Desk Review of Programs for Most at Risk Young People in Six Pacific Countries: Cook Islands, FSM, Marshall Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu & Samoa

Across the Pacific region, youth population between 10-25 years of age represents about 56% of the pacific population of 9.5 million, with 37% under the age of 14 years. The region's median age is 21 years. UNICEF, UNFPA and SPC jointly supports 10 countries across the Pacific to deliver programs targeting the sexual and reproductive health needs of young people. A 2007 Review of the Adolescent Health and Development (AHD) Program recommended specifically targeting vulnerable, marginalised and most at risk groups of young people. It also noted that specific interventions for this group were inadequate. As a result, the AHD Program is reviewing its strategies to assess the extent to which the MARYP approach has been used, with a view to strengthening program results and outcomes.

The purpose of the assignment, as stated in the Terms of Reference, was to collect information to identify the context, groups and location of Most at Risk Young People in the Pacific and determine the extent to which specific interventions have been implemented to reach this group of young people.