In many cultural settings, adolescent girls have narrow social networks and few places where they can gather to meet with peers, form new friendships and alliances, receive mentoring support, and acquire new and valued skills. Girls’ lives can become increasingly restricted to the domestic sphere—nominally in order to protect them from dangers outside the home. Likewise, communities are deprived of the energies and talents of young females who are at a critical life stage—a time when they are young enough to be optimistic about their future and eager to learn and grow.
Population Council focus
Council research aims to identify effective strategies to increase safe mobility and culturally acceptable social opportunities for girls within their communities. In rural and urban settings from Ethiopia to India to Guatemala, the Council has demonstrated the feasibility of creating safe spaces where girls can gather on a regular basis under the leadership of a mentor. These spaces often are the social platform for introducing life skills, financial skills, and savings.
Population Council impact
- In rural Upper Egypt, the Ishraq (“Sunrise”) program reaches out-of-school girls through an intensive program of literacy and life skills, reproductive health, civic engagement, livelihood information, and—unprecedented in Egypt—sports. Ninety-two percent of the girls who completed the pilot program and took the government literacy exam passed.
- In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Biruh Tesfa (“Bright Future”) program recruits girls otherwise left out of programming (urban out-of-school girls, many of whom are employed as domestic workers) through door-to-door contact. Over 10,000 girls have participated so far in Addis Ababa and four other Ethiopian cities.
Future directions
After successfully piloting the safe spaces program in a variety of settings, the Council is now involved in scaling up the programs in Egypt and Ethiopia and adapting the lessons learned in a number of new settings.
Projects
Abriendo Oportunidades: Creating Opportunities for Mayan Girls and Young Women (more)
This national program is providing the most vulnerable indigenous Mayan girls and young women in Guatemala with personal and professional development skills, mentorship, and leadership opportunities.
(6/2002 - ongoing)
Guatemala
Developing Capacity for Targeted, Evidence-based Programming and Asset Building for Adolescent Girls (more)
The Council is helping to build the capacity of NGOs, UN country teams, and government agencies to develop effective health, social, and economic asset-building programs for adolescent girls.
(1/2008 - ongoing)
Global, Kenya, Liberia
Enhancing the Economic, Health, and Social Capabilities of Highly Vulnerable Youth (more)
"Siyakha Nentsha" (isiZulu for "building with young people") is responding to the unmet needs of young people in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and helping them learn how to manage their daily economic, social, and health challenges.
(11/2007 - ongoing)
South Africa
Ishraq: Bringing Marginalized Rural Girls into Safe Learning Spaces in Upper Egypt (more)
Launched in 2001, Ishraq, which means “sunrise” in Arabic, seeks to improve the educational, health, and social opportunities for vulnerable girls in rural Upper Egypt.
(1/2001 - ongoing)
Egypt
Addressing Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Violence against Adolescent Girls and Women in Urban Bangladesh (more)
The Growing Up Safe and Healthy (SAFE) project seeks to provide context-specific strategies for vulnerable adolescents to build their social and health assets, with the eventual goal of improving their lifelong functional capabilities and well-being.
(11/2010 - 10/2014)
Bangladesh
Biruh Tesfa: Safe Spaces for Out-of-school Girls in Urban Slum Areas of Ethiopia (more)
Biruh Tesfa protects the rights of vulnerable urban girls by reducing their social isolation and providing them with health information, including HIV prevention, and services to address sexual exploitation and abuse.
(1/2007 - 12/2013)
Ethiopia
Migrant Adolescent Girls in Domestic Service: Building the Evidence Base on a Vulnerable Population (more)
Population Council researchers are working with local NGOs to implement and test an intervention for migrant girls in domestic service in urban Burkina Faso that builds skills in health and hygiene with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, numeracy and financial capabilities, and life skills.
(1/2011 - 12/2013)
Burkina Faso
Community Mobilization for Preventive Action (COMPACT) (more)
Council researchers are developing and determining the feasibility of "community compacts" as an innovative approach to prevent HIV in Zambian communities.
(7/2010 - 7/2013)
Zambia
Our Girls, Our Future: Building Synergy to End Violence Against Girls in Zambia (more)
By creating safe spaces for adolescent girls in Lusaka, Zambia, the Council is part of a coalition that is helping to build girls' social, health, and economic assets in order to prevent sexual and gender-based violence.
