Through its research on adolescents and young people, the Population Council carries forward a global agenda to transform the lives of adolescents, especially girls. The agenda is more relevant than ever as adolescents face social, health, and economic challenges that have been further compounded by the Covid pandemic.
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Submissions from 2025
Africa Regional Report—Pathways to Prosperity for Adolescent Girls in Africa: Kenya Focus, Evalin Karijo and Estelle Koussoubé
Asking and telling in humanitarian contexts: A feasibility assessment of para-social worker-led screening for sexual violence against children in Uganda, Abir Nur, Gloria Seruwagi, George Odwe, Peter Kisaakye, Stella Muthuri, Prosmolly Ayebale, Monicah Rwotmon, Dagim Habteyesus, Yadeta Dessie, Francis Obare, Yohannes Wado Dibaba, Bonnie Wandera, Chi-Chi Undie, and et al.
Bridging the gaps: Mental health support for out of school adolescents in urban slums in Kenya, Beth Kangwana and Manasi Kumar
Climate change and mental health among young people, Population Council
Enhancing reproductive health among adolescent girls in India: Results of an individualized RCT to study the efficacy of the go Nisha go mobile game, Aparna Raj, Lalita Shankar, Anvita Dixit, Ananya Saha, Madhusudana Battala, Nizamuddin Khan, Kavita Ayyagari, Niranjan Saggurti, and Susan Howard
Evaluation of the NISITU Program: A quasi-experimental study to determine the effect of a gender attitudes and gender-based violence program for adolescents in Nairobi, Kenya, Karen Austrian and Beth Kangwana
GIRL Center special feature: 2024 impact report, GIRL Center
Girl Innovation, Research, and Learning (GIRL) Center: Innovation Hub Overview 2025, Population Council
How climate change is shaping young people’s health: A participatory, youth co-led study from Bangladesh, Guatemala and Nigeria, Jessie Pinchoff, Eno-Obong Etim, Damilola Babatunde, Eleanor Blomstrom, Sigma Ainul, Toyin O. Akomolafe, Brian Medina Carranza, Angel del Valle, and Karen Austrian
Impact of digital exposure on premarital sex and contraception use among unmarried Indian youth, Pragati Dattatraya Ubale, Punit Mishra, Aditi, Rajib Acharya, and T.V. Sekher
LSHE/CSE and SRH linkages: The role of health care providers, Population Council
Pathways to prosperity for adolescent girls in Kenya, World Bank Group, Center for Global Development, and Population Council
Reproductive health education in Ghana: Perspectives of School Health Education Programme (SHEP) Coordinators, Population Council, MSI Reproductive Choices, Ghana Education Service, and Ghana Health Service
The implementation and costs to deliver a youth-friendly multi-component program addressing stigma, HIV, and linkage to care for adolescent girls and young women in Lusaka, Zambia, Natalie A. Blackburn, Suzannah L. Scanlon, Jenny Beizer, Nachela Chelwa, Laura Nyblade, Sarah Roberts, Lyson Phiri, Drosin Mulenga, Michael Mbizvo, and Sujha Subramanian
Wages withheld, deferred or deflected: The case of child domestic workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Annabel Erulkar, Lemi Negeri, Eyasu Hailu Mekonnen, Elizabeth Anderson, and Yuki Lo
Submissions from 2024
Abriendo Oportunidades—Community-based group mentoring to promote indigenous adolescent girls’ well-being: Impact findings from a cluster-RCT in Guatemala, Kelly Hallman, Angel del Valle, Alejandra Aponte, Alejandra Colom, Elizabeth Vásquez, Sarah Blake, and Corinne White
Adolescent Girls Initiative–Kenya: Testing for Scale—Recommendations Report, Karen Austrian, Eva Ireri Muluve, Ruth Nanjekho, John A. Maluccio, and Erica Soler-Hampejsek
