Adolescence is the transitional period between childhood and maturity, and its definition has long been a mystery. Adolescence comprises both biological development and substantial social role shifts, which have both evolved over the previous century. Earlier puberty has expedited the commencement of adolescence in practically all populations, while the awareness of ongoing development has raised the endpoint age far into the 20s (Berman et al., 2021). Delay in role transitions, such as finishing school, getting married, and starting a family, is also changing people’s ideas about when adulthood really starts. At a time when new societal influences, such as technology and media, are impacting health and well-being throughout these years, it’s possible that the era between adulthood and childhood now comprises a larger share of the lifespan than it ever has. Adolescence must be defined broadly and inclusively if laws, social policies, and service systems are to be developed in a way that is developmentally appropriate. Rather than using the age range of 10–19, a definition of 10–24 years is better in line with adolescent development and common conceptions of this life stage, making it easier to expand investments across more contexts (Sawyer et al., 2018). Specifically, while examining teenagers, the emphasis will be on gender norms and roles, the implications of these norms and roles on individual, reproductive and sexual health, gender relations, and how to address these norms and roles in youth programs.
We define gender roles in our society by how we are expected to act and express ourselves based on our gender identification. Dressing in typically feminine ways, being polite and obedient, and being loving and compassionate are all expected of girls and women as a general norm Men are generally judged on their power and violence. Despite the fact that gender roles are anticipated in almost every society, ethnicity, and culture, they may differ widely from one group to the next. Even within the same civilization, they may evolve. As an example, in the United States, pink was traditionally seen as a manly hue, whilst blue was seen as a feminine one. Gender roles have a negative effect on society and families. A study clarifies that when it comes to a child’s development, gender biased parenting may have a long-term impact (Molu et al., 2018). Gender stereotyping is more prevalent in the minds of children who grow up in households where gender norms are still strictly observed.
Gender norms are society’s unwritten and explicit guidelines for how girls, boys, women, and men are expected to behave, look, think, and feel. As a result, no one can say that gender norms are ever static or universal. Some conventions, such as the one that children should not smoke, are beneficial. Inequality is the result of a different set of standards. Girls are more likely than males to do household activities, such as cleaning the house or doing the laundry. Most of the children who have to do housework for at least 21 hours a week are girls, which might have a severe influence on their education. Similarly, women put in two to ten times as much time caring for others and doing household chores uncompensated as men do. Armed groups, on the other hand, are more likely to target men and boys for active combat roles because masculinity is associated with protecting families and communities.
Adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) constitutes a significant portion of the worldwide burden of sexual ill health among adolescents. International organizations are increasingly concentrating on ASRH improvement and programmatic financing, despite the fact that it was traditionally disregarded. Various legal instruments, including the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children in 2002, and the Committee of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2003, recognize the unique health and development needs of adolescents and young people. Some other supporting instruments include CEDAW and the right to health, that is included in multiple international agreements such as Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Millennium Development Goals, that include markers to decrease pregnancy rates among 15–19 year olds and increase HIV knowledge among young people.
Men and women are governed by these gender norms and roles, which dictate what is acceptable and what is not. In most countries, traditions tend to place more importance on men than women, which legitimizes patriarchy and hides its inequity. These gender norms and roles may have impact on sexual and reproductive outcomes in adolescents. In six cities around the world (Nairobi in Kenya, Baltimore in the United States, Shanghai in China, Ghent in Belgium, Asy’t in Egypt, and Ile Ife in Nigeria), researchers studied young teenagers (10-14-year-olds), and found that there are distinct expectations for boys and girls as they enter puberty (Mmari et al., 2018). When it comes to their looks, movement, and access to knowledge, girls’ worlds are constrained, whereas males’ worlds grow. Young women are expected to be virgins, symbolize family or clan honor and submissive in intimate relationships and not have any knowledge or information on the nature or process of reproduction in various cultures throughout the world.
Because of gender roles and norms, adolescent girls are at risk for getting sexually transmitted diseases. For the most part, adolescent girls are underserved when it comes to sexual health education, and this is especially true when it comes to reproductive health services (George et al., 2020). Hazardous sex is also more likely to occur when individuals have less control over their reproductive and sexual decisions. In addition, the risk of unsafe sex is heightened by the high risk of sexual assault and violence in the close relationships of young girls. They are also explicitly target of harmful customs like child marriage and, in certain countries, female genital mutilation.
When individuals embrace gender roles and norms as their own gender identities, sex variations in behavior are created as a result. Masculine and feminine identities govern behavior via self-regulatory mechanisms. In other words, individuals use their gender identification as a personal standard against which to assess and steer their actions and decisions.
The study (Salgado et al., 2019) highlighted various areas where gender inequalities and societal norms linked with conventional masculinity had a negative impact on men’s health, such as greater risk-taking, adherence to the breadwinner model, and a pervasive stigma associated with seeking health care.
Efforts to combat gender inequity and negative gender stereotypes should be implemented in youth programs. The following are examples of possible interventions. “Know your rights” campaigns aimed at educating the public about their legal rights and the options available to them in the event of human rights breaches are known as “legal literacy” initiatives. In the case of discrimination and human rights abuses on the basis of sexual orientation or sexual identity, legal assistance services are available to assist in accessing remedies. Assisting law enforcement in the fight against sexual violence against sex workers and transgender people by working together to combat gender-based violence. A similar importance should be accorded to initiatives aimed at empowering young women and girls and improving their socioeconomic conditions. They might include the following. Building leadership and community mobilization in the AGYW ( Adolescent Girls and Young Women) community and among young men, in order to increase their involvement in confronting detrimental gender stereotypes. Cash transfers and social subsidies to cover basic survival requirements, keep females in school, and discourage Adolescent Girls and Young Women from engaging into transactional sex or making partner choices based on economic necessity are all part of the strategy. efforts to retain girls in school, minimize early marriages, and improve possibilities for Adolescent Girls and Young Women are supported.
Individuals must cease discriminating and categorizing others according to their gender in order for society to reach its ultimate objective of complete gender equality. Adolescents must be taught and educated about the importance of possessing characteristics and activities that are uniquely human, rather than male or female. Only by abolishing gender norms and roles can a society attain equality between men and women.
References
George, A. S., Amin, A., de Abreu Lopes, C. M., & Ravindran, T. S. (2020). Structural determinants of gender inequality: why they matter for adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health. bmj, 368.
Mmari, K., Moreau, C., Gibbs, S. E., De Meyer, S., Michielsen, K., Kabiru, C. W., … & El-Gibaly, O. (2018). ‘Yeah, I’ve grown; I can’t go out anymore’: differences in perceived risks between girls and boys entering adolescence. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 20(7), 787-798.
Molu, E. F., Taylor, L. M., Yaman, K. G., Basman, M., & Tezel, M. (2018). Gender stereotypical toy preferences in children 3-5. In Early childhood education from an intercultural and bilingual perspective (pp. 243-259). IGI Global.
Salgado, D. M., Knowlton, A. L., & Johnson, B. L. (2019). Men’s health-risk and protective behaviors: The effects of masculinity and masculine norms. Psychology of Men & Masculinities, 20(2), 266.
Sawyer, S. M., Azzopardi, P. S., Wickremarathne, D., & Patton, G. C. (2018). The age of adolescence. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 2(3), 223-228.
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