NATIONAL YOUTH SURVEY ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION AND NEEDS OF YOUTH IN GEORGIA This present report prepared by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) takes into account suggestions of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia (MSY), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The study was implemented with the financial support of the UNICEF CEE/CIS Regional Office. National Youth Survey in Georgia Analysis of the Situation and Needs of Youth in Georgia UNICEF 9 Eristavi Str. UN House 0179, Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: 995 32 2 23 23 88, 2 25 11 30 e-mail: [email protected] www.unicef.ge December, 2014 1 Foreword For the past 20 years, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Georgia has been working closely with the Georgian Government and other partners to address significant problems faced by children and young people – boys and girls – throughout the country. In recent years, the Government has taken important steps to promote the creation of the most appropriate environment for the comprehensive development of youth – an environment where young people will be able to fully realize their potential and be actively involved in all aspects of society.Since 2010, UNICEF and the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) have been providing technical support and policy advice to the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia (MSY) for the development of the first-ever National Youth Policy. With the recent adoption of thispolicy, the Georgian Government has now placed young people’s issues in the heart of its policy-maling. In addition, guided by evidence and knowledge-based approaches in its interventions, in 2013 UNICEF and MSY commissioned a nation-wide study on the situation of young people in Georgia, simultaneously engaging line Ministries and other key stakeholders in the process. It is an honour to present the findings of the “National Youth Survey”– an analysis of the situation and needs of young people in Georgia. The study findings will inform the development of the National Youth Action Plan – a fundamentally important initiative – providing an example of a comprehensive and holistic policy approach toyouth-related matters in Georgia and focusing on the following thematic areas: Youth participation in social, economic, cultural and political activities; Promotion of youth education, employment and mobility; Health care; Special support and protection. Young people aged 15-29 comprise an estimated 25 per cent of the Georgian population. Behaviour that begins in adolescence can critically shape the course of a young person’s life as well as the future of society as a whole. Despite recent positive developments, adolescents and young people clearly face challenges. Many who leave formal education are unable to find work at a time when they need to feel valued, productive and independent. The highest unemployment rate among the working age population is also recorded in young people (31 per cent). While the majority of young people in Georgia believe that young people have a right to participate in decision- making processes concerning them, over the past 12 months, only 10.9 per cent of young people in the population have participated in such processes. The Government recognizes the vital importance of enabling all young women and men to make the best of their potential, upholding the right of young people to participate in the development of policies affecting them by means of a continuous structured dialogue with young people and youth organizations. UNICEF stands ready to support these efforts by means of continued technical support and by providing policy advice that is based on the findings of the “National Youth Survey”. We hope that this report will be of interest to many organizations and policy-makers and that the study findings will serve as a basis for initiating furtherchangesaimed at ensuring the full realization of the rights and potential of youth in Georgia. Sascha Graumann Levan Kipiani UNICEF Representative in Georgia Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Summary of key findings ......................................................................................................................................... 6 3. General Demographic data................................................................................................................................. 9 4. Part I. Participation ........................................................................................................................................... 12 4.1 Civil rights and duties ..................................................................................................................................... 13 4.2 Youth participation in decision-making processes ......................................................................................... 27 4.3 Voluntary activities ......................................................................................................................................... 31 4.4 Culture, art and recreation activities .............................................................................................................. 32 4.5 Youth initiatives .............................................................................................................................................. 34 5. Part II. Educationa nd employment .................................................................................................................. 34 5.1 Education ........................................................................................................................................................ 34 5.1.1 Attained level of education ..................................................................................................................... 35 5.1.2 Premature termination of studies ........................................................................................................... 38 5.1.3 Youth awareness of mobility ................................................................................................................... 41 5.2 Employment ................................................................................................................................................... 42 5.2.1 Youth economic activity .......................................................................................................................... 42 5.2.2 Attained level of education and economic status of young people ........................................................ 47 6. Part III. Health care ........................................................................................................................................... 48 6.1 Healthy lifestyles ............................................................................................................................................ 49 6.1.1 Height and weight of young people ........................................................................................................ 49 6.1.2 Tobacco use among young people .......................................................................................................... 52 6.1.3 Alcohol consumption among young people ............................................................................................ 54 6.2 Seeking of health care services by young people ........................................................................................... 57 6.3. Youth-friendly environment in medical facilities .......................................................................................... 59 6.4 Sexual and reproductive health ...................................................................................................................... 60 6.4.1 Sexually transmitted infections ............................................................................................................... 60 6.4.2 Methods and means of contraception .................................................................................................... 73 6.4.3 Reproductive health ................................................................................................................................ 75 6.5 Accidents and suicides .................................................................................................................................... 77 7. Part IV: Special support and protection ........................................................................................................... 79 7.1 Attitudes of young people towardsgender equality and violence against women ....................................... 79 7.2 Youth perceptions of the stigma of disability in society ................................................................................ 87 7.3 Poverty among young people ......................................................................................................................... 90 7.4 Young people in foster families and small family-type homes ...................................................................... 94 3 7.5 State youth programmes ................................................................................................................................ 96 7.6 Violence .........................................................................................................................................................