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A Review of Literature and Projects 2005
the sensitivity of the subject. Practices,
especially regarding services, follow the
religious and cultural realities of the
country. Some of these are only based
on understandings, with no explicit
written policy, such as not making
contraceptives available to unmarried
people. Malaysia has a National
Adolescent Health Policy, but it does not
focus on sexual and reproductive health.
There are, however, many laws aimed at
protecting adolescent sexual and
reproductive health, such as a law
stipulating a minimum age for marriage,
laws against sexual violence and rape, and
laws against pornography and obscene
materials.
Interventions
Many government agencies, including
the Ministry of Health, have initiated
service interventions (mainly counselling
and education) for adolescents.
Commendable efforts are also being
made by nongovernmental organizations
to promote adolescent health and
provide specific services, including
sexuality education. However, the review
revealed several gaps and unmet needs.
• raising public awareness about
the importance of adolescent
and reproductive health;
•strengthening sexual and
reproductive health education
for all ages, especially the young;
• strengthening service provision;
• clarifying policies and reconciling
them to meet real needs;
•enforcing existing laws and
promulgating new ones if
needed;
•strengthening
partnerships; and
interagency
• conducting more research on
adolescents’ sexual and
reproductive health.
The review was a useful exercise to
gather insight into adolescent sexual and
reproductive health in Malaysia, and will
provide useful information for the
strengthening of efforts to improve
adolescent health in the country.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of the review, the
Review Team recommends:
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