Key Social Norms Take-aways The Act With Her-Ethiopia program in Oromia demonstrated that gender-transformative life skills education can improve girls’ voice and agency, parent–adolescent communication, and knowledge around menstruation and violence. However, the program revealed limited or even negative short-term impacts on attitudes toward gender equality, indicating that shifting entrenched norms—particularly among boys and communities—requires longer-term, multi-level efforts. The study underscores the need to contextualize gender messaging, strengthen mentor support, and more meaningfully engage parents and community leaders to foster sustainable normative change.
Objectives The intervention aimed to empower very young adolescents, particularly girls, in rural Ethiopia by strengthening their life skills, enhancing their support networks, and shifting harmful gender norms to improve outcomes in education, health, and safety.
Methods The evaluation employed a cluster randomized controlled trial design, with both quantitative and qualitative components. Data were collected from over 2,000 adolescents and their caregivers across five treatment and control groups in Oromia. Quantitative analyses used multivariate regressions to assess intent-to-treat impacts, and qualitative research involved in-depth interviews and focus groups with adolescents, parents, mentors, and local officials.
Intervention Details The Act With Her-Ethiopia program included weekly safe space sessions for girls aged 10–12, parallel sessions for boys, and group meetings with parents. The curriculum covered topics such as puberty, health, communication, gender, and rights. One arm also included community-level norm-shifting efforts and system strengthening, while another added an asset transfer package (school and hygiene supplies) to support attendance and engagement. Mentors were trained local youth serving as facilitators.
Results Girls in intervention communities demonstrated increased knowledge around menstruation and violence, improved communication with parents, and higher levels of voice and agency. However, the program had minimal impact on gender-equitable attitudes and even showed negative shifts among boys and girls in some sub-measures. Asset transfers had motivational benefits but also caused resentment among non-recipient participants. Community resistance, misinformation, mentor burnout, and limited engagement with fathers constrained deeper normative change.
Conclusions While Act With Her-Ethiopia contributed to key improvements in girls’ confidence and knowledge, its limited effects on gender attitudes highlight the complexity of shifting norms. Future programming should enhance contextual tailoring, invest in mentor support, and involve broader community stakeholders—including religious leaders and fathers—to address deep-seated patriarchal norms and create enabling environments for adolescent girls.