Development

How do I come out to my parents about being trans? A gender activist advises

Development

‘How do I clean my penis?’: Here's the answer to this surprisingly common teen question

The penis is simply another part of our anatomy and it’s a shame some people think talking about cleaning and caring for our genitals is embarrassing or taboo. Here an expert provides a straight forward answer.

Development

Teen shares powerful lessons she learned from her hiking group

Shaye Pfeiffer shares what she learned from her years with local hiking group Kingdom Kidz.

Lifestyle

4 reasons teenagers should wait until they’re older to start having sex

About 16 million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant, and around one million girls under the age of 15 give birth.

Development

Child marriage in North Africa: still a lot to be done

This year about 12 million of the world’s children will be married before they turn 18. UNICEF figures suggest about 18% of them will be boys and about 82% girls.

Development

What is the age of consent in South Africa, and around the world?

In South Africa, the age of consent is 16 for boys and girls, and includes same-sex sexual experiences.

Development

More boys suffer sex abuse than thought – study

Boys account for nearly a third of online child sex abuse images and often suffer the worst horrors, a new study has revealed, suggesting a greater problem than first thought.

Development

#NoFutureNoChildren: Teens are pledging to not have children until governments address climate change

"Because even though I want to have children more than almost anything- what kind of a mother would I be if I brought a baby into a world where I couldn’t make sure they were safe?"

Development

Breast friends: A step-by-step guide to helping your daughter choose her first bra

Choosing your first bra, when your body's going through so many changes, can be a rather awkward, even frightening, ordeal. But we've put together a step-by-step guide for moms to help our daughters, including how to get measured, the very many bras to choose from and the key to feeling confident.

Development

Young South Africans upbeat despite broken promises and poor odds

Popular discourses about young people are often very negative and dismissive. Our research reveals how young people engage in their households and communities in positive ways and simply wish for opportunities to make something of their lives.

Development

Youth around the world are marching to stop climate change

Today, 20 September 2019, the youth of the world are saying enough. All around the globe, including in South Africa, thousands of young people are gathering in protest, calling attention to their future on a dying planet.

Development

Suicide is not an option: Useful ways parents can help their teens this summer

"Suicide watch" is the terrible term given to the period just before exam results are released. Here's what parents need to know about supporting their teens through life's ups and downs.

Development

Taking the pill as a teenager may have long-lasting effect on depression risk

Recently, the largest study to date on this topic concluded that women who are using the pill or other hormonal contraceptives are at an increased risk for depression. The study also showed that this relationship was strongest in teenaged girls.

Development

Curbing risky behaviour in teens starts with skills, knowledge, motivation and resources says local NGO

Social scientist at ACTIVATE! Change Drivers youth network Dr Cephas Mutami shares his findings for what is needed to stop young people engaging in risky behaviour.

Development

'Where your true purpose begins' - a former teen mom says pregnancy doesn't mean the end of your dreams

"Life does not stop, in fact, that is where your true purpose begins. You are now responsible for another life. How amazing." Some seriously motivating words for teen moms going through the worst right now.

Development

How giving young people basic financial skills helps them find jobs

Giving young people financial skills can lead to much better education and job outcomes.

Development

'Heavily and unfairly burdened' - Reflecting on the plight of teen moms this Women's Month

"As we celebrate Women's Month it is a perfect opportunity for all of us to deconstruct the stigma that teenage mothers are heavily and unfairly burdened with." A former teen mom reflects on teenage pregnancy.

Development

Most parents have never heard of TikTok. That’s by design

The creators of TikTok have seemingly identified that in order to reach preteen audiences, social media apps need to get past the gatekeepers of preteen online engagement: the parents.

Development

Life-orientation programmes potentially ineffective in curbing underage drinking

The pilot phase of the Aware.org programme tested whether LO programmes were effective tools to educate learners on the harms associated with alcohol use and to change adolescents’ behaviours and perceptions of alcohol use and underage drinking.

Development

Italy drafts 'no-mobile-phone phobia' law

Nomophobia particularly affects young people, often preventing them getting a good night's sleep.

Development

Period pain is impacting women at school, uni and work. Let’s be open about it

Many women perceive period pain as something they just have to put up with. But the symptoms can be managed. Mike Armour, Christina Curry and Freya MacMillan talk about the impact menstrual pains have on women's productivity at work, school and to tackle the issue they suggest people need to start talking more about it.

Development

WATCH: Instagram to use AI tech to reign in nasty comments on their platform in a bid to combat online harassment among its teen users

"We can do more to prevent bullying from happening on Instagram, and we can do more to empower the targets of bullying." Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri says the platform's new anti-cyberbullying tech was inspired by real-life examples of online harassment reported by its teen users.

Development

'I struggled to fit in and I faced a lot of stigma at school': This Zimbabwean breakdancer is changing the way we see childhood disability

"If you want something, you've got to go for it and you have to keep believing."

Development

Millie Bobby Brown talks bullying, having to switch schools and how she’s making social media a “happy place” because of it

“I want to combat the negativity on social media – I have experienced it – it’s like a disease. It’s negative hate that is genuinely so horrifying to me.” – Millie Bobby Brown shares her thoughts on social media, saying she believes we can and should be using it to influence positive change.