Population Reference Bureau

Women in South Africa have had fewer children on average since the 1970s, but the rate of teenage childbearing in South Africa has remained the same.

The severe lack of knowledge among adolescents regarding sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a serious concern in Egypt, where half the population is younger than 25.

Despite the commitment of many policymakers and advocates to addressing the ever-increasing sexual and reproductive health needs of youth, calls for appropriate programs, services, and funding have gone largely unanswered.

The rationale for integrating family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH) and HIV services, especially in high HIV prevalence settings, has long been apparent: Sexually active individuals are at risk of both unintended pregnancies and HIV.

Sexual and reproductive health encompasses health and well-being in matters related to sexual relations, pregnancies, and births. It deals with the most intimate and private aspects of people's lives, which can be difficult to write about and discuss publicly.

A new policy brief from the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), Youth in a Global World, describes what it's like to grow up in today's world, with a special focus on four major experiences in the lives of young people: schooling, health, marriage, and childbearing.