Amid increasing calls to invest in human capital and expand job opportunities for Africa's youth, a new report highlights the challenges faced by adolescent girls in the region. The report, "Pathways to Prosperity for Adolescent Girls in Africa," is a collaboration between the World Bank, the Center for Global Development, and the Population Council. It addresses the diverse experiences of adolescent girls across sub-Saharan Africa and offers targeted policy solutions.
In sub-Saharan Africa, more than half of girls aged 15 to 19 are out of school, married, or have children. Many leave school due to family circumstances, economic needs, or conflict. This results in lost human capital and lower economic growth as these girls often work low-skilled jobs or care for families before age 19.
The report points out significant disparities across countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Some countries succeed in delaying marriage and childbearing while maintaining high levels of education for girls. In contrast, others—often affected by fragility and conflict—show low schooling rates and high early marriage rates. These patterns correlate with countries' legal frameworks on education, employment, and marriage.
Estelle Koussoubé, Senior Economist at the World Bank and co-editor of the report said: “The novelty of this report is to go beyond sound but general advice to simply keep girls in school. It looks at the different realities faced by millions of adolescent girls today and proposes pathways to support the needs of groups that tend to be overlooked such as married adolescents, young mothers, and informal young workers.”
Sub-Saharan Africa currently has about 145 million adolescent girls and could host up to a third of the world's adolescent girls by 2050. The report estimates that investing in their empowerment could generate over tenfold returns economically by 2040.
The World Bank Group's new gender strategy aligns with this report by focusing on ending gender-based violence, elevating human capital, expanding economic opportunities, and engaging women as leaders globally. Recommendations include reducing education costs through school feeding programs and cash transfers; integrating vocational training with life skills development; expanding youth-friendly health services; providing childcare support; and creating sustainable income-generating opportunities for vulnerable groups like young mothers.
Kehinde Ajayi from the Center for Global Development noted: “Our analysis reveals the tremendous economic opportunity at stake. When we invest in adolescent girls' health, education, and economic opportunities, we are shaping not only their futures but also the trajectory of entire communities and economies.”
Gender-based violence remains a critical issue affecting adolescent girls in Africa. Further research is needed to develop effective interventions that make schools safer environments for them. Data from this study is available through an Adolescent Atlas for Action hosted on a Population Council web portal.
Karen Austrian from the Population Council emphasized: “This report lays out a data- and evidence-driven approach to understanding the diversity of adolescent girls' needs and pathways to economic empowerment."