subject of this strategic action program, knowing how young people's health and employment young people are, nowadays, a subject of capital importance. This is a vulnerable population in several aspects, particularly in terms of reproductive health.
Young people are not a homogeneous group and have specificities to integrate into policies and programs. The unstable environment combined with changing behavior patterns have increased risks for the health of young people, especially in terms of sexual and reproductive health. The development problems of adolescents and young people are seen through the high fertility of adolescents, the high rate of early and/or unwanted pregnancies, clandestine abortions, STIs and HIV/AIDS, diseases with social impact, accidents. and suicides.
The young segment of the population also faces all common illnesses, particularly infectious diseases, as well as food and nutritional deficiencies. Barriers to the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and young people have been addressed in the process of capturing the demographic dividend and Post 2015 of the United Nations. It follows the recent regional conference on population, development and family planning held in Nairobi 2019, the main objective of which is to renew the promises of Cairo 94. During the Nairobi conference, the obstacles to sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and young people such as information and education difficulties, the limits of the legal and political context and socio-cultural barriers. It emerged that the integration of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) action plans for adolescents and young people into plans, such as those concerning family planning resulting from the Ouagadougou partnership, is a strategy making it possible to focus on issues related to adolescents and young people from a holistic perspective.
To contribute to the implementation of National Youth and Health Policies (PNDS), the development of a strategic action program for the development of African youth in favor of the Right to Health of adolescents and of young people and their socio-economic rights, stands out as an instrument for the empowerment of young people in Africa. Its development was made possible thanks to the combined action of a scientific commission of young African leaders and its technical partners.
It is aimed at all those involved in developing the potential of adolescents and young people. It aims to offer them a general framework for intervention in Health and Education; Education and skills development; Entrepreneurship and self-employment of young people; Human rights, governance, peace and security according to defined strategic axes. I therefore urge all young leaders and key players as well as partners to take ownership of it and make it a reference planning tool in order to contribute to solving the socio-economic and health problems of adolescents and young people. in Togo and Africa and to support its implementation.
