When you think of teenage girls, you might imagine common
stereotypes, from the “mean girl” to the sullen high school student locked in
her bedroom. The reality is that teenage girls are not only some of the world’s
most marginalized people; they also have virtually unmatched potential to help
build a better future for all.
As it stands, adolescent girls are routinely denied control
over their destinies. More than 32 million of the poorest are currently out of
school. Every day, 39,000 girls under the age of 18 become someone’s wife. For
huge numbers of girls worldwide, reproductive rights seem like an impossible
dream.
This situation is morally reprehensible, socially
self-defeating, and economically foolish. By addressing it, we could not only
protect millions of children; we could also tackle some of the greatest
challenges facing the world today.
Consider the challenge posed by rapid population growth.
Though population size seems to be leveling off in most parts of the world, it
continues to rise fast in some regions, particularly those where girls face the
highest barriers to success. In Africa, the population is expected to double by
2050 and quadruple by 2100.
If teenage girls were given the knowledge, skills, and tools
to avoid unwanted pregnancy and take control of their own futures, fertility
rates would drop substantially. These newly empowered and educated girls could
then become agents for broader positive change within their communities.
Protecting the world’s young girls is a tall order. But
countries worldwide have pledged, through the ambitious Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), to fulfill it by 2030, including by ending child marriage and
ensuring that all girls are in school. But if countries are to succeed in
protecting and empowering girls, they must also embrace the promise of a key
initiative: to expand access to the vaccine for human papillomavirus, which
causes the vast majority of cervical cancer cases.
A relatively new development, the HPV vaccine is most
effective on nine- to 13-year-old girls who have not yet been exposed to the
virus, meaning that they have never been sexually active. This age requirement
differentiates the HPV vaccine from most other childhood vaccines, which are
mainly administered to infants.
At first glance, this might seem like a serious
disadvantage, because the HPV vaccine cannot simply be incorporated into other
vaccine initiatives. In fact, the age requirement provides an important
opportunity to reach adolescent girls with other vital health services, such as
reproductive education, menstrual hygiene, deworming, nutrition checks, vitamin
shots, and general check-ups.
Encouragingly, developing-country governments have
increasingly been demanding the HPV vaccine. This makes sense: of the 266,000
women who die from cervical cancer every year – an average of one every two
minutes – 85% are in developing countries. If left unchecked, that figure is
expected to rise to 416,000 by 2035, overtaking maternal deaths. For many of
these countries, the HPV vaccine is not just an effective solution, one that
prevents 1,500 deaths per 100,000 vaccinated; it is often the only solution,
because the poorest countries lack the capacity to offer screening or treatment
for cervical cancer. This is one reason why cancer experts, government
officials, private-sector leaders, and civil society representatives met a few
weeks ago in Addis Ababa for the tenth Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate
Cancer in Africa conference.
There is more good news: the foundations of an HPV-vaccine
initiative have already been laid. In 2013, well before the SDGs were agreed,
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for which I serve as Board Chair, took steps to
make the HPV vaccine available and affordable in poor countries. Since then, we
have seen 23 countries introduce the vaccine through demonstration pilot
projects, with five more set to follow.
But there are significant challenges ahead. While the focus
on holding vaccination sessions in schools has proved successful, it is
inadequate for reaching girls in countries with low school-attendance rates,
especially in urban areas. Unless we find a way to reach the most vulnerable
groups, no amount of political will or financing will be enough to achieve the
SDGs to protect women and girls.
Given that only two Gavi-supported countries, both of which
have relatively high enrollment rates, have so far introduced the vaccine
nationally, it is not entirely clear how difficult it will be to overcome this
challenge. As we move away from demonstration projects toward a more efficient
and cost-effective system of phased national scale-ups, we should gain a better
sense of what to expect.
We do have some ideas for reaching girls who are not in
school – beginning with community health centers. As it stands, women are most
likely to go to a community health center when they are pregnant, or to have
their infants vaccinated. But by engaging with community leaders and parents to
raise awareness of cervical-cancer prevention and address other local health
concerns, we are finding that it is possible to generate demand and achieve
good turnout at these centers.
Ensuring that all girls have access to the HPV vaccine would
improve countless lives, not only by reducing rates of cervical cancer, but
also by enabling the provision of numerous other critical services. It is an
opportunity that should be on the minds of cancer experts, government
officials, and representatives from the private sector and civil society. And
it is an imperative for all of the 193 governments that have signed up to the
SDGs. We must not let our girls down.
