Key Social Norms Take-aways The study highlights how early adolescence presents a critical opportunity to shift gender attitudes and build self-efficacy among girls in India, where restrictive social norms around mobility, education, and employment often limit girls’ potential. The findings show that when girls are equipped with life and employability skills—and when communities, schools, and families are engaged—norms around gender roles can shift. Notably, engaging mothers and creating safe, supportive environments in both urban and rural schools helped reinforce girls’ aspirations and challenge traditional gender expectations.

Objectives To evaluate the impact of the Plan-It Girls program on adolescent girls’ empowerment (self-esteem, self-efficacy, and gender-equitable attitudes) and employability (career decision-making efficacy, economic self-efficacy, and preparation for work), as well as to assess perceived support from families and schools in both urban and rural Indian contexts.

Methods A quasi-experimental longitudinal cohort design was used with baseline and endline surveys administered to girls in Grades 9 and 11 in intervention and comparison schools in Delhi (urban) and Jharkhand (rural). The study included 5,691 girls across the two sites and employed a difference-in-difference (DID) analysis, adjusting for background characteristics and school-level clustering, to assess the program’s impact on key indicators.

Intervention Details Plan-It Girls is a multi-level, multi-stakeholder program implemented by Restless Development and Pravah. It combines a gender-integrated curriculum—P.A.C.E. for Adolescents—with life skills and employability training over two academic years. The program also engages male peers, teachers, parents (especially mothers), and communities to shift gender norms and create an enabling environment for girls. In Delhi, the intervention took place in government girls’ schools, while in Jharkhand it was delivered in co-educational schools.

Results In Delhi, significant improvements were observed in self-esteem, gender-equitable attitudes, economic self-efficacy, and preparation for work—particularly among Grade 9 girls. Family support also improved due to targeted engagement with mothers. In Jharkhand, the program showed positive effects on self-esteem and self-efficacy across both cohorts, and on school climate, but had less impact on gender attitudes. Career decision-making efficacy improved among older girls in Jharkhand. Overall, effects were more pronounced among younger cohorts and in urban settings.

Conclusions Plan-It Girls demonstrates that gender-transformative programming that starts in early adolescence can meaningfully shift self-perceptions and gender attitudes. Creating supportive ecosystems by engaging families and schools is essential for empowering girls and preparing them for the transition from school to work. Future programs should leverage early adolescence, deepen intergenerational support structures, and adapt strategies to local social norms and institutional constraints.