The objective of this brief is to help adolescents to protect their health. Beyond benefiting young people themselves, increased investment in adolescent sexual and reproductive health contributes to broader development goals, especially improvements in the overall status of women and, eventually, reductions in poverty among families. Inadequate knowledge about contraception and how to obtain health services, high risk of sexual violence and little independence in deciding on the timing of births or use of contraception are reasons why many adolescent women in developing countries are especially vulnerable. In addition, in most parts of the developing world, unmarried adolescents often face societal disapproval and condemnation if they are sexually active.