The Sexual and Reproductive Health of Young People in the Arab Countries and Iran

Abstract

This article reviews the sexual and reproductive health situation of young people aged 10-24 in the Arab states and Iran, based on published and unpublished literature and interviews with 51 key informants working mostly in NGOs and international agencies in the region. There are few national government programmes addressing young people's sexual and reproductive health, with the exceptions of Tunisia and Iran, and a lack of population-based data to guide such programmes. Although the strong emphasis on the integrity and strength of the family unit has a protective effect, young people lack access to information. Education curricula that include these topics are rare and where they do exist, relevant sections are frequently skipped over by teachers, who are unprepared. Health service providers neither recognise the needs of this age group nor make young people welcome, particularly those who are unmarried. Increased education and employment mean the age at marriage is rising, but unprotected forms of marriage are also reported. Taboos surrounding discussion of sexuality remain a key constraint, and data on unwanted pregnancy and abortion, violence against women, and STIs/HIV/AIDS are limited. Building on NGO models and existing efforts, there is a need for the development of national programmes to support the well-being of young people in this region.

Impact of HIV risk factors on survival in Iranian HIV-infected patients: A Bayesian approach to retrospective cohort

“…It could be concluded that HIV-positive cases are detected after a long delay. Therefore, the lack of reporting of HIV-positive detection rates and long delays are two main threats for spreading of HIV among the population that it could reduce the survival time [21]. Some studies showed that CD4+ T-cell count, viral load, and IDU were predictors of survival time.…”

“…Since a large number of FSWs and men sex with men are mobile and remain hidden, implementing serious harm reduction programs will be very important. Improvement can be made, if the current Harm Reduction Programs for certain high-risk groups such as FSWs and IDUs are purposefully implemented [21].…”

Adolescent Psychosocial Development and Evaluation: Global Perspectives

“…Young people have insufficient access to information on these matters, and in the few areas where educational curricula contain sexual and reproductive health, teachers often skip relevant sections because they are uncomfortable or embarrassed to teach them (DeJong et al, 2005). Sexual activity prior to the onset of marriage is unacceptable and regarded as shameful.…”

Education Quality in the Middle East

“…Some observers fear that, compared to their counterparts in other parts of the world, parents and community members across the region may have less experience of participating in formal political channels, including that of public education (DeJong et al 2005). At the same time, the extent to which community input can influence teachers who already feel constrained by top-down authority structures is questionable.…”