(2/2010 - 12/2012)
Zambia
Girls on the Move: A Girls Count Report on Adolescent Girls' Migration (more)
The Population Council is developing a report for the Girls Count series that will synthesize and build the evidence base on migrating adolescent girls ages 10–19 and will provide promising program examples and action-oriented recommendations to a variety of international stakeholders.
(3/2011 - 8/2012)
Global
Assessing the Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs and Experiences of Indigenous Youth in Oaxaca (more)
Drawing on lessons from safe spaces programs in other countries, Council researchers will assess the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs of indigenous youth in Oaxaca and pilot a youth empowerment project to improve their SRH, gender equity, and leadership skills.
(1/2009 - 12/2011)
Mexico
Critical Communities for Investment in Adolescent Girls (more)
This project will provide data and maps on vulnerable adolescent girls and build support among donors and interested stakeholders to make investments that improve the health and rights of the poorest girls in the poorest communities.
(1/2009 - 4/2011)
Global
Adolescent Safe Spaces, Health, and Skills for Adulthood in Urban Ghana (more)
This safe spaces program provides 12–15-year-old urban adolescent females in Ghana with social, economic, and health assets.
(1/2009 - 3/2011)
Ghana
Promoting Financial Education Through Mentoring Relationships (more)
Council researchers have been testing a new personal financial education curriculum through mentoring relationships against a more conventional teaching method for adolescents in Bangladesh.
(9/2009 - 9/2010)
Bangladesh
Technical Guidance to Strengthen the GOAL Program (more)
The Population Council is working with a community initiative in India that uses sports and education to empower young women to strengthen its content, design, and measurement framework.
(1/2009 - 7/2009)
India
Needs Assessment for Marginalized, Socially Excluded Populations in Johannesburg, South Africa (more)
Council research is identifying and documenting key social, legal, economic, livelihood, and health-related issues affecting marginalized populations in South Africa.
(1/2008 - 3/2009)
South Africa
Gender, Socioeconomic Status, and Youth HIV Risk (more)
Council researchers explored the effects of gender, poverty, orphanhood, and social isolation on adolescent HIV and pregnancy risk and gender-based violence in South Africa.
(1/2004 - 12/2007)
South Africa
Resources
Evaluation of 'Biruh Tesfa' (Bright Future) program for vulnerable girls in Ethiopia (abstract)
Erulkar,Annabel S.; Ferede,Abebaw; Girma,Woldemariam; Ambelu,Worku
Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies Published online ahead of print, 2 November
Publication date: 2012
Filles eveillées: Espaces sûrs : une solution pour les adolescentes migrantes travaillant comme domestiques
Publication date: 2012
Girls awakened: A safe spaces solution for migrant adolescent girls in domestic service
Publication date: 2012
Safe and smart savings for vulnerable girls in Kenya and Uganda: The evolving model, lessons learned, and recommendations (PDF)
Austrian,Karen; Muthengi,Eunice; Wambugu,Angela; Ghati,Dennitah; Kariuki,Elizabeth
Program brief
Publication date: 2012
The cost of reaching the most disadvantaged girls: Programmatic evidence from Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda (PDF)
Sewall-Menon,Jessica; Bruce,Judith; Austrian,Karen; Brown,Raven; Catino,Jennifer; Colom,Alejandra; Del Valle,Angel; Demele,Habtamu; Erulkar,Annabel S.; Hallman,Kelly; Roca,Eva; Zibani,Nadia
Technical report
Publication date: 2012
Biruh Tesfa procure aux employées domestiques, aux orphelines et aux immigrantes des zones urbaines éthiopiennes une assistance sociale, une formation sur le VIH ainsi qu'un programme de développement des compétences (PDF)
Erulkar,Annabel S.; Semunegus,Belaynesh; Mekonnen,Gebeyehu
Promouvoir la santé, la sécurité et la productivité transitions vers l'âge adulte document (no. 21)
Publication date: 2011
Biruh Tesfa provides domestic workers, orphans, and migrants in urban Ethiopia with social support, HIV education, and skills (PDF)
