Institutionalising Adolescent Participation for Health and Well-being

Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) was launched on 7 January 2014 to ensure universal coverage to adolescents in the age group of 10-14 years and 15-19 years. The scheme has provisions to enable establishment of Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics to cater to diverse needs of adolescents, to ensure comprehensive and equitable access to adolescent-specific health needs. The RKSK scheme also comprises community-based engagement component with focus on adolescent participation and leadership. The community component involves adolescent groups, facilitated by peer educators,
covering a broad range of adolescent related issues like nutrition, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, violence, drug and substance abuse and safety.

PRIA, together with Centre for Sustainable, Healthy and Learning Cities (SHLC), University of Glasgow and Gurugram University conducted a Participatory Action Research (PAR) study in Gurugram to understand the prevalent situation of adolescent health in urban informal settlements as well as to explore the levels of engagement of urban adolescents with Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHC). The study reported poor health-seeking
behaviour among adolescents and low levels of awareness among adolescents regarding AFHCs. The PRIA study even reported low preference among adolescents to seek treatment from Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics.

In recent decades, health policies and schemes have emphasized the importance of more participatory approaches in policy making that include views, knowledge, experiences and actions from those who are the intended beneficiaries. Although participatory approaches in adolescent health have been popularised through health policies, they differ in terms of explicit guidance on how to actually involve and engage youth in implementation.

Considering the pandemic situation that has impaired health systems and taking into account poor health-seeking behaviour among adolescents, it is imperative to explore ways in which adolescent participation and engagement with AFHCs can be increased and strengthened, so that more beneficiaries become aware as well as benefit from the services. Implementing and strengthening facility-based interventions is an important step in the right direction that will ensure positive health-seeking behaviour among
adolescents.

In order to have a discussion on this topic, PRIA, together with SHLC (University of Glasgow), Gurugram University and Martha Farrell Foundation (MFF) is organizing a National Consultation titled “Our Health, Our Voice- Institutionalizing Adolescent Participation for Improving Their Health and Well-being” in hybrid mode on September 3, 2021. The national consultation aims to discuss the ways in which adolescent participation for their health and well-being can be enhanced and institutionalised through AFHCs to widen the outreach and penetration of services through active facilitation and involvement of civil society.

Program agenda

09.30-10.00 Registration

10.00- 10.10 Welcome and Agenda Setting

10.10- 10.45 Presentation by PRIA and Adolescent Group from Gurugram

10.45-11.45 Panel discussion  on Institutionalising and strengthening adolescent participation through AFHCs - implementer perspective
− Dr Indrani Bhattacharya, CINI
− Dr Rama Shyam, SNEHA
− Dr Suchitra Rath, EKJUT

Open Discussion

11:45- 12:00 Health break

12.00-01.00 Panel discussion on Institutionalising and strengthening adolescent participation through AFHCs - civil Society perspective
− Dr Nilesh Deshpande, UNFPA
− Dr Binoy Acharya, Unnati
− Dr KG Santhya, Population Council
− Ms Anupama Kashyap, Dasra

Open Discussion

01.00- 01.40 Key Takeaways and Ways Forward
− Dr Virender Yadav, Civil Surgeon, Gurugram
− Dr Rajesh Tandon, Founder-President, PRIA

01.40- 01.45 Vote of thanks

01.45 onwards Lunch