Presented by

School of Demography, ANU College of Arts & and Social Sciences and
National Centre for Epidemiology & Population Health, ANU College of Medicine, Biology & Environment

Presenter

Dr Caroline Kabiru

Research scientist African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), Nairobi, Kenya and

Caldwell Population, Health and Development Visiting Fellow, ANU

Adolescence—a period characterized by rapid physical, mental and social changes—is a life stage of immense opportunity if young people receive nurturing care and support. However, adolescents also have significant health and developmental needs that if left unaddressed not only negatively affect adolescents’ lives, but also impose a significant burden on future population health. The health and developmental challenges facing adolescents in Africa are most critical for those living in resource-poor contexts that are marked by limited educational and employment opportunities, poor access to health care, widespread violence, and pervasive poverty, among other challenges. This lecture will describe several research programs in Kenya that are underpinned by a recognition that meeting adolescents’ needs in such settings requires holistic, integrated programs that address the multiple determinants of adolescent health and wellbeing—the family context, where and if they go to school, the communities they live in, and the national policies around health, education, and many others. The lecture will also reflect on the lessons learnt from these programs as well as emerging areas for further research.

Caroline Kabiru is a research scientist in the Population Dynamics and Reproductive Health Research Program at the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) in Nairobi, Kenya. She is also the 2016 Caldwell Population, Health and Development Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University. Caroline holds a PhD in Health Promotion and Behavior and a Master’s degree in Public Health. Caroline is driven by her passion to contribute to efforts that support young people to live healthy and productive lives. Her research centers on issues related to adolescent and youth health, including resilience and positive youth development. Currently, she is involved in several adolescent- and youth-focused projects including the Global Early Adolescent Study, a fifteen-country study that aims to understand the factors in early adolescence that predispose young people to sexual health risks and that promote healthy sexuality. Caroline is also an investigator on the Population Council-led Adolescent Girls Initiative – Kenya (AGI-K), a 6-year program funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). AGI-K aims to reach girls aged 10–14 years in the northern arid lands and urban slums of Kenya with interventions focused on education, violence prevention, education and wealth creation.

Further information

This lecture is free and open to the public.

Please visit the ANU event page for further information. 

T(02) 6125 3629