Erulkar,Annabel S.; Semunegus,Belaynesh; Mekonnen,Gebeyehu
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 21)
Publication date: 2011
Siyakha Nentsha: Building economic, health, and social capabilities among highly vulnerable adolescents in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (PDF)
Hallman,Kelly; Roca,Eva
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 4)
Publication date: 2011
Biruh Tesfa ('Bright Future') program provides domestic workers, orphans and migrants in urban Ethiopia with social support, HIV education and skills (PDF)
Erulkar,Annabel S.; Gebru,Herma; Mekonnen,Gebeyehu
Program brief
Publication date: 2011
Creación de 'espacios seguros' para niñas adolescentes (PDF)
Baldwin,Wendy
Promoción de transiciones a la vida adulta sanas, seguras y productivas resumen (no. 39)
Publication date: 2011
Creating 'safe spaces' for adolescent girls (PDF)
Baldwin,Wendy
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 39)
Publication date: 2011
Élargir l'accès des adolescentes aux espaces sécurisés, à l'éducation financière et aux produits d'épargne au Kenya (PDF)
Austrian,Karen
Promouvoir des transitions vers l'âge adulte saines, sécurisées et productives resumen (no. 29 (Mise à jour janvier 2011))
Publication date: 2011
Expanding safe spaces, financial education, and savings for adolescent girls in Kenya (PDF)
Austrian,Karen
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 29)
Publication date: 2011
Filles éveillées: Programme pour les adolescentes employées de maison--Guide du mentor (PDF)
Population Council
Publication date: 2011
From research, to program design, to implementation: Programming for rural girls in Ethiopia--A toolkit for practitioners (PDF)
Erulkar,Annabel S.
Publication date: 2011
HIV infection and schooling experiences of adolescents in Uganda (PDF)
Birungi,Harriet; Obare,Francis; Katahoire,Anne; Kibenge,Aggrey David; Letamo,Gobopamang
from Social and Psychological Aspects of HIV/AIDS and their Ramifications, pp. 73-88
Publication date: 2011
Leveling the playing field: Building girls' sports programs and creating new opportunities (PDF)
Brady,Martha
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 1)
Publication date: 2011
Pilotage d'un programme visant à sécuriser l'espace et à renforcer les ressources des adolescentes vivant dans les zones urbaines du Ghana (PDF)
Engebretsen,Sarah; Esantsi,Selina
Promouvoir des transitions vers l'âge adulte saines, sécurisées et productives resumen (no. 40)
Publication date: 2011
Piloting a safe spaces, asset-building program for adolescent girls in urban Ghana (PDF)
Engebretsen,Sarah; Esantsi,Selina
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 40)
Publication date: 2011
Scaling up asset-building programs for marginalized adolescent girls in socially conservative settings: The Ishraq program in rural Upper Egypt (PDF)
Zibani,Nadia; Brady,Martha
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 12)
Publication date: 2011
The realities of 'choice' in Africa: Implications for sexuality, vulnerability, and HIV/AIDS (HTML)
Undie,Chi-Chi; Tamale,Sylvia
from African Sexualities: A Reader, pp. 521-523
Publication date: 2011
"Survey of Young People in Egypt: Summary of results," fact sheet (HTML)
Publication date: 2010
Community based reproductive health (RH) intervention resulted in increasing age at marriage: The case of Berhane Hewan Project, in East Gojam zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia
(abstract) (PDF)
Mekbib,Tekle-Ab; Molla,Mitike
Ethiopian Journal of Reproductive Health 4(1): 16-25
Publication date: 2010
COMPACT: Community mobilization for preventive action (PDF)
Population Council
Publication date: 2010
Ethiopia gender survey: A study in seven regions (PDF)
Erulkar,Annabel S.; Ferede,Abebaw; Ambelu,Worku; Girma,Woldemariam; Amdemikael,Helen; GebreMedhi,Behailu; Legesse,Berhanu; Tameru,Ayehualem; Teferi,Messay
Report
Publication date: 2010
Ishraq: A second chance program for marginalized rural girls in Upper Egypt (PDF)
Ishraq Newsletter (no. 1, May)
Publication date: 2010
