ADOLESCENT’S AGENDA: GENERATION UNLIMITED MONDAY, OCTOBER 22ND, 2018 CONVENTION CENTER OF LIMA SAN BORJA 2-A HALL PRERNA BANATI, PhD MPH UNICEF OFFICE OF RESEARCH – INNOCENTI

1. ADOLESCENCE –
THREE WINDOWS OF
OPPORTUNITY
ADOLESCENT’S AGENDA:
GENERATION UNLIMITED
MONDAY, OCTOBER 22ND, 2018
CONVENTION CENTER OF LIMA
SAN BORJA 2-A HALL
PRERNA BANATI, PhD MPH
UNICEF OFFICE OF
RESEARCH – INNOCENTI

2. CONTENTS
A. What is and why adolescence?
B. Three windows: an evidence-informed model
for adolescent programming

3. The developmental period from the onset of puberty until the transition to
adulthood as defined by one or more of these events: marriage, parenthood,
completion of formal education, financial independence from parents. It roughly
corresponds to the second decade.
ADOLESCENCE

4. Demographics
Technology
Sustainable Development
WHY NOW?

5. ADOLESCENCE:
THREE WINDOWS OF
OPPORTUNITY
Adolescence is a crucial period in any
individual’s life-course.
01.
A unique window of opportunity: changing body and mind
02.
A second window of opportunity: catching up
03.
A third window of opportunity: looking into the future

6. 01.
A UNIQUE
WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY:
CHANGING
BODY AND
MIND
For the crucial biological, endocrine,
neurological, and psychological
changes that happen during this
period.

7. 01.
BIOLOGY AND ENDOCRINE DEVELOPMENTS
Puberty and physical maturation, height and weight growth
02.
NEUROLOGICAL AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
Development of the prefrontal cortex; synaptic elimination and
pruning
03.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Complex cognitive processes and socio-emotional regulation
04.
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Changing relations with family; social identity formation
• HEIGHTENED SENSITIVITY IN THE BRAIN
REGIONS THAT RESPOND TO IMMEDIATE
REWARDS
• HEIGHTENED PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO
STRESS
• SUBJECT TO INFLUENCES, INCLUDING SOCIO-
NORMATIVE ONES
EVIDENCE FROM NEUROSCIENCE

8. 02.
A SECOND
WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY:
CATCHING UP
For the opportunity to catch-up
and redress earlier life
vulnerabilities

9. 01.
LINKAGES BETWEEN NUTRITION IN
CHILDHOOD AND WELL-BEING
OUTCOMES IN ADOLESCENCE
Accelerated growth following stunting in infancy
can occur
02.
INTERVENING TO REDUCE CUMULATIVE
DISADVANTAGE
Children’s skills at age 5 predict children’ skills at
age 12

10. For the opportunity to influence later life outcomes (intra-
generational) and ensure health and well-being of offspring
(intergenerational)
03.
A THIRD WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY: LOOKING
INTO THE FUTURE

11. Adolescence is a crucial period to promote positive
behaviours. It is also the time during which individuals
experiment, encounter risks and can adopt harmful
behaviours, which can last into adulthood.
The adolescents of today are the parents of
tomorrow. For example, interventions that improve the
nutritional status of pregnant women result in a
statistically significant reduction in low birth weight rates
and preterm birth.

12. INTRA- AND INTER-GENERATIONAL EFFECTS
Higher returns on investments in secondary education
for girls than for boys – 18.4% versus 13.9%
Investing in girls’ education shows positive effects at
individual and household levels on:
 their annual earnings
 decreased fertility rate
 increased labor market participation
 as well as on their children’s well-being and human
capital
Regional examples
Colombia: 10 percent rate of return to a year of schooling
Haiti: estimated benefit-cost ratio of 4.4 for a scholarship
programme to disadvantaged rural adolescent girls
Brazil: Costs (education to all children in lieu to work +
costs to alter attitudes and practices + opportunity cost of
eliminating this work) ~ US$ 7 billion
Economic gains from eliminating child labour + more
educated and healthier population ~ US$ 35 billion
For source information see Camilletti & Banati 2018

13. CONCLUDING
REMARKS –
DEMONSTRATING
THE CASE FOR
INVESTING IN
ADOLESCENTS
Underpinned by strong
rights-based principles
Gender responsive
approaches critical
Opportunities for
earlier MDG
investments to be
maximized
Evidence of high
returns for the future
Requires
strengthening linkages
across well-being
domains and policy
sectors

14. Prerna Banati, PhD MPH
Chief of Programs and Planning,
UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti
e-mail pbanati@unicef.org
THANK YOU

15. RESOURCES
Find it at: www.unicef-irc.org
Three windows of opportunity — Using
science to inform programming for
adolescents and young people
http://bit.ly/adolescentwindow

16. Social and structural determinants of adolescent wellbeing: a 4 year research
program. Find it at: www.unicef-irc.org

17. CAMPBELL-UNICEF CHILD WELFARE MEGA MAP EVIDENCE GAP MAP ON ADOLESCENT WELL-
BEING IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES:
PROTECTION, PARTICIPATION, AND FINANCIAL
AND MATERIAL WELL-BEING
Find it at: www.unicef-irc.org

18. Joint volume between the Society for
Research in Child Development
(SRCD) and UNICEF Office of
Research – Innocenti
Published by Oxford University Press
Learn more and
download the handbook:
http://bit.ly/adolescenthandbook