Abstract
This paperexploredhow Chinese civil society organizations (CSOs) had been involved in an adolescent reproductive health policy process and its implications for other developing countries with similar political and social contexts. The case study was the 6th cycle of the Country Program on adolescent reproductive health (Jan. 2006-Dec. 2010). It was a multi-phased, retrospective qualitative study in Guangxi autonomous region. Six categories of policy actors including politician, CSO, policy-maker, health manager, development partner and researcher were interviewed, 34 documents were reviewed and 1 participatory stakeholder workshop was held between Jun. 2007 and Apr. 2008. We focused on different CSOs that had been involved in different stages of the policy process, what strategies they had used to interact with the policy process and how they influenced the content and implementation of the policy. Our results showed that new forms of CSOs in China were emerging, with different mechanisms being used to express their voice and influence the policy process. The involvements of CSOs in the adolescent reproductive health policy process also showed how new opportunities were arising in a rapidly changing Chinese political context, but various factors might affect their involvement in policy process. Critical amongst these were the characteristics of the CSOs, the wider political context of the country and the nature of the policy itself.
Highlights
China has the largest population of adolescents in the world: nearly 194 million adolescents aged 10 - 19 account for 14.6% of the national population (Zhongguo guojia tongjiju 中国国家 统计局, 2009)
The policy case study was embodied by a national program called the Country Program 6 (CP6) adolescent reproductive health (ARH) (Country Program 6th cycle Adolescent Reproductive Health—see Figure 1) and sponsored by UNFPA
CP4 and CP5 started to have ARH program components and these programs were implemented by the China Family Planning Association (CFPA) in 30 program counties in 1998
Summary
China has the largest population of adolescents in the world: nearly 194 million adolescents aged 10 - 19 account for 14.6% of the national population (Zhongguo guojia tongjiju 中国国家 统计局, 2009). China’s social and economic development and improvements in its people’s lives and health standards have been accompanied by a continuing decrease in the age of sexual maturity (Zhongguo xuesheng tizhi yu jiankang yanjiuzu 中国学生体质与健 康研究组, 2002). Changing social values and norms related to sex and marriage have affected adolescents’ attitudes and behaviors (Gao et al, 2003). These changes can be measured by increases in premarital sexual behaviors and problems (such as unintended conceptions, sexually transmitted infections, and even HIV/AIDS) associated with adolescents’ lack of sexual and reproductive health knowledge and skills (Gao et al, 2003)
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