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RUTH LEVINE

CENTER FOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT

CYNTHIA B. LLOYD

POPULATION COUNCIL

MARGARET GREENE

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FORRESEARCH ON WOMEN

CAREN GROWN

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

GIRLSCOUNTA GLOBALINVESTMENT& ACTIONAGENDA

A GIRLS COUNT REPORT ONADOLESCENT GIRLS

GIRLSCOUNTA GLOBALINVESTMENT& ACTIONAGENDA

Photo Credit: Brent Stirton / Getty Images

Cover Photo

A girl in Nairobi is learning impor-tant lie skills and connecting withher peers at the Binti Pamoja Cen-ter, a sae space or girls in one othe city’s poorest neighborhoods.

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10 ACTIONS HOW GIRLS TODAY CAN ENDPOVERTY TOMORROW

COUNT

Give adlescent girlsan fcially recgnizedidenticatin

Ensure governments register all newborns andprovide birth certicates to enable access to healthservices and education. Furnish government-issuedidentication cards or all girls and boys over age 10to reduce economic and social exploitation and toprevent girls’ underage marriage.

Cllect data n adlescentgirls and disaggregate itby age

Track program beneciaries by age, gender, maritalstatus, location, amily income, and school enroll-ment status in all programs and sectors. Analyze thisinormation to assess whether programs are reach-ing adolescent girls—especially the most vulnerable.Regularly report results to increase accountability,share learnings, target solutions, demonstrate suc-cess, and catalyze more resources.

INVEST

Increase funding fradlescent girls—and trackwhat it achieves

Increase bilateral development unding or genderequality by 20 percent as part o a comprehensiveeort to invest in adolescent girls. Mobilizeresources rom oundations and corporationsto address girls’ needs. Deploy experts on girlsand gender in-country to advise on program designand ensure resources reach girls. Press or specicinvestments or girls by integrating their interestsand needs in all major initiatives and by beginningsuch investments as early as 10 years old.

Epand pprtunities frgirls t attend secndaryschl

Provide schooling or all girls through lower secondaryschool, or to age 16, at a minimum, using subsidies,scholarships, and conditional cash transers to makeschool aordable or disadvantaged girls. Expandprimary school acilities to house secondary schoolclasses. Invest in non-ormal schooling options toreach the most vulnerable girls. Track enrollment,completion rates, and the percentage o girls at grade-or-age to measure progress.

Refcus HIV/AIDS preventinstrategies t fcus nadlescent girls

Implement prevention programs targeted to girlsto address the disproportionate inection rates ogirls to boys. Create a girl-specic ocus within theGlobal Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malariato innovate new approaches and advocate or agirl-specic ocus within country-level HIV plans andstrategies. Track HIV resources to ensure they reachand benet girls.

Re-rient health deliverysystems t wrk fradlescent girls

Provide adolescent girls with services that areaccessible, customized, condential, and nonjudg-mental. Oer check-ups or girls starting at age 10that screen or reproductive and sexual health riskssuch as domestic violence and unintended preg-nancy as well as or country-specic health issueslike malaria. Target at-risk pregnant girls to reducematernal mortality and conditions such as stula.

Ecnmically empweradlescent girls by buildingand prtecting their assets

Build marketable skills by enhancing the relevanceo educational curricula and developing ater-schooltutoring and mentoring programs. Develop intern-ships, apprenticeships, and training opportunities topromote girls’ transitions to sae and productive live-lihoods. Oer nancial education programs—bothormal and nonormal—or girls at age 10–14 to buildeconomic assets and nancial literacy early in lie.Work with micronance and banking institutions todesign services or girls, including savings accountsso girls can protect their assets.

ADVOCATE

Make the law wrk fradlescent girls

Press or the repeal o laws that legitimize discrimi-nation against girls and women in spheres such aslegal personhood, marriage and amily, propertyrights, and workplace and physical integrity. Workor laws and policies that prohibit gender-based dis-crimination, address violence and harmul practices,and ensure equality o access to health services,education, jobs and earnings, credit, and propertyownership. Recognize positive reorms taken bygovernments and use their actions to encouragesimilar steps in neighboring countries or regions.

Equip adlescent girls tadvcate fr themselves andtheir cmmunities

Educate girls on their rights. Train and equip girls toeducate leaders about their lives and to press or theenorcement o laws and policies that protect andenhance their rights. Engage girls in creating andexecuting programs and services that improve theirown lives and those o their amilies and communities.

Mbilize cmmunities,families, men, and bys tsupprt adlescent girls

Support religious and community leaders and headteachers to oster healthier, more supportive commu-nities where girls can create and execute theirown solutions. Engage men and boys as programco-beneciaries and as important agents o solutions.