Youth-friendly health policies and services in the European Region

This publication presents experiences of how health systems in Member States of the WHO European Region respond to the challenge of meeting the health and developmental needs of young people. The main aim is to facilitate experience-sharing and stimulate actions in countries.

The first part presents a summary of the proceedings of the Meeting on Youth-friendly Health Policies and Services held in Edinburgh, United Kingdom (Scotland), 21–23 September 2009, with suggestions to inform decision-makers’ actions on creating and developing youth-friendly health policies and services in their own countries and internationally. Then follows a series of 12 case studies from nine countries with differing socioeconomic contexts that recently put in place youth health services initiatives. The case studies are presented within a health system framework which recognizes that for service delivery to achieve its aims, sustainable financing, adequate human resource development strategies and responsible leadership are necessary.