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