Reducing Gender Inequities to Improve Very Young Adolescents’ Health and Well-Being Across the Life Course

Gender inequities are key determinants of health among adolescents and adults, particularly related to reproductive health, gender-based violence, and mental health. These inequities are shaped by gender norms and social expectations placed on boys and girls from a young age.

In particular, very young adolescence (10–14 years old) is a time when societal gender norms start to be internalized; therefore, intervening at this stage has great potential to reduce gender inequities and improve health and wellbeing throughout the life course.

During this webinar, presenters will discuss the effects of gender norms in very young adolescence and share an adaptable package of interventions that reaches key systems and influencers in very young adolescents’ environment—such as caregivers, schools, community leaders and members, and government leaders—to reduce gender-based bullying and improve mental health outcomes. This package can be adapted to improve other aspects of very young adolescents’ health and well-being and implemented in other contexts.

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