Glossary Term
Youth and adolescents
Youth are people between 15 and 24 years and adolescents are people between the ages of 10 and 19. Together they form the largest category of young people, those aged between 10 and 24 years. The end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood vary. Within a country or culture, there can be different ages at which an individual is considered to be mature enough to be entrusted by society with certain tasks. In emergency situations, adolescents have needs that are different from those of younger children and adults. Youth refers to a period of progression towards independent responsibility. Definitions vary from one context to another depending on socio-cultural, institutional, economic, and political factors.