Economic support and community dialogue for reduced adolescent childbearing and increased school completion

This randomized controlled trial evaluates the impact of 2 years’ of economic support for families with adolescent girls, comprehensive sexuality education and community dialogue meeting on adolescent childbearing and basic school completion in Zambia.

The policy question is whether removing school fees and providing cash transfers to adolescent girls can have beneficial effects on the health and educational attainment of girls, and whether the combination of such economic support with comprehensive sexuality education and community dialogue meeting will give additional benefits. 

We estimate effects on adolescent childbearing and the proportion sitting for grade 9 exams. We also measure effects on early marriage, contraceptive use and income generating activities and the equity impact of the support. We have also explored how the support was perceived.