Adolescent school retention post COVID-19 school closures in Kenya: A mixed-methods study, Ruth Nanjekho Wafubwa, Erica Soler-Hampejsek, Eva Ireri Muluve, Daniel Osuka, and Karen Austrian
Analysis of anthropometric outcomes in Indian children during the COVID-19 pandemic using National Family Health Survey data, Amit Summan, Arindam Nandi, and Ramanan Laxminarayan
An exploration of the landscape of Young Feminist Organizing/Organizations (YFO) in Kenya & Mexico, Jerry Okal, Ricardo Regules-García, Chantalle Okondo, Esperanza Basurto-Alcalde, and Beth Kangwana
Associations between childhood violence and mental health in refugee settings in Uganda, Peter Kisaakye, Gloria Seruwagi, George Odwe, Francis Obare, Stella Muthuri, Caroline W. Kabiru, Yohannes Dibaba Wado, and Chi-Chi Undie
Beyond Women: The Urgent Need to Address Adolescent Girls in the Care Economy, Maimouna Bah
Building locally anchored implementation science capacity: The case of the adolescent HIV implementation science alliance-supported local iS alliances, Susan Vorkoper, Kawango Agot, Dorothy E. Dow, Michael Mbizvo, Cyrus Mugo, Nadia A. Sam-Agudu, Fred Semitala, Brian C. Zanoni, and Rachel Sturke
Building resilience among adolescent girls in the Sahel: Regional summary report of a mixed-methods participatory research, Sarah Engebretsen and Karen Austrian
Childhood vaccinations and the demand for children: Long-term evidence from India, Arindam Nandi, Amit Summan, Thoai Ngo, and David E. Bloom
Community-based Adolescent Girl Programming in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Balancing Act Between Scale and Quality, Miriam Temin and Angel del Valle
Conclusions: Pathways to Prosperity for Adolescent Girls in Africa, Kehinde Ajayi, Estelle Koussoubé, and Fatima Zahra
Construire la résilience des adolescentes au Sahel : Rapport de synthèse régional d’une recherche participative à méthodes mixtes, Sarah Engebretsen and Karen Austrian
Correlates of adherence to oral and vaginal pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) participating in the MTN-034/REACH Trial, Kenneth Ngure, Erica N. Browne, Krishnaveni Reddy, Barbara Friedland, Ariane van der Straten, Thesla Palanee-Phillips, Rita Nakalega, Brenda Gati, Hadijah N. Kalule, Bekezela Siziba, Lydia Soto-Torres, Gonasagrie Nair, Morgan Garcia, Connie Celum, and Sarah T. Roberts
COVID-19 pandemic and women's age at marriage: New evidence From India, Deepshikha Batheja, Abhik Banerji, Amit Summan, Ramanan Laxminarayan, and Arindam Nandi
Creating a Sustainable Platform for Indigenous Girls’ and Women’s Empowerment, Population Council
Curriculum development for safe spaces, Population Council and SWEDD
Data-to-Action Workshop Report: Uganda Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (HVACS), 2022, Chi-Chi Undie, Stella Muthuri, George Odwe, Gloria Seruwagi, Francis Obare Onyango, Peter Kisaakye, Stephen Kizito, Yohannes Dibaba Wado, Andres Villaveces, Michelle Hynes, Begona Fernandez, Constanza Ginestra, Darlson Kusasira, Charles Bafaki, Lydia Wasula, and Katie Ogwang
Do adolescent girls’ education and friendships have independent effects on early pregnancy? Results of a mediation analysis from a longitudinal cohort study in Nairobi, Kenya, Christina Misunas, Erica Soler-Hampejsek, Beth Kangwana, and Nicole Haberland
Ending child marriage in Zambia: Implications and considerations for accelerating progress in the context of Zambia’s Marriage (Amendment) Act No. 13 of 2023, Population Council
Examining concordance of sexual-related factors and PrEP eligibility with HIV risk perception among adolescent girls and young women: Cross-sectional insights from DREAMS sites in Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia, Craig Heck, Domonique M. Reed, Jerry Okoth Okal, Effie Chipeta, Michael Mbizvo, and Sanyukta Mathur
