17 October 2023, Vientiane, Lao PDR – The Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute (Lao TPHI) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) organized the eighth Annual Adolescent Research Day in Vientiane Capital under the theme “Contemporary Situation of Adolescent Health and Development”. This event highlighted recent research evidence on adolescent health and development and focused on the importance of timely analysis for a comprehensive understanding of issues faced by adolescent girls.
The annual ARD was initiated in 2016 under the ‘Noi Approach’ by the Lao TPHI and UNFPA to call for increased commitments to undertake qualitative and quantitative regular assessments of the situation of girls aged 10-19 years which aim to identify and address key challenges rolling back their progress and wellbeing.
The ARD is held annually as a platform for researchers, practitioners, policy-makers and development partners to share recent research evidence. The goal is for research evidence to be used in advocacy, in formulating policies and comprehensive interventions vital to achieving well-being of all adolescents.
Dr. Phaivanh Keopaseuth, Deputy Minister of Health welcomed national and international researchers and emphasized the importance of data and research to understand the needs of adolescents in Laos, particularly to ensure leaving no one behind and reaching the furthest behind with timely, quality and adequate sustainable interventions. He said ”For Laos to achieve its commitments on the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), it is necessary to put the light on all issues faced by adolescents and youth and to regularly assess the progress made. This helps undertake collective correction or adaptation measures and ensure policies and programs are shaped based on evidence to promote adolescents development and advance the investments on the human capital. Research is key to accelerate the implementation of national priorities in health, education, employment, empowerment, wellbeing, rights and choices in order to achieve the ICPD25 and SDGs”
This year’s theme, “Contemporary Situation of Adolescent Health and Development”, will share a way forward in advancing adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights, mental health and psychosocial support, nutrition, protection from harmful practices and addressing climate change.
Dr Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, UNFPA Representative, said: “Dr Bakhtiyor Kadyrov, UNFPA Representative, said: “ There are three imperatives for investing in young people based on research evidence: (1) The first imperative relates to adolescents and youth rights, which is empowering them to make informed choices about their life and reproductive health; (2) The second one is the development imperative, which involves maximizing the human capital necessary for sustainable development; (3) The third one is the demographic imperative. Countries with large shares of adolescents and youth, such as Laos, have an opportunity to accelerate economic development, resilience, sustainability, and productivity.”
The adolescent research forum had in-person and virtual presentations from Lao PDR and the South-East Asia Region. Participants presented on and discussed various topics such as: SRH perceptions and use amongst ethnics and in rural areas, adolescent pregnancy and low birth weight, food choices and habits, school dropout and others.
Dr. Khampheng Phongluxa, Deputy Director General of Lao TPHI, said: “We are delighted to see the strong commitments from researchers in the region and from abroad to come every year, for the last 8 years, to provide strong data on adolescent girls in Asia and the Pacific. The adolescent research day is an opportunity for both researchers and policy makers to listen and exchange on key elements that drive the demographic dividend and the socioeconomic development in our countries. Over these past years, we have and we will continue to reaffirm the crucial need to multiply efforts to protect and promote gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, education and employment of adolescents to guide us towards a prosperous future of Lao PDR and Asia and the Pacific.”
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UNFPA, the UN's sexual and reproductive health agency, works in over 150 countries, including Lao PDR, to achieve zero maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning and zero gender-based violence.
For more information, please contact:
laos.office@unfpa.org
