Where Is the Accountability to Adolescents? (The Lancet, 2017)

Reference Summary (Article)

Abstract

This reference summary presents key information from the following article: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32482-0. The source is a commentary titled “Where is the accountability to adolescents?”, authored by Barroso C and Gautam KC, on behalf of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Independent Accountability Panel for Every Woman, Every Child, Every Adolescent (IAP: Nicholas Kojo Alipui, Dame Carol Kidu, Brenda Killen, Elizabeth Mason, Giorgi Pkhakadze, Jovana Ríos Cisnero, Gita Sen, Alicia Ely Yamin, Kul Chandra Gautam, and Joy Phumaphi), and published in The Lancet in 2017. The article highlights gaps in accountability frameworks related specifically to adolescent health, emphasizing that adolescents are often overlooked in policy, data systems, and implementation strategies. It underscores the need for targeted monitoring, inclusive governance, and stronger accountability mechanisms to ensure that adolescent health and rights are adequately addressed within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The discussion reinforces the importance of recognizing adolescents as a distinct population group and ensuring their inclusion in health system planning and evaluation.