Experiences of integrating a psychological intervention into a youth-led empowerment program targeting out-of-school adolescents, in urban informal settlements in Kenya: A qualitative study, Beth Kangwana, Joan Mutahi, and Manasi Kumar
Experiences of pregnant and parenting adolescents and young women during COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-methods study among girls and women in Kenya, Eva Ireri Muluve, Celia Karp, Daniel Osuka, Ruth Nanjekho Wafubwa, Daniel Mwanga, Caroline Moreau, and Karen Austrian
Gender and education evidence in Kenya, Lina López-Lalinde, Meredith L. Kozak, Eva Ireri Muluve, and Ruth Nanjekho Wafubwa
Gender and education in Kenya, Lina López-Lalinde, Meredith L. Kozak, Eva Ireri Muluve, and Ruth Nanjekho Wafubwa
Gender and education practice in Kenya, Meredith Kozak, Eva Ireri Muluve, Ruth Nanjekho Wafubwa, and Lina López-Lalinde
Girls Deliver Workshop on the Sidelines of CSW68, Population Council
Girls First Fund: External evaluation, Brian Medina Carranza, Dela Nai, Neelanjana Pandey, Grace Saul, Angel del Valle, and Fatima Zahra
Highlights from the first-ever violence against children and youth survey conducted exclusively in a humanitarian setting, Francis Obare, George Odwe, Yohannes Dibaba Wado, Peter Kisaakye, Stella Muthuri, Gloria Seruwagi, Begona Fernandez, Constanza Ginestra, Caroline W. Kabiru, and Chi-Chi Undie
Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (HVACS) in Uganda, Baobab Research Programme Consortium; Office of the Prime Minister, Department of Refugees; UNHCR Regional Bureau for the East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes; and Together for Girls
Impact of DREAMS interventions on attitudes towards gender norms among adolescent girls and young women: Findings from a prospective cohort in Kenya, Kate Andrews Nelson, Faith Magut, Sarah Mulwa, Jane Osindo, Vivienne Kamire, Sammy Khagayi, Julie Pulerwitz, Sarah Cook, Annabelle Gourlay, Abdhalah Ziraba, Daniel Kwaro, Sian Floyd, and Isolde Birdthistle
Innovations in Data Visualization: Local patterns in young people’s health equity in the U.S., Emily Pangalila, Miriam J. Temin, Sanyukta Mathur, Rene Nevarez, and Karen Austrian
In spite of patriarchy: Pathways from school to wage work and careers among adolescent girls in Bihar, Orlanda Ruthven, Anupam Sharma, Bishwajit Mukherjee, Shamayita Das, Aparajita Gogoi, Madhu Joshi, and Sohini Paul
Integrating mental health management into empowerment group sessions for out-of-school adolescents in Kenyan informal settlements: A process paper, Joan Mutahi, Beth Kangwana, Dorcas Khasowa, Irene Muthoni, Oliver Charo, Alfred Muli, and Manasi Kumar
Intersectionality, gender norms, and young adolescents in context: A review of longitudinal multicountry research programmes to shape future action, Prerna Banati, Nicola Jones, Caroline Moreau, Kristin Mmari, Anna Kagesten, Karen Austrian, and Rebecka Lundgren
Introduction: Pathways to Prosperity for Adolescent Girls in Africa, Estelle Koussoubé, Kehinde Ajayi, and Fatima Zahra
Leaving No One Behind: Fulfilling the Promise of Education for Pregnant and Parenting Girls in sub-Saharan Africa, Maimouna Bah and George Odwe
Le développement curriculaire pour les espaces sûrs, Population Council and SWEDD
Le rôle des leaders de groupes dans les espaces sûrs et les clubs des maris/futurs maris, Population Council, Equimundo, and SWEDD
Les espaces sûrs, Population Council and SWEDD
Le soutien à la scolarisation des filles et leur maintien à l’école, Population Council and SWEDD
Long-term impacts of a cash plus program on marriage, fertility, and education after six years in pastoralist Kenya: A cluster randomized trial, Karen Austrian, John A. Maluccio, Erica Soler-Hampejsek, Eva Ireri Muluve, Abdullahi Aden, Yohannes Dibaba Wado, Benta Abuya, and Beth Kangwana
