Gender Innovation Lab: top policy lessons on empowering adolescent girls
Investing in empowering adolescent girls is critical to accelerate economic growth and reduce intergenerational poverty.
Abstract
Overlapping crises such as climate change, the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, regional conflicts and rising global food insecurity exacerbate the inequalities faced by adolescent girls, making them particularly vulnerable in these critical times. For many girls, these circumstances force them to make decisions about employment and their fertility at an early age, limits their access to formal education, and further exposes them to restrictive social norms. Additionally, domestic responsibilities limit adolescent girls’ time in school and educational achievement, in turn curtailing their ability to enter the labour force. With 60% of the total population of Africa under the age of 25, investing in empowering adolescent girls is critical to accelerate economic growth and reduce intergenerational poverty.
This is an output from the Africa Gender Innovation Lab programme.
Citation
World Bank. Gender Innovation Lab Top policy lessons on empowering adolescent girls. Gender Innovation Lab Washington, D.C. World Bank Group, 2023
Links
Gender Innovation Lab: top policy lessons on empowering adolescent girls