The
study
calculates
the
total
cost
of
inaction
on
youth
sexual
and
reproductive
health
and
rights
(SRHR),
including
HIV,
to
be
US$3.6
billion
over
the
lifetime
of
the
current
adolescent
cohort.
That
figure
represents
12.9%
of
the
country’s
gross
domestic
product,
a
higher
percentage
than
the
combined
national
budgets
for
education,
health,
and
social
development
in
2021.
The
report, The
Cost
of
Inaction,
warns
that
poor
access
to
youth-friendly
SRHR
services,
high
teenage
pregnancy
rates,
HIV
infections,
and
gender-based
violence
are
placing
a
growing
economic
burden
on
the
country.
“These
costs
need
to
be
compared
with
the
cost
of
different
policy
options
for
supporting
youth
SRHR,”
it
notes.
While
Zimbabwe’s
economy
is
smaller
than
South
Africa’s,
the
cost
of
doing
nothing
is
heavier
relative
to
the
size
of
the
economy.
“The
cost
of
inaction
totals
92.5%
of
the
total
Zimbabwean
Government
budget
for
2021,”
the
report
states.
Teenage
pregnancy
is
one
of
the
main
cost
drivers.
For
Zimbabwe,
early
pregnancies
among
girls
aged
15
to
19
account
for
US$2.95
billion
of
the
total.
The
figure
includes
financial
costs
to
the
health
system,
individual
out-of-pocket
expenses,
and
the
long-term
loss
of
income
for
both
adolescent
mothers
and
fathers
who
leave
school.
The
report
shows
that
55%
of
girls
in
Zimbabwe
drop
out
of
school
after
giving
birth,
and
only
one
in
ten
teenage
fathers
remains
in
school.
Girls
who
do
not
finish
secondary
school
earn
significantly
less
over
their
lifetime,
and
are
more
likely
to
live
in
poverty.
This,
in
turn,
lowers
productivity,
tax
revenues,
and
overall
economic
output.
The
report
explains,
“Lower
lifetime
earnings
and
higher
levels
of
unemployment
reduce
potential
tax
revenue
received
by
the
government
and
lead
to
lower
productivity.”
The
economic
loss
is
compounded
by
the
second-generation
effects.
Children
born
to
adolescent
mothers
are
more
likely
to
suffer
from
poor
health,
drop
out
of
school,
and
face
a
higher
risk
of
early
death.
While
these
outcomes
were
not
quantified
in
the
cost
analysis,
the
report
acknowledges
their
long-term
impact.
“There
are
consequences
for
the
children
of
adolescent
mothers,
who
are
more
likely
to
have
low
birth
weight,
poorer
health,
be
physically
abused,
struggle
academically
and
die
prematurely,”
it
states.
HIV
among
young
people
also
carries
a
heavy
price.
The
report
estimates
that
the
lifetime
cost
of
HIV
for
adolescents
and
young
adults
aged
15
to
24
in
Zimbabwe
is
US$710
million.
This
includes
the
cost
of
antiretroviral
treatment,
the
cost
of
accessing
health
facilities,
and the
prevention
of
mother-to-child
transmission.
Young
women
are
the
most
affected,
accounting
for
most
new
infections
in
this
age
group.
UNAIDS
warns
that
delayed
diagnosis
and
treatment
reduces
life
expectancy
and
increases
health
care
costs.
“As
a
result,
AIDS
is
the
leading
cause
of
adolescent
mortality
in
12
East
and
southern
African
countries,”
the
report
notes.
Gender-based
violence
remains
widespread,
but
Zimbabwe
lacks
reliable
data
to
calculate
its
full
economic
impact.
The
report
includes
estimates
from
South
Africa,
where
GBV
costs
the
country
over
US$12.4
billion.
This
includes
costs
to
survivors,
the
government,
civil
society,
and
businesses.
In
Zimbabwe,
GBV
is
also
closely
linked
to
teenage
pregnancies
and
HIV.
Girls
who
experience
violence
are
less
able
to
negotiate
safe
sex
or
refuse
unwanted
advances.
The
report
calls
for
stronger
gender
equality
policies
and
coordinated
efforts
to
reduce
violence.
“A
comprehensive
approach
tied
closely
to
gender
equality
goals
is
needed,”
it
says.
The
study
proposes
five
areas
where
Zimbabwe
can
act
to
reduce
these
costs.
These
include
integrating
comprehensive
sexuality
education
in
schools,
expanding
access
to
youth-friendly
SRHR
services,
keeping
girls
in
school,
reducing
GBV,
and
preventing
HIV.
The
report
urges
a
shift
from
reactive
to
preventative
approaches.
“Real
change
requires
a
proactive,
prevention-based
response
rather
than
a
reactive
one,”
it
states.
Investing
early
in
adolescent
health
and
education
will
not
only
reduce
long-term
costs
but
also
strengthen
the
country’s
workforce
and
future
growth.
The
report
stress
that
the
figures
presented
are
conservative
estimates.
Some
costs,
such
as
lost
productivity
from
opportunistic
infections
or
second-generation
effects
of
GBV,
were
excluded
due
to
data
limitations.
This
means
the
actual
cost
of
inaction
could
be
even
higher.
The
report
urges
decision-makers
to
include
the
cost
of
inaction
in
budget
planning
and
policy
design.
“The
cost
of
not
acting
is
high,”
it
concludes.
“This
is
an
investment
we
have
no
choice
but
to
make.”