Measuring social norms related to child marriage among married women and men in Niger, Pooja Sripad, Jessie Pinchoff, Chaibou Dadi, and Leanne Dougherty
Missing voices: Girls in the care economy—Slide deck, Annabel Erulkar, Maimouna Bah, Edith Murogo, Winnie Nelima, Amar Nijhawan, and Chiku Semfuko
Navigating antenatal care: The lived experiences of adolescent girls and young women and caregiver perspectives in Zambia, Alinda M. Young, Natasha Okpara, Nachela Chelwa, Mary Mwape, Jessy Kayawa, Nchimunya Nkwengele, Cecilia Mabai, Laura Nyblade, Michael Mbizvo, and Sujha Subramanian
Overview and impact of young feminist organizing in Mexico: Rapid evidence assessment, Esperanza Basurto-Alcalde, Natalia E. Tenorio Tovar, Paulina Márquez González, Anel Julieta Bobadilla Negrete, Sonia Cruz Del Águila, and Ricardo Regules-García
Power, practice, and potential: Social protection and adolescent girls, GIRL Center, Cash Transfer and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Research Collaborative, and UNICEF
Power, Practice and Potential: Social Protection and Adolescent Girls—Event on the sidelines of CSW68, GIRL Center, Cash Transfer and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Research Collaborative, and UNICEF
Power, Practice and Potential: Social Protection and Adolescent Girls—Slide deck, GIRL Center, Cash Transfer and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Research Collaborative, and UNICEF
Power, Voice, and Agency: Empowering Adolescent Girls and Young Women through Multiple Interventions for Evidence-Informed Contraceptive Decisions, Evalin Karijo, Karen Austrian, Miriam Temin, and Mame Soukeye Mbaye
Prevalence of major depressive disorder and its determinants among young married women and unmarried girls: Findings from the second round of UDAYA survey, Shromona Dhara, Joyeeta Thakur, Neelanjana Pandey, Arupendra Mozumdar, and Subho Roy
Processes, experiences, and impact: A summary report on community-led Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (HVACS) results dissemination in Uganda, Gloria Seruwagi, Peter Kisaakye, Stella Muthuri, George Odwe, Francis Obare Onyango, Yohannes Dibaba Wado, Dagim Habteyesus, and Chi-Chi Undie
Quality implementation of safe spaces programs, Karen Austrian and Sara Troiano
Rapid evidence assessment on the landscape and impact of young feminist organizing in Kenya, Chantalle Okondo, Beth Kangwana, S. Ndolo, N. Maina, and Jerry Okal
Replication of soft skills training in the Rohingya camp and host community in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Abdullah Al Mahmud Shohag, Mohammad Muktadir Hossain, Sharif M.I. Hossain, and Ubaidur Rob
Safe, Empowered Tech for Adolescents: A Framework for Research and Action, Miriam Temin and Evalin Karijo
Safe spaces, Population Council and SWEDD
Schooling and Evidence-based Interventions for Adolescents and Young Girls in the Sahel, Mame Soukeye Mbaye, Miriam Temin, and Sharon Nashipae
Selam Medirashachin (Safe Arrival) Project: Addressing the risk of trafficking, violence, and sexual abuse among newly arriving migrant girls in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Annabel Erulkar and Eyasu Hailu
Soft skills training for Rohingya and host community youth in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Abdullah Al Mahmud Shohag, Ishtiak Morshed, Sigma Ainul, Md. Irfan Hossain, Mohammad Muktadir Hossain, Sharif M.I. Hossain, and Ubaidur Rob
Support for girls’ education and keeping them in school, Population Council and SWEDD
The challenges of measuring girls' empowerment, Henrietta Asiamah, Estelle Koussoubé, and Fatima Zahra
