Lives in the Balance | Future Forward: Advancing Adolescent Data, Measurement, and Advocacy Gaps

Adolescence is a transformative stage of life that presents unique opportunities to shape the future and prosperity of societies. The 1.3 billion adolescents worldwide today make up one-sixth of the world’s population (WHO, 2023) and represent a significant demographic whose health and well-being are crucial for the overall development and sustainability of communities. Yet nearly 1 million adolescents die annually from mostly preventable causes, and mental health conditions account for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury in people aged 10-19 years (WHO, 2023). Nearly every fifth girl aged 15-19 gives birth in low- and middle-income countries before reaching adulthood and maternal mortality remains among the top five causes of death for girls aged 15-19 globally (WHO, 2024).

Ensuring adolescent well-being requires more than policy declarations—it demands accountability at every level. Governments, international organizations, donors, and civil society must be held responsible for translating commitments into tangible outcomes. The Adolescent Well-being investment case demonstrated that Investments in adolescent health and well-being yield significant returns per dollar invested (PMNCH, 2024). However, global health agendas often overlook the unique needs of adolescents despite the critical size and relevance to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In parallel, an increasing pushback on Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and reduced funding reinforces the need to safeguard these rights and uphold commitments to young people. Without stronger accountability mechanisms, these barriers will persist, jeopardizing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To advance adolescent health and well-being effectively, key stakeholders must develop evidence-based policies and programs, driven by meaningful adolescent and youth engagement and robust accountability mechanisms for the efficient and swift implementation of their commitments, policies and programmes.

Elements of a robust accountability mechanisms include:

• A review of the adolescent health and well-being agenda and identification of gaps, as done by the Second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health
• Development of cases of investment through global and national toolkits for increased investment in interventions proven to yield high rates of return
• Tools such as the measurement guidance on adolescent health and well-being to assess national progress, identify data gaps, and ensure that policies align with real adolescent needs
• Capacity strengthening of practitioners at the national and sub-national level through professional development programmes and massive open online courses to ensure professionals working on adolescent health and well-being are equipped to apply accountability mechanisms, measure and track progress, and drive continuous improvement

About the event  

The World Health Assembly in May 2025 provides a critical opportunity to spotlight the need for increased accountability for adolescent health and well-being.

The event, proposed on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly, has the following objectives:

1. Launch and share the latest evidence and tools for accountability on adolescent health and well-being
2. Promote the use of accountability mechanisms, investment cases, and data-driven decision-making to track adolescent health and well-being outcomes across all levels
3. Share good practices, gaps in accountability mechanisms and discuss steps for driving accountability for adolescent health and well-being at the national and global levels.