Adolescent well-being critical to achieving sustainable development – WHO
Adolescent well-being critical to achieving sustainable development – WHO
The World Health Organisation on Wednesday reaffirmed its commitment to improving adolescent’s health and well-being in the country.
WHO made the pledge at the 2023 virtual Global Forum for Adolescents event themed “With and For Adolescents: Our Future is Now.”
The Global Forum for Adolescents, the world’s largest-ever virtual gathering for adolescent health and well-being, takes place from October 11-12, 023.
It is a key milestone within the 1.8 Billion Young People for Change campaign and is co-produced and co-owned by young people and multiple stakeholders, including United Nations agencies, and aligned to Our Common Agenda.
Speaking at the event, WHO’s Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi said adolescent well-being is critical to achieving sustainable development and adopting a whole-of-government approach to address the multiple and intersecting factors that impact adolescents.
Dr Kazadi, who was represented by the Technical Officer for Child and Adolescent Health in WHO, Dr Joy Ufere said strengthening collective efforts to improve adolescent well-being will help to accelerate the achievement of related SDG priorities – for investing in adolescents and young people is a smart investment in the future of the societies, economies, and the planet.
“We have to commit to prioritising adolescent well-being, and related SDG priorities for young people in our national development plans and strategies, to ensure disaggregated data collection to better understand the challenges and opportunities for ensuring adolescent well-being, and to integrate adolescent-specific indicators into the monitoring and reporting frameworks.
“Nigeria will benefit more by meaningfully engaging adolescents and young people in the design, implementation, and monitoring of policies and programmes that affect their well-being. This national event and Global Forum for Adolescents should promote a coordinated response from all partners and stakeholders for accelerated global, regional, national and subnational efforts to tackle the needs of adolescents and increase the chances of achieving the SDGs.
“Let’s make this Global Forum for Adolescents a memorable one and ensure that the sub-national levels are carried along, particularly as a joint effort to improve the well-being of adolescents and young people around the country,” Kazadi said.
The organisation pledged to support the Federal Government to make adolescent well-being a national priority.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Daju Kachollom, stated that the ministry has marked a series of events as a build-up towards the forum.
Kachollom, who was represented by the Director of Gender Adolescent School Health and Elderly Care Division at the FMoH, John Ovuoraye, said the government is committed to improving the health and well-being of young people in the country.
“We are gathered here today because Nigeria recognises the unique place of adolescents in our demographic composition and to leave no one in doubt that as a country the health needs and well-being of adolescents and young people is prioritised.
“Once again, I welcome you all as we join the rest of the world on this important gathering. I look forward to the outcome of the event especially the special take homes that will add value and facilitate the implementation of our commitment,” she noted.