The Girl Agenda Cannot Wait! Collaboration and Multi-Dimensional Investments Needed for Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment, Evalin Karijo and Karen Austrian
The role of group leaders in safe spaces and clubs for husbands/future husbands, Population Council, Equimundo, and SWEDD
The state of gender and education needs in Kenya: The missing step toward gender equity, Lina López-Lalinde, Meredith Kozak, Eva Ireri Muluve, Ruth Nanjekho Wafubwa, and Erica Soler-Hampejsek
Through her eyes: Measuring commercial sexual exploitation of girls in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Freedom Fund
Uganda Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey, 2022: Summary Report, Francis Obare Onyango, George Odwe, Peter Kisaakye, Stephen Kizito, Yohannes Dibaba Wado, Francis Annor, Laura Chiang, Greta Massetti, Stella Muthuri, Gloria Seruwagi, Darlson Kusasira, Charles Bafaki, Katie Ogwang, and Chi-Chi Undie
Understanding the education profiles of eight Latin American countries, GIRL Center
Understanding the education profiles of seven East and Southern African countries, GIRL Center
Violence Against Children and Youth in Humanitarian Settings: Findings from a 2022 Survey of all Refugee Settlements in Uganda, Office of the Prime Minister, Department of Refugees; UNHCR Regional Bureau for the East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes; Baobab Research Programme Consortium; and Together for Girls
Vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections (STI) / Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among adolescent girls and young women in India: A rapid review, Sohini Paul, Anupam Sharma, Radhika Dayal, Mahika Mehta, Sudeshna Maitra, Kuhika Seth, Monal Nagrath, Sowmya Ramesh, and Niranjan Saggurti
Webinar—Missing voices: Girls in the care economy, Annabel Erulkar, Maimouna Bah, Edith Murogo, Winnie Nelima, Amar Nijhawan, and Chiku Semfuko
Webinar—Voces perdidas: Niñas en la economía del cuidado, Annabel Erulkar, Maimouna Bah, Edith Murogo, Winnie Nelima, Amar Nijhawan, and Chiku Semfuko
Webinar—Voix oubliées: Les adolescentes dans l'économie du care, Annabel Erulkar, Maimouna Bah, Edith Murogo, Winnie Nelima, Amar Nijhawan, and Chiku Semfuko
What does adolescent girls' empowerment mean?, Fatima Zahra, Kehinde Ajayi, Henrietta Asiamah, and Estelle Koussoubé
What do we know about improving human capital fundamentals among adolescent girls in Africa?, Ioana Botea, Kehinde Ajayi, Karen Austrian, Chiara Pasquini, and Sara Troiano
Young female migrants and job placement brokers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Annabel Erulkar and Eyasu Hailu
Submissions from 2023
Adaptation in Crisis: Understanding and Addressing the Needs of Adolescent Girls in Humanitarian Emergency Settings, Population Council
Adolescent education, health and wellbeing status in four counties in Kenya: Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, Population Council Kenya
Adolescent girls’ agency and their labour force participation: Experimental evidence from rural Bangladesh, Sajeda Amin and Momoe Makino
Adolescent wellbeing in humanitarian and fragile settings: Moving beyond rhetoric, Neha S. Singh, Jocelyn DeJong, Kimberley Popple, Chi-Chi Undie, Rozane El Masri, Ritah Bakesiima, Mariana Calderon-Jaramillo, Ellen Peprah, Saha Naseri, Nadine Cornier, and Karl Blanchet
Advancing the Agenda in Girls’ Education Research, Benta Abuya, David Evans, Selim Gulesci, Nicole Haberland, Susannah Hares, Rabea Malik, Alessia Mortara, and Pauline Rose
AGI-K REPORT Documentary 2023, Population Council Kenya
A glass ceiling at the playhouse? Gender gaps in public and private preschool enrollment in India, Arindam Nandi, Soham Sahoo, Nicole Haberland, and Thoai Ngo