ABSTRACT
Young men aged 15-24 die at rates far higher than their female counterparts, and at rates higher than men of any other age group. Worldwide, the leading causes of death for young men aged 15-24 are traffic accidents and homicide-both directly related to how boys and men are socialized. In much of Latin America, the Caribbean and parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the leading cause of early death far and away is homicide. Even in parts of the world where young men’s mortality rates are lower overall-such as Western Europe-more than 60 per cent of mortality among boys and young men from birth to age 24 is due to external causes, again mostly accidents and violence. In countries such as Jamaica, Brazil, Colombia and some parts of sub-Saharan Africa, young men’s mortality rates are higher than in countries with declared wars.
