Currently half of the global population is made up of people below 30 years- over 3,5 billion people. From this population, 1.8 billion are adolescents which makes a quarter of the worlds population. Most of these young people are living in developing countries according to UNFPA. Young people make up the greatest proportion of the population in sub-Saharan Africa with more than one-third of the population are between the ages of 10 and 24. Most importantly to note is that Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region of the world in which the number of young people continues to grow substantially (PRB/UNFPA, 2014).
The number of young people is significantly high in Kenya, with statistics showing in 2010, 33 per cent of Kenya’s population of 40.5 million consisted of young people between 10 and 24 years of age The number of young people is projected to increase to 19 million by 2025 and to 27.8 million by 2050. This population is experiencing not only adolescence but new vulnerabilities to human rights abuses, particularly on sexuality, marriage and child bearing.
The Centre for the Study of Adolescence is focusing its strategies and efforts towards addressing the needs of adolescents in Kenya and the region. More specific area of concern is the sexual reproductive health and rights of young people. CSA has just finished a process to build the capacity of staff to make them ASRHR experts.
The organization has a clear strategic goal to be the East African Institute of training and research around ASRHR. The CSA program officers will transfer the skills learnt to equip teachers who help implement their comprehensive sexuality education curriculum in schools, community based organizations, nurses in hospitals and other organization that will be in need of quality skills in addressing the sensitive issues around sexual reproductive health. The training was conducted by Rutgers, a Dutch based organization that focuses on Reproductive Health Environment. The sensitive areas that affect young people which can boldly be handled by CSA include: Sexual diversity, Abortion, Masturbation, Pre-Marital Sex &Pornography.
