Culture of silence: A brief on reproductive health of adolescents and youth in Pakistan

Abstract

Previous research on the reproductive health of adolescents and youth in Pakistan has not addressed the diversity of adolescent experiences based on social status, residence, and gender. To understand the transition from adolescence to adulthood more fully, it is important to assess social, economic, and cultural aspects of that transition. This brief presents the experience of married and unmarried young people (males and females) from different social strata and residence regarding their own attitudes and expectations about reproductive health. More young people aged 15–24 live in Pakistan now than at any other time in its history—an estimated 36 million in 2004. Recognizing the dearth of information on this large group of young people, the Population Council undertook a nationally representative survey from October 2001 to March 2002. The analysis presented here comes from Adolescents and Youth in Pakistan 2001–02: A Nationally Representative Survey. The survey sought information from youth aged 15–24, responsible adults in the household, and other community members in 254 communities. A total of 6,585 households were visited and 8,074 young people were interviewed.