Year: 2013
Type: report
Abstract: Adolescent girls in Zambia face a range of risks and vulnerabilities that compromise their healthy development into young women, and lack the social, health, and economic assets to mitigate these risks. The issues that girls are confronted with include high rates of gender-based violence, unsafe sex that puts them at risk for unwanted pregnancy and HIV infection, school dropout, lack of economic resources and income-generating options, and lack of agency and participation. The Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program (AGEP) has three major components: safe spaces groups in which girls meet once a week over the course of two years for training on sexual and reproductive health (SRH), life skills, and financial education; a health voucher to use at private and public facilities for general wellness and SRH services; and 3) a girl-friendly saving account. As this report notes, AGEP’s pilot has been critical to the success of the overall program. First, all key components of the intervention have been designed—including key research design implementation steps. After development, implementation was tested and provided key lessons learned that have led to adaptations that will enhance the rollout intervention.
DOI: 10.31899/pgy11.1004
Authors: Karen Austrian, Natalie Hachonda, Paul Hewett
Institutions: Population Council, Population Council
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W2997461287