This report is co-published with the World Bank and the Population Council. Read the executive summary in English and French.
Africa stands at a crossroads, with its future prosperity hinging on the policy and investment decisions it makes today. The continent has an opportunity to shape the trajectories of generations to come by investing in the success of a pivotal population: its adolescent girls. With over 145 million adolescent girls calling Africa home, the potential for transformative change is immense. Yet challenges persist: from high rates of child marriage to limited educational opportunities. Over half of African girls ages 15 to 19 are out of school or married or have children.
How can African countries overcome these challenges to ensure that adolescent girls enter adulthood empowered to thrive? Pathways to Prosperity for Adolescent Girls in Africa offers a groundbreaking roadmap for change. This landmark report outlines concrete, actionable policy recommendations; provides a comprehensive review of evidence-based interventions; presents a data-driven categorization of African countries to guide investments in adolescent girls; and introduces an innovative framework for understanding and measuring adolescent girls’ empowerment. Drawing on extensive research and consultations with adolescent girls, policymakers, and practitioners, the report reveals that investing in adolescent girls can yield a tenfold return in economic impact. It outlines six key areas for targeted action: building human capital, enhancing economic success, focusing on the most vulnerable girls, adopting a holistic approach, addressing data and evidence gaps, and mobilizing diverse stakeholders.
Key messages
Africa holds the key to its own prosperity: investing in the untapped economic potential of adolescent girls.
To succeed, adolescent girls must obtain the skills, resources, and agency they need for autonomy and prosperity in adulthood.
The reality, however, is different for adolescent girls in Africa. Currently, 38 percent of 15- to 19-year-old girls in Africa are out of school and not working or are married or have children, compared with 17 percent of boys in the same age range, highlighting the urgent need for action.
This report recommends six strong but affordable sets of actions to ensure adolescent girls succeed:
Improve adolescent girls’ health and education by reducing out-of-pocket costs, expanding access, and providing youth-friendly services.
Promote their economic success through proven and promising multisectoral interventions that integrate technical and life skills training with employment support, tailored to labor market demands and contextual factors.
Make the most vulnerable girls the priority, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Adopt a holistic approach to the design of interventions for adolescent girls, recognizing the multidimensional nature of empowerment.
Address data and evidence gaps to inform effective policies and programs.
Foster collaboration and mobilize support from diverse stakeholders to achieve sustainable impact.
By implementing these recommendations between now and 2040, African countries could unlock an additional $2.4 trillion in income. With the right investments and support, adolescent girls could be the drivers of Africa’s economic transformation.
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