Abstract |
Adolescent ranging from 10 to 19 constitutes the largest population of the world; they number over one billion and the number is increasing. Since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, a radical development marks the field of adolescents' reproductive health. Today the population study centres more on individual's rights, needs, and ambitions than on demographic targets. The present paper is an attempt to study the socio-cultural and gender aspects of adolescent's reproductive health in Bangladesh from a process-context approach. That is adolescents' reproductive health behaviour is seen as the outcome of a process involving a series of individual decisions and actions occurring within social, economic, ecological, cultural and political contexts. Therefore, the needs and aspirations of adolescents are not only determined by biological and behavioural factors, but through socio-cultural and gender standpoints. Cultural specific researches, policies, and programs can help adolescents to meet their fresh demands, flourish their innovative ideas, thoughts and equip them with the kind of education, skills, and outlook they need in a changing environment |