The UN Secretary-General’s IAP 2017 Report, Transforming Accountability for Adolescents, was launched by IAP Member Dr. Giorgi Pkhakadze on 18 October in Amman, Jordan, on the heels of its international release during a UN General Assembly high-level event  in New York.

Hosted by the Minister of Social Development, H.E. Hala Bsaisu Lattouf, and the Minister of Health, H.E. Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Al-Sheyyab, the high-level gathering brought representatives from across government sectors — foreign affairs, education, youth, planning and international cooperation, and statistics—alongside senators, adolescent and youth leaders, doctors and nursing associations, teachers, private sector companies, the media and UN agencies.

Stakeholders discussed how to put into practice the IAP report recommendations on adolescent health, development and rights at national and local levels. Highlights included the Minister of Social Development urging the adaptation of the IAP recommendations and the Minister of Health noting that the health strategy focusing on adolescents health has been developed. They concluded by agreeing to develop a plan of action with institutional roles assigned to take the IAP recommendations forward.

The IAP’s focus on adolescents was deemed especially relevant and timely for the country: 47% of the Jordanian population is under 20 years of age—as are the majority of Syrian refugees in the country—and 21% are adolescents between 10 and 19 years old.

Media coverage of the event in Arabic is available at http://www.johinanews.com/articles/110821-لطوف-تؤكد-أهمية-العمل-على-حماية-اÙ and, http://www.petra.gov.jo/Public_News/Nws_NewsDetails.aspx?Site_Id=2&lang=1&NewsID=323330&CatID=14&Type=Home&GType=1