Barbara Seligman, Norine Jewell, John Paxman

Focus on Young Adults Program

Creating a Favorable Policy Environment Creating a Favorable Policy Environment for Young Adult Reproductive Health: for Young Adult Reproductive Health:

a Legal and Regulatory Frameworka Legal and Regulatory Framework

What Do We Mean by “Policy”?

Laws, policies, regulatory Laws, policies, regulatory measuresmeasures

Constitutional provisions, Constitutional provisions, legislation, executive orders, legislation, executive orders, judicial decisions, ministerial level judicial decisions, ministerial level decrees, standards of practice, decrees, standards of practice, national plans, programmatic goals.national plans, programmatic goals.

PracticesPractices

Service providers, educators.Service providers, educators.

Definition of Terms of Terms

Young adultsYoung adults Young adults’ right Young adults’ right to reproductive to reproductive healthhealth

Requirements to Secure Young Adults’ Right to RH

Access to information Access to information and servicesand services

The self-esteem The self-esteem and self-and self-confidence to use confidence to use information and information and servicesservices

Range of life Range of life

optionsoptions

Legal and Policy AnalysisRelationships between YARH and Laws and Relationships between YARH and Laws and

PoliciesPolicies

ElementsElements

•Healthy, responsible sexual development Healthy, responsible sexual development and behaviorand behavior

•Safe, voluntary sexual activitySafe, voluntary sexual activity•Safe, voluntary fertility regulationSafe, voluntary fertility regulation•Health pregnancy, delivery, post-partum and Health pregnancy, delivery, post-partum and

postabortion carepostabortion care

Essential Essential requirementsrequirements

Laws and Laws and policiespolicies

Access to Access to quality quality servicesservices

Self esteem Self esteem andandthe self -the self -confidence confidence to to use servicesuse services

Life choices thatLife choices thatinfluence influence motivation to usemotivation to useservicesservices

Conditions Conditions governing usersgoverning users

Conditions Conditions governing governing providersproviders

Policy Activities to Promote Young Adult Reproductive Health (YARH)

Assessment of the policy Assessment of the policy environmentenvironment

Tools for achieving legal Tools for achieving legal and policy changeand policy change

Resources to support legal Resources to support legal and policy reformand policy reform

Five Steps in the Policy Assessment Process

Decide what you want to assessDecide what you want to assess Review documentary sources of Review documentary sources of

YARH policyYARH policy Interview key individualsInterview key individuals Evaluate laws, policies and Evaluate laws, policies and

identify gapsidentify gaps Identify key policy issues for Identify key policy issues for

reformreform

Five Steps in the Policy Assessment Process

Decide what you want to assessDecide what you want to assess Review documentary sources of

YARH policy Interview key individuals Evaluate laws, policies and

identify gaps Identify key policy issues for

reform

Decide What You Want to Assess

Assessment priorities vary Assessment priorities vary from country to countryfrom country to country

Assessment is part of a long-Assessment is part of a long-term strategy to improve term strategy to improve policies and practices policies and practices affecting service deliveryaffecting service delivery

Broader, contextual issuesBroader, contextual issues

Five Steps in the Policy Assessment Process

Decide what you want to assess Review documentary sources of Review documentary sources of

YARH policyYARH policy Interview key individuals Evaluate laws, policies and

identify gaps Identify key policy issues for

reform

Review Documentary Sources of Policy

Advertising; media regulation for Advertising; media regulation for medical and pharmaceutical products; medical and pharmaceutical products; curriculae, health service guidelinescurriculae, health service guidelines

Public health legislation; MOH policies; Public health legislation; MOH policies; guidelines for infectious disease controlguidelines for infectious disease control

Family law; education; employment Family law; education; employment codes; criminal and civil laws; social codes; criminal and civil laws; social customscustoms

Five Steps in the Policy Assessment Process

Decide what you want to assess Review documentary sources of YARH

policy Interview key individualsInterview key individuals Evaluate laws, policies and identify gaps Identify key policy issues for reform

Interview Key Individuals:WHO?

Political leaders and executivesPolitical leaders and executives Legislators, jurists and lawyersLegislators, jurists and lawyers Ministerial technocratsMinisterial technocrats Public and private health care Public and private health care

professionals, program managersprofessionals, program managers EducatorsEducators Youth and parent groups, women’s Youth and parent groups, women’s

organizationsorganizations

·

·

Interview Key Individuals:WHAT?

Is there an official, national policy affecting Is there an official, national policy affecting YARH?YARH?

Is there an official national program of Is there an official national program of YARH? YARH?

What laws and official policies influence What laws and official policies influence YARH services?YARH services?

Who are the major groups and individuals Who are the major groups and individuals that influence YARH?that influence YARH?

What are the major legal and policy issues What are the major legal and policy issues are which affect YARH?are which affect YARH?

·

·

Five Steps in the Policy Assessment Process

Decide what you want to assess Review documentary sources of YARH

policy Interview key individuals Evaluate laws, policies and identify gapsEvaluate laws, policies and identify gaps Identify key policy issues for reform

Evaluate Laws, Policies, and Identify Gaps

Policy Area RH information; contraceptive services; RH information; contraceptive services;

STI/HIV prevention/ managementSTI/HIV prevention/ management Issue or Problem

No formal RH curriculum in schools; eligibility restrictions on contraceptives

Consequences Unintended pregnancy, STI/HIV infection,

discourage health-seeking behavior

Identify and Evaluate Key Policy Issues for Reform

Laws, policies binding?

Magnitude of effects?

“Costs” of achieving reform? Stakeholders; positions, power Beneficiaries

Some Conclusions....

Policies support programs Can’t consider in isolation of programs Support may be direct or indirectSupport may be direct or indirect

Need to consider policies and practices that go beyond increasing RH service availability Self-esteem Life optionsLife options

Need more documentation and sharing of experience

Creating a Favorable Policy Environment Creating a Favorable Policy Environment for Young Adult Reproductive Health: for Young Adult Reproductive Health:

a Legal and Regulatory Frameworka Legal and Regulatory Framework

THANK YOU