Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Programs in Humanitarian Settings: An In-depth Look at Family Planning Services

In the poorest regions of the world, roughly one in three girls gives birth by the age of 18. Adolescent girls are at the highest risk of maternal mortality, and these risks are compounded in humanitarian settings where sexual vio­lence and exploitation is pervasive. Despite growing awareness of the need for adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) programs in hu­manitarian settings, a recent mapping of existing ARSH programs by the Women's Refugee Commission, with support from UNHCR, UNFPA and Save the Children, found significant gaps in programming, including access to family planning. The Women's Refugee Commission's report documents these gaps, as well as pockets of good practice, and makes recommendations on how to better meet the needs of adolescent girls in humanitarian settings.