Kishor-kishorider jonno ortho sikkha [Financial education for adolescents] (PDF)
Ainul,Sigma; Khatun,Marzina; Mahbooba,Najneen
Publication date: 2010
Kishor-kishorider jonno ortho sikkha: Dishari shohayika [Financial education for adolescents: Mentor's manual] (PDF)
Ainul,Sigma; Khatun,Marzina; Mahbooba,Najneen
Publication date: 2010
Kishor-kishorider jonno ortho sikkha: Shikkhok shahayika [Financial education for adolescents: Teacher's manual] (PDF)
Ainul,Sigma; Khatun,Marzina; Mahbooba,Najneen
Publication date: 2010
L'adolescence des filles au Burkina Faso: Une clé de voûte pour le changement social [Girls' adolescence in Burkina Faso: A pivot point for social change] (PDF)
Brady,Martha; Saloucou,Lydia; Chong,Erica
Publication date: 2010
Life skills: Psychosocial and interpersonal skills for adolescent girls in urban Ghana--Mentor's guide (PDF)
Publication date: 2010
Survey of Young People in Egypt: Final report and data sets (PDF)
Final report
Publication date: 2010
Survey of Young People in Egypt: Final report and data sets [Arabic] (PDF) (HTML)
Publication date: 2010
Special needs of in-school HIV positive young people in Uganda
(PDF)
Obare,Francis; Birungi,Harriet; Katahoire,Anne; Nkayivu,Hannington; Kibenge,Aggrey David
Publication date: 2009
Adolescent experience in-depth: Using data to identify and reach the most vulnerable young people (HTML)
Series of 51 data guides by country
Publication date: 2009
Adolescent girls in urban Ethiopia: Vulnerability and opportunity (PDF)
Ferede,Abebaw; Erulkar,Annabel S.
Publication date: 2009
Adolescent girls programming and capacity-building workshop, Nairobi, Kenya, November 10-14, 2008: Workshop report (PDF)
Publication date: 2009
Health-seeking behavior and access to HIV treatment amongst migrants in the inner city of Johannesburg, South Africa (PDF)
Brochure
Publication date: 2009
Needs assessment of marginalised, socially excluded immigrant populations in Johannesburg, South Africa (PDF)
Research summary
Publication date: 2009
Program shown to significantly delay child marriage (PDF)
Population Briefs 15(1)
Publication date: 2009
Social exclusion and early or unwanted sexual initiation among poor urban females in Ethiopia (abstract)
Erulkar,Annabel S.; Ferede,Abebaw
International Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 35(4): 186-193
Publication date: 2009
Strengthening sexual and reproductive health and rights services for migrants in inner city, Johannesburg, South Africa (PDF)
Project summary
Publication date: 2009
Identifying sources of adolescent exclusion due to violence: Participatory mapping in South Africa (PDF)
Kenworthy,Nora; Hallman,Kelly; Diers,Judith A.
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 30)
Publication date: 2008
Improving reproductive health and HIV prevention among married adolescents in Amhara, Ethiopia (PDF)
Erulkar,Annabel S.; Mekbib,Tekle-Ab
FRONTIERS Final Report
Publication date: 2008
Reaching the girls left behind (abstract)
Bruce,Judith; Hallman,Kelly
Gender and Development 16(2): 227-245
Publication date: 2008
Adolescence in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya (PDF)
Erulkar,Annabel S.; Matheka,James K.
Publication date: 2007
Gender inequality
Zibani,Nadia
Sport for Development and Peace International Working Group (SDP IWG)
Publication date: 2007
Girls' adolescence in Burkina Faso: A pivot point for social change (PDF)
Brady,Martha; Saloucou,Lydia; Chong,Erica
Publication date: 2007
Girls left behind: Redirecting HIV interventions toward the most vulnerable (PDF)
Bruce,Judith
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 23)
Publication date: 2007
Jovens abandonadas: redireccionar as intervenções de VIH no sentido das mais vulneráveis [Girls left behind: Redirecting HIV interventions toward the most vulnerable] (PDF)
Bruce,Judith
Promover transições para a idade adulta saudáveis, seguras e produtivas Sumário (N 23)
Publication date: 2007
Las niñas rezagadas: dirigir las intervenciones de VIH hacia las más vulnerables [Girls left behind: Redirecting HIV interventions toward the most vulnerable] (PDF)
Bruce,Judith
Promoción de transiciones a la vida adulta sanas, seguras y productivas Resumen (N 23)
