Dr Priscilla Idele's presentation for Accelerate Hub's webinar on Making adolescent-inclusion the heart of the COVID-19 response (February 2021).

1. Averting a Lost Generation of Adolescents
in the COVID-19 Era
Dr Priscilla Idele
Deputy Director, UNICEF Office of Research Innocenti

2. 1.2 billion individuals. Only half in secondary education, less
than half complete. 1 in 5 with mental health disorders.
Around 150 million living in slums. 1 in 5 women married in
childhood or adolescence. 1 in 7 babies are born to
adolescent girls every year. Domestic violence and sexual
abuse rife, particularly perpetrated against adolescent girls.
Future prospects of millions of adolescents undermined by high
youth unemployment and underemployment, and a bleak
outlook for global politics, economics, and the planet.
Adolescence before COVID | In crisis

3. Source WHO, Global Health Estimates 2016, https://data.unicef.org/resources/test-adolescent-health-dashboard-regional-profiles/
Self-harm is
among the top
three causes
of death for
boys and girls
aged 15-19
ADOLESCENCE BEFORE COVID: SELF HARMING AT ALARMING RATE
Among adolescents age 10-19 years

4. ADOLESCENCE BEFORE COVID: MILLIONS OUT OF SCHOOL
62 million
adolescents
of lower
secondary
school age
are out of
school

5. Less than half
of adolescents
completed upper
secondary school
Source: UIS (2017), More Than One-Half of Children and Adolescents Are Not Learning Worldwide for 4.1.1; UIS database and; UIS database for 4.1.2 and 4.2.2.
Notes: 4.1.2 (completion rate) are weighted by population using United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population
Prospects 2019, Online Edition. Rev. 1, 2019, based on the data in years of 2010-2019. For 4.2.2, adjusted net enrolment rate is used.
73
85
73
49
39
42
Primary Lower secondary Upper secondary Reading Math
4.2.2. Participation
rate in organized
learning
4.1.2. Completion rate 4.1.1.c. Minimum proficiency among
lower secondary school-age
adolescents
3 in 10
children not in
education
Completion rates
decrease drastically from
primary to secondary
Lack of
foundational skills
highlight transitional
issues, education
quality, future
learning disparities
ADOLESCENCE BEFORE COVID: POOR RATES OF EDUCATION COMPLETION AND SKILLS ACQUISITION

6. 12
19
23
24
33
40
60
108
112
Industrialized
East Asia and the Pacific
Europe and Central Asia
South Asia
Middle East and North Africa
World
Latin America and the Caribbean
Eastern and Southern Africa
West and Central Africa
Source: UN SDG Global database 2020
ADOLESCENCE BEFORE COVID: HIGH RATES OF ADOLESCENTS BIRTHS IN LESS AFFLUENT REGIONS
Births per 1000 adolescent girls age 15-19 years, 2014-2019

7. ADOLESCENCE BEFORE COVID: CHILD MARRIAGE REMAINS WIDESPREAD

8. ADOLESCENCE BEFORE COVID: HIGH
PARTNER VIOLENCE
In half of countries
with data, at least
1 in 5 adolescent
girls have been
the victim of
recent intimate
partner violence
Source: UNICEF global databases, 2020, based on MICS, DHS and other national surveys, 2005-2019.
Note: See data.unicef.org for full notes on interpretation and comparability across countries.
Percentage of ever-partnered girls aged 15 to 19 years who have experienced physical and/or sexual
violence by a current or former intimate partner during the last twelve months

9. 17% of adolescents
age 15-19 years are
underutilized
ADOLESCENCE BEFORE COVID: ALMOST A QUARTER OF ADOLESCENTS ARE UNDERUTILIZED
Source: UNICEF estimations based on ILOSTAT Data, 2018
Percentage of adolescents aged 15-19 that is not in education, employment or training, by sex and region

10. Represent almost 8 per cent of global COVID burden and
probably set to increase as vaccines and other public health
measures reduce prevalence in ageing rich countries, while
adolescent-rich less affluent nations experience rising
prevalence. Millions more out of school than before due to
recession and mobility restrictions, with limited access to remote
learning for many in the poorest countries and communities.
Violence against children and adolescence is likely to have risen,
though figures are mixed. And their future economic prospects
are grim, with the global recession set to continue.
Adolescence in the COVID era | Worse
than before

