Search

Background There is a lack of reliable data on the size, characteristics, and experiences of sexual and gender minority (SGM) young people (ages 10–24) in low- and lower-middle- income countries (LMICs). This review examines the scant research conducted in the last decade with and about SGM young people living in low-income settings and seeks to answer the question: What is known about the mental and physical health needs, safety, and wellbeing of SGM young people living in LMICs? Methods We conducted a scoping review informed by the methodological frameworks put forth by Arksey and O’Malley and the Joanna Briggs Institute. We systematically searched two general social science databases and one topic-specific database for peer-reviewed papers, of any research design, that included SGM young people or explored attitudes toward SGM young people in LMICs. We included papers that reported on factors influencing the health and wellbeing of SGM populations, including physical and mental health, healthcare-seeking behaviors, substance use, experiences of discrimination and/or stigma, experiences of violence and abuse (emotional, physical, and/or sexual), economically motivated paid sex practices, housing or economic security, and attitudes of others toward SGM populations. Results Of the 3,729 unique records identified, 47 papers drawing from data collected from 44 unique studies met the inclusion criteria. Only 26 of the 47 papers included SGM young people as participants, with just 10 exclusively focusing on young people ages 10–24. The included papers were classified into three thematic groupings: attitudes toward SGM populations (n = 20), risks to the health of SGM populations (n = 19), and experiences of stigma and discrimination among SGM populations (n = 8). Conclusion The findings indicate that the research that does exist for SGM young people in LMICs is disjointed and sparse, and often studies are about SGM young people, rather than with and for them. Our review highlights the need for more and better research, more accurate and disaggregated demographic data, and leadership and participation of SGM-led community-based organizations in the co-design of studies that are about them.

L'Atlas des Adolescents pour l'Action (A3) est une suite d'outils qui résume la vie et les besoins des adolescents du monde entier afin de promouvoir une prise de décision fondée sur des données probantes. Grâce à des données accessibles et faciles à saisir en un seul clic, l'A3 comble le fossé entre les décideurs et les données factuelles afin d'éclairer les politiques et les programmes. La liste de contrôle des politiques A3, créée par le GIRL Center du Population Council, présente une liste de politiques nationales pertinentes pour la vie des adolescents dans 9 domaines thématiques, et indique si les pays ont adopté chaque politique. La liste de contrôle présente un aperçu des engagements pris pour atteindre le bien-être des adolescents par le biais de politiques axées sur les adolescents. En juillet 2022, la liste de contrôle des politiques comprend 56 politiques, qui ont été suivies pour 113 pays à revenu faible ou intermédiaire (PRFM). Cette liste de politiques n'est pas exhaustive, et des politiques supplémentaires seront ajoutées à la liste de contrôle chaque année. Ce document présente la méthodologie utilisée pour élaborer la liste de contrôle de la politique A3.

The Adolescent Atlas for Action (A3) is a suite of tools that summarizes the lives and needs of adolescents around the world to promote evidence-based decision-making. Through accessible and easy-to-grasp data just one click away, the A3 bridges the gap between decisionmakers and evidence to inform policies and programs. The A3 Policy Checklist, created by the Population Council’s GIRL Center, features a curated list of national policies relevant to adolescents under 9 thematic domains, and whether countries have enacted each policy. The checklist presents a snapshot of commitments made to achieving adolescent wellbeing through adolescent-focused policies. As of July 2022, the Policy Checklist includes 56 policies, which were tracked for 113 low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). This list of policies is not exhaustive, and additional policies will be added to the checklist every year. This guide provides a step-by-step overview of how to use the A3 Policy Checklist.

The Adolescent Data Hub (ADH) is a catalog of open-access datasets on adolescents and young people from low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). It contains links to data sources, from which users can download or request to download data.

The Adolescent Atlas for Action (A3) is a suite of tools that summarizes the lives and needs of adolescents around the world to promote evidence-based decision-making. Through accessible and easy-to-grasp data just one click away, the A3 bridges the gap between decisionmakers and evidence to inform policies and programs. The A3 Policy Checklist, created by the Population Council’s GIRL Center, features a curated list of national policies relevant to the lives of adolescents under 9 thematic domains, and whether countries have enacted each policy. The checklist presents a snapshot of commitments made to achieving adolescent wellbeing through adolescent-focused policies. As of July 2022, the policy checklist includes 56 policies, which were tracked for 113 low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). This list of policies is not exhaustive, and additional policies will be added to the checklist every year. This brief elaborates on the methodology for curating the A3 Policy Checklist.

Background Survey data that categorizes gender identity in binary terms and conflates sex and gender limits knowledge around the experience of gender minority populations, whose gender identity or expression does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. In this review, we outline the existing survey research on the experience of a gender minority demographic for whom there is particularly limited data: adolescents and youth in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods This paper is a scoping review of peer-reviewed articles, published in English, that use survey data to examine the experience of gender minority adolescents and youth in LMICs. We conducted a search on two major databases using key terms related to gender identity, adolescence and youth, and country and region. This search yielded 385 articles. Following a team-conducted review, we retained 33 articles for the final analysis. Results Our review shows that surveys with adolescents and youth in LMICs are increasingly including questions and taking sampling approaches that allow gender minority populations to be visible in survey data. Surveys that do so are largely focused in upper middle-income countries (n = 24), rather than lower middle-income or low-income countries, with South East Asia a notable sub-region of focus (n = 15). Sexual health, mental health, and violence are key topics of interest. Most of the surveys rely on some form of network-driven sampling focused on sexual and/or gender minorities (n = 22). The studies vary in how they ask about gender identity, both in terms of question formulation and the answer categories that are offered, as well as the extent to which they describe the questions in the article text. Conclusions This review reveals a growing body of work that provides important insights into the experiences of gender minority adolescents and youth in LMICs. More studies could integrate these approaches, but it must be done in a way that is thoughtful about cultural and political context. Given the relatively nascent nature of such research, we encourage scholars to continue providing details on methodology, including around participant recruitment and the development of gender identity questions. This information would be valuable for researchers seeking to better include gender minorities and their experiences in survey research, but who might be daunted methodologically.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, governing bodies across the world have implemented policies that forced millions of students worldwide to grapple with the impact of school closures and st...