| Abstract |
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The period of adolescence (aged 10 to 19) is one of the most critical periods of human development as health and wellbeing at this age have lifelong consequences for health trajectories in later life. However, despite a growing interest in adolescent health and development over the last 20 years, the primary focus has been on those aged 15 to 24, with little attention given to younger ages. Explore4Action (E4A) is a four-year program aiming to fill this gap by investigating the factors that influence adolescents to make a positive and healthy transition from childhood to adulthood, and if and how comprehensive sexuality education can support this process.
The baseline measurement of the Global Early Adolescent Study (GEAS) provided insights on a number of key issues currently faced by young people in Indonesia, including experiences of violence, mental health and future aspirations. We saw clear gendered differences in several outcomes, suggesting that gender norms disadvantage both boys and girls in different ways. Through this Youth Voices Research (YVR) we sought deeper insights into the finding of the GEAS baseline, understanding in more detail how norms and values related to gender, sexuality, power and violence impact on young people’s lives and future aspirations.
Data were collected in the same three sites as the Global Early Adolescent Study: Bandar Lampung in Lampung, Semarang in Central Java, and Denpasar in Bali. Aiming to validate and explore key GEAS baseline data in more depth, we spoke to 54 adolescent respondents (aged 12 to 13) who had responded to the GEAS baseline and 74 of their parents. Data were collected through 18 classroom discussions with adolescents, 44 focus group discussions (FGDs) with adolescents, and 8 FGDs with parents. Employing a participatory youth approach, young people acted as co-researchers, allowing more of an insider perspective and encouraging young informants to talk more freely.
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