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Empowering Adolescent Girls through Safe Spaces and Accompanying Measures in Côte d’Ivoire

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Listed:
  • Othmane Boulhane
  • Claire Elise Boxho
  • Kanga,Désiré
  • Mousson Estelle Jamel Koussoube
  • Lea Marie Rouanet

Abstract

This study uses a cluster-randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of a large-scale women and girls empowerment program on sexual and reproductive health and empowerment outcomes in Côte d’Ivoire. The study assesses and compares the impact of diverse strategies aimed at equipping girls with life skills and sexual and reproductive health knowledge, provided through well-established safe spaces, in isolation or in combination with livelihood support interventions, or with initiatives designed to engage boys and men and community and religious leaders. The findings show that one year after the end of the interventions, safe spaces alone have a moderate impact on girls’ empowerment, while safe spaces combined with husbands’ and future husbands’ clubs are the most impactful. Combining safe spaces with livelihood support interventions leads to improvements in adolescent girls’ employment outcomes, as expected. Finally, the findings show that engaging leaders in the context of safe spaces interventions yields mixed results on girls’ empowerment.

Suggested Citation

  • Othmane Boulhane & Claire Elise Boxho & Kanga,Désiré & Mousson Estelle Jamel Koussoube & Lea Marie Rouanet, 2024. "Empowering Adolescent Girls through Safe Spaces and Accompanying Measures in Côte d’Ivoire," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10721, The World Bank.
  • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10721
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Anderson, Michael L., 2008. "Multiple Inference and Gender Differences in the Effects of Early Intervention: A Reevaluation of the Abecedarian, Perry Preschool, and Early Training Projects," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 103(484), pages 1481-1495.
    2. Alexandre Belloni & Victor Chernozhukov & Christian Hansen, 2014. "High-Dimensional Methods and Inference on Structural and Treatment Effects," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 28(2), pages 29-50, Spring.
    3. Esther Duflo, 2012. "Women Empowerment and Economic Development," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 50(4), pages 1051-1079, December.
    4. Shah,Manisha & Seager,Jennifer & Montalvao Machado,Joao H. C. & Goldstein,Markus P., 2022. "Two Sides of Gender : Sex, Power, and Adolescence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10072, The World Bank.
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    1. Araujo,Caridad & Baird,Sarah Jane & Das,Saini & Ozler,Berk & Parisotto,Luca & Woldehanna,Tassew, 2024. "Social Protection and Youth," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10832, The World Bank.

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