Adolescents living with disabilities are among those most at risk of being left behind in health planning and service delivery, according to a senior United Nations official.
Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Subregional Office for the Caribbean Beatrice Mutali said young people with disabilities continue to face barriers to accessing essential health services and information.
“The WHO [World Health Organisation]… observed that some groups of adolescents fall outside planning and service delivery because they are less visible, socially marginalised or stigmatised, or have no advocates,” she said.
Mutali was speaking on Wednesday at the opening of the two-day UNFPA Capacity Building Workshop on Adolescent-Friendly Health Services at UN House, Marine Gardens, Hastings, Christ Church.
She noted that Barbados ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2013 and committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Agenda’s pledge to leave no one behind.
However, she said adolescents with disabilities continue to encounter obstacles such as inaccessible health facilities and transportation, a lack of sign language interpretation and easy-to-read information, and assumptions that they are not sexually active or do not require sexual and reproductive health information.
Mutali also expressed concerns about the denial or bypassing of young people’s consent and confidentiality, stressing the need for health services that respect their rights and individual needs.
She said adolescents and young people represent an important segment of Barbados’ population, but their needs cannot be addressed through a one-size-fits-all approach.
“These young people are not a homogeneous group. They are in early, mid, and late adolescence…each stage bringing distinct health, developmental and service needs,” she said.
Officials say adolescents face a range of challenges, including mental health difficulties, non-communicable diseases and reproductive health concerns such as early and unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. They also face psychosocial issues including substance abuse, delinquency and sexual abuse.
However, Mutali said adolescents are more likely to seek medical attention for common illnesses than for mental health and sexual and reproductive health concerns.
Mutali attributed this in part to the absence of appropriately tailored, non-judgmental care, as well as stigma and discrimination that may discourage young people from seeking help.
The workshop aims to strengthen capacity in adolescent-friendly health services, with a focus on ensuring young people can access appropriate care in an environment that respects their rights, privacy and dignity.
(SB)
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