11. Adolescents
account for
around 8% of
global COVID
infections
Source: Averting a Lost COVID-19 Generation, UNICEF, November 2020.
ADOLESCENCE IN THE COVID ERA: COVID INFECTIONS
0.9
1.9
22.9
Number of COVID-19 infections in millions
among children under 20 years, November 2020
Children (0-9 years) Adolescents (10-19 years) Adults(20+)

12. Source: Analysis of the UNICEF COVID-19 Socio-economic Impact survey, August 2020
ADOLESCENCE IN THE COVID ERA: DISRUPTED HEALTH CARE SERVICES
One third of 141
countries
had drops in
coverage of
10% or more
(including routine
vaccination)

13. Source: UNESCO-UNICEF-World Bank joint survey round 2, 2020.
ADOLESCENCE IN THE COVID ERA: MISSED SCHOOL DAYS
Students in lower-income countries have missed more
days of school than students in higher-income countries
Average days of school missed, by income level, 2020

14. Remote learning
remains out of reach
for almost 1 in 3
school children
ADOLESCENCE IN THE COVID ERA: REMOTE LEARNING OUT OF REACH FOR MANY STUDENTS

15. Source: Analysis of UNICEF COVID-19 Socio-economic Impact survey in 135 countries, August 2020
ADOLESCENCE IN COVID ERA: UPENDED NUTRITION SERVICES AND FOOD INSECURITY
Countries reporting
COVID-19 related
change in nutrition
service coverage in
2020 compared to
this time in 2019

16. .
ADOLESCENCE IN THE COVID ERA: DISRUPTION IN ANTI-VIOLENCE SERVICES

17. Source: Averting a Lost COVID Generation, UNICEF, November 2020..
ADOLESCENCE IN THE COVID ERA: SHARP RISE IN POVERTY
The least developed countries have had a significantly higher rise in
child poverty during COVID-19

18. Two-speed world for adolescents.
Privileged (vaccinated, mobile again, return to school,
revived economies, social safety nets, online access).
HIC and upper middle income countries and affluent
communities everywhere.
Disenfranchised (unvaccinated, immobile, out of
school, recession economies, no social safety nets,
offline). Lower middle income and low income countries
and poor and marginalized communities everywhere.
Adolescence at crossroads |
UNICEF in action

19. REIMAGINING ADOLESCENCE | UNICEF’S 6 POINT PLAN

20. SUPPLIES AND
PROCUREMENT
Leading efforts to
supply 2 billion
COVID-19 vaccines
with COVAX Facility
SERVICES
Expanding water and
hygiene services to
remote and marginalized
communities to help
contain COVID
transmission
EVIDENCE
Maintaining a COVID
Data Hub and
Research Library to
generate and curate
robust evidence on
COVID and children
ADVOCACY
Advocacy reports like
Averting a Lost COVID-19
Generation and Beyond
Masks examine pandemic’s
impact on young people and
outline agendas for action
INNOVATION
With Microsoft, have
launched improved and
scalable technology to
protect vulnerable
children and women amid
rise in domestic and
gender-based violence
PARTNERSHIPS
Worked with partners to
raise 1.41 billion USD to
meet growing needs of
children and adolescents
REIMAGINING ADOLESCENCE | UNICEF IN ACTION FOR ADOLESCENTS IN THE COVID ERA

21. To improve access
to lifesaving testing
Speaking out for effective
and equitable care
Delivering food and sanitation
Holding governments accountable
Being community navigators
Service Delivery
Research & Development
Accountability
Advocacy
Community
Conducting research and
developing technology
Knowledge Exchange
Innovating
Spreading accurate information
Health and wellbeing
including mental wellbeing
REIMAGINING ADOLESCENCE | ADOLESCENTS IN ACTION IN THE COVID ERA

22. Participation and
listening to
voices of young
people
Safe digital connectivity
and social innovation
Results at scale
and in communities
Co-creation with
young people
Ambitious
investment across
sectors and
political support
Adolescence stands at a pivotal
moment in history. Pre-COVID,
it was already in crisis. COVID
has only made it worse for
most adolescents in almost all
aspects of their lives. It is up to
us to take the necessary steps,
outlined here,
to give all adolescents a
bright future and avert a lost
generation.
Evidence for current
and future realities
REIMAGINING ADOLESCENCE: Averting a Lost Generation of Adolescents depends heavily on the actions taken in the
coming years

23. UNICEF Office of
Research-Innocenti
bogota@unicef.org
Thank you!
Email: pidele@unicef.org