Key Social Norms Take-aways This study demonstrates that community-level gender norms significantly shape adolescent agency and gender gaps in Nepal. In communities with more gender-equitable norms, adolescent girls show greater gains in intrinsic and instrumental agency compared to boys, reversing or narrowing traditional gender gaps. However, these norms are not uniformly associated with all forms of agency, and in some cases, more equitable norms are linked to reduced need for assertive behaviors, suggesting that community context can both constrain and enable adolescent agency in gender-specific ways. The study highlights the importance of investing simultaneously in girls’ individual capacities and in community norm change to facilitate transformational empowerment.

Objectives The study aimed to assess (1) whether adolescent boys have higher agency than girls, (2) whether community gender norms explain or moderate gender gaps in adolescent agency, and (3) how gender-equitable community norms affect different dimensions of agency among adolescents in Nepal.

Methods Using baseline data from a cluster-randomized controlled trial of the CARE Tipping Point Initiative in 54 clusters across two districts in Nepal, the study employed multilevel linear regression to analyze data from 1,134 adolescent girls, 1,154 boys, and 540 adults aged 25 and over. Agency was measured across intrinsic, instrumental, and collective dimensions. Community gender norms were measured using 16-item adult survey scales, aggregated at the cluster level. Interaction terms were included to examine how community gender norms moderated gender gaps in agency.

Results Girls generally scored lower than boys on most agency outcomes—particularly in leadership, negotiation skills, group participation, and self-efficacy—but had more equitable attitudes and aspirations. Community gender norms were not directly associated with agency outcomes across the board. However, more gender-equitable community norms significantly improved girls’ scores on gender attitudes, aspirations, leadership competence, and self-efficacy, while sometimes reducing the need for negotiation skills. Notably, these norms reversed gender gaps favoring boys in several domains of intrinsic and instrumental agency.

Conclusions Community gender norms play a critical role in shaping the agency of adolescent girls and the gender gaps therein. Programs aiming to reduce early marriage and support girls’ transitions to adulthood should combine individual-level empowerment strategies with broader community efforts to shift gender norms. Investing in both domains can create the enabling environment needed for girls to exercise choice and agency in meaningful, sustained ways.