Africa stands at a crossroads, with its future prosperity hinging on the policy and investment decisions it makes today. The continent has an opportunity to shape the trajectories of generations to come by investing in the success of a pivotal population: its adolescent girls. With over 145 million adolescent girls calling Africa home, the potential for transformative change is immense. Yet challenges persist: from high rates of child marriage to limited educational opportunities. Nearly half of African girls ages 15 to 19 are out of school or married or have children. How can African countries overcome these challenges to ensure that adolescent girls enter adulthood empowered to thrive? Pathways to Prosperity for Adolescent Girls in Africa offers a groundbreaking road map for change. This landmark report: Outlines concrete, actionable policy recommendations; Provides a comprehensive review of evidence-based interventions; Presents a data-driven categorization of African countries to guide investments in adolescent girls; and Introduces an innovative framework for understanding and measuring adolescent girls’ empowerment. Drawing on extensive research and consultations with adolescent girls, policy makers, and practitioners, this report reveals that investing in adolescent girls can yield a tenfold return in economic impact. It outlines six key areas for targeted action: building human capital, enhancing economic success, focusing on the most vulnerable girls, adopting a holistic approach, addressing data and evidence gaps, and mobilizing diverse stakeholders. Whether you are a policy maker, researcher, development practitioner, or advocate, this report will equip you with the knowledge and tools to drive meaningful change. Discover how empowering adolescent girls can transform individual lives and African economies. Join the movement to secure a brighter future for Africa’s adolescent girls and nations alike. The time for action is now.
Authors
- Citation
- “ Ajayi, Kehinde F. ; Koussoubé, Estelle ; eds. . 2024 . Pathways to Prosperity for Adolescent Girls in Africa - Executive Summary Booklet . © Washington, DC: World Bank . http://hdl.handle.net/10986/42159 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO . ”
- Collection(s)
- Stand alone books
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1596/42159
- Pages
- 48
- Published in
- United States of America
- Rights
- CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Rights Holder
- World Bank
- Rights URI
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
- UNIT
- AFECE
- URI
- https://hdl.handle.net/10986/42159
- date disclosure
- 2024-10-10
- region geographical
- Africa
Files
Table of Contents
- Front Cover 1
- Contents 7
- Foreword 9
- Acknowledgments 11
- About the Editors and Contributors 13
- Key Messages 19
- Executive Summary 21
- Why Prioritize Pathways to Prosperity for Adolescent Girls in Africa? 21
- What Does Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment Mean? 25
- How Diverse Are Adolescent Girls’ Experiences in Africa, and How Does the Diversity Matter for Their Prosperity? 30
- What Do We Know about What Works to Build Human Capital Fundamentals and Enhance Economic Success for Adolescent Girls? 35
- How Should the Path Forward Be Forged? 39
- Note 42
- References 42
- Boxes 27
- Box ES.1 Measuring Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment: Challenges and Path Forward 27
- Box ES.2 Exploring the Complexity of Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment: Insights from Impact Evaluation Surveys in Africa 32
- Box ES.3 Key Considerations for Successful Implementation of Safe Spaces 37
- Box ES.4 What Is New in This Report 41
- Figures 23
- Figure ES.1 The Transition from Adolescence to Adulthood Is Starker for Girls Than for Boys 23
- Figure ES.2 Adolescent Girls Can Follow Alternative Pathways toward Empowerment in Adulthood 28
- Figure ES.3 Appropriately Designed Interventions to Support Adolescent Girls Can Boost Their Empowerment at Any Age, Whether They Are Still in School or Already Out of School, Are Married or Not, or Do or Do Not Have Children 29
- Figure ES.4 Almost Half of 15- to 19-Year-Old Girls in Africa Are Out of School or Married or Have a Child 31
- Figure ES.5 There Are Systematic Cross-Country Differences in Adolescent Girls’ Experiences 33
- Tables 26
- Table ES.1 Components of Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment Influence Their Long-Term Economic Achievements 26
- Table ES.2 Cross-Country Differences in Adolescent Girls’ Experiences Correlate with Countries’ Legal Environments 34
- Table ES.3 Evidence-Based Interventions Can Build Pathways to Prosperity 36
- Table BES.3.1 Each Step in the Program Delivery Chain Necessitates Critical Factors for Successful Implementation 37