6 Comments
i was diagnose with genital warts,last six months which finally shows out! i had hpv. for very long time i suffered for the virus which i contracted it from my ex cheated boyfriend and i was told there is no hpv cure. except treatment to control it i just fill killing my self because there was no hope all i could think loosing my life because it was so embarrass for been hpv patient. about few weeks ago i read possible natural cure on line which was guarantee and i purchased it. after two weeks taking herbal treatment the hpv got eliminated by killing all symptoms and the warts in my genital area disappeared. it so amazing i got ride to the hpv. i so much like to shear this testimony to every article for others living with hpv there is possible natural herbs to eliminate it. email Dr galiga for help. his herbal clinic address; drgaligaherbalcenter@gmail.com
ReplyDeletemy
Deletename is Helen Greg from U.S.A. My heart is filled with so much joy
as I write this testimony. I want to tell the world about a great man
called Dr. Odinaka who cured my husband and I of HIV/AIDS with herbal
medicine. My husband and I have be hiv/aids positive for the past four
(4) years. We have tried so many solutions and my husband even fall into
the hands of scam. One fateful day while browsing the internet I saw a
testimony by one mr. Elizabeth on how this great Dr. Odinaka cured his seven
(7) years hiv/aids through herbal medicine so I decided to give a try, a
try that changed our life for good. So I contacted this great man and
he send some herbal medicine for me and my husband which we took within
five (7) days. It was a great surprise when we went for test the
following day and it came out negative. God will bless you Dr. odinaka,
you will leave long. Because of the joy you brought into my family
again. You can also contact him on his email. odinakaspiritualtemple@gmail.com. You can also call him on phone: +2348147673395
HOW I GOT CURED FROM HPV WARTS VIRUS
ReplyDeleteDr.Oboite herbal medicine is a good remedy for HPV WARTS , I was browsing through the Internet searching for remedy on HPV WARTS cure and i saw comment of people talking about how Dr.Oboite cure them from HPV WARTS, I decided to contact, I contacted him and he guided me. I asked him for solutions and he started the remedies for my health. Thank God, now everything is fine, I’m cured by Dr.Oboite herbal medicine, I’m very thankful to Dr.Oboite, reach him on droboiteherbalcurehome@gmail.com WHATSAPP HIM VIA +2348054265852.
Am Success Puga from USA. I can’t believe this. A great testimony that i must share to all HERPES patient in the world i never believed that their could be any complete cure for HERPES or any cure for HERPES,i saw people’s testimony on blog sites of how DR Ekpiku prepare herbal cure and brought them back to life again. i had to try it too and you can,t believe that in just few weeks i started using it all my pains stop gradually and i had to leave without the HERPES DRUGS the doctor gave to me. Right now i can tell you that few months now i have not had any pain,delay in treatment leads to death. Here is his email:ekpikuspellhomeofgrace@hotmail.com or ekpikuspellhomeofgrace@gmail.com his WHATSAPP number is +2348073673757
ReplyDeleteDOCTOR Ekpiku CAN AS WELL CURE THE FOLLOWING DISEASE:-
1. HIV/AIDS
2. HERPES
3. CANCER
4. ALS
5. Hepatitis B
6. Diabetes
I am Susan, i live in Maharashtra in India, i was diagnosed with hepatitis b for 6years ago i lived in pain with the knowledge that i wasn't going to ever be well again, i contacted so many doctors on this issue and all was in vial, because i was determined to get my life back so one day i saw a post about Dr Ekpiku who cure all manners of diseases, including hepatitis b, I contacted him via email: ekpikuspellhomeofgrace@hotmail.com and made purchase of the hepatitis Vaccine, i received the Vaccine through DHL within 3 days, when i received the Vaccine i applied it as prescribed and i was totally cured of hepatitis b within few's days of usages, i went back to my doctor and he confirmed that i was negative.I was free curable cured from the disease, am so happy now, Viewers contact Dr Ekpiku via email: ekpikuspellhomeofgrace@gmail.com.
ReplyDeletemy
ReplyDeletename is Helen Greg from U.S.A. My heart is filled with so much joy
as I write this testimony. I want to tell the world about a great man
called Dr. Odinaka who cured my husband and I of HIV/AIDS with herbal
medicine. My husband and I have be hiv/aids positive for the past four
(4) years. We have tried so many solutions and my husband even fall into
the hands of scam. One fateful day while browsing the internet I saw a
testimony by one mr. Elizabeth on how this great Dr. Odinaka cured his seven
(7) years hiv/aids through herbal medicine so I decided to give a try, a
try that changed our life for good. So I contacted this great man and
he send some herbal medicine for me and my husband which we took within
five (7) days. It was a great surprise when we went for test the
following day and it came out negative. God will bless you Dr. odinaka,
you will leave long. Because of the joy you brought into my family
again. You can also contact him on his email. odinakaspiritualtemple@gmail.com. You can also call him on phone: +2348147673395