Publication date: 2007
Leave no woman behind, Ethiopia: Baseline report (PDF)
Erulkar,Annabel S.; Mekbib,Tekle-Ab; Amdemikael,Helen; Conille,Garry
Publication date: 2007
Les filles sont oubliées : rediriger les interventions en matière de VIH vers les plus vulnérables [Girls left behind: Redirecting HIV interventions toward the most vulnerable] (PDF)
Bruce,Judith
Promouvoir la santé, la sécurité et la productivité transitions vers l'âge adulte Document (N 23)
Publication date: 2007
Providing new opportunities to adolescent girls in socially conservative settings: The Ishraq program in rural Upper Egypt--full report (PDF)
Brady,Martha; Assaad,Ragui; Ibrahim,Barbara L.; Salem,Abeer; Salem,Rania; Zibani,Nadia
Publication date: 2007
Reaching the girls left behind: Targeting adolescent programming for equity, social inclusion, health, and poverty alleviation (PDF)
Prepared for Financing Gender Equality: A Commonwealth Perspective, Commonwealth Women's Affairs Ministers' Meeting, Uganda, June
Bruce,Judith
Publication date: 2007
Reducing the social exclusion of girls (PDF)
Hallman,Kelly; Roca,Eva
Promoting Healthy, Safe, and Productive Transitions to Adulthood Brief (no. 27)
Publication date: 2007
Reducir la exclusión social des las niñas [Reducing the social exclusion of girls] (PDF)
Hallman,Kelly; Roca,Eva
Promoción de transiciones a la vida adulta sanas, seguras y productivas Resumen (N 27)
Publication date: 2007
The Ishraq Program: Reshaping gender norms in rural upper Egypt (PDF)
Salem,Abeer; Zibani,Nadia
ISSBD Newsletter 52(2): 1-5
Publication date: 2007
Ishraq expands horizons for girls in rural Upper Egypt (PDF)
Population Briefs 12(2)
Publication date: 2006
Providing new opportunities to adolescent girls in socially conservative settings: The Ishraq program in rural Upper Egypt (PDF)
Brady,Martha; Assaad,Ragui; Ibrahim,Barbara L.; Salem,Abeer; Salem,Rania; Zibani,Nadia
Publication date: 2006
Providing new opportunities to adolescent girls in socially conservative settings: The Ishraq program in rural Upper Egypt [Arabic] (PDF)
Brady,Martha; Assaad,Ragui; Ibrahim,Barbara L.; Salem,Abeer; Salem,Rania; Zibani,Nadia
Publication date: 2006
The girls left behind: The failed reach of current schooling, child health, youth-serving, and livelihoods programs for girls living in the path of HIV
Bruce,Judith; Haberland,Nicole; Chong,Erica; Grant,Monica J.; Joyce,Amy
Policy paper
Publication date: 2006
Building assets for safe, productive lives: A report on a workshop on adolescent girls' livelihoods, 7-8 April 2004 (PDF)
Publication date: 2005
Creating safe spaces and building social assets for young women in the developing world: A new role for sports
Brady,Martha
Women's Studies Quarterly 33(1/2): 35-49
Publication date: 2005
Gender and sport: Mainstreaming gender in sports projects (PDF)
Sever,Charlie
Publication date: 2005
Ishraq project update (PDF)
Ishraq: Safe Spaces to Learn, Play and Grow, Briefing Sheet (no. 5)
Publication date: 2004
Ishraq project update [Arabic] (PDF)
Ishraq: Safe Spaces to Learn, Play and Grow, Briefing Sheet (no. 5)
Publication date: 2004
Ishraq: Safe spaces to learn, play and grow: Expansion of recreational sports program for adolescent rural girls in Egypt (PDF)
Zibani,Nadia
Ishraq: Safe Spaces for Girls to Learn, Play and Grow, Program Document
Publication date: 2004
Letting girls play: Breaking down barriers in rural Egypt through sports (PDF)
Ishraq: Safe Spaces to Learn, Play and Grow, Briefing Sheet (no. 6)
Publication date: 2004
Letting girls play: Breaking down barriers in rural Egypt through sports [Arabic] (PDF)
Ishraq: Safe Spaces to Learn, Play and Grow, Briefing Sheet (no. 6)
Publication date: 2004
A 3-year intervention research project for out of school girls in four villages in Minya, Upper Egypt. A cadre of local young women serving as role models for disadvantaged rural girls in upper Egypt [Arabic] (PDF)
Safe Spaces to Learn, Play and Grow (Ishraq) Briefing Sheet (no. 4)
Publication date: 2003
Safe spaces for adolescent girls (PDF)
Brady,Martha
from Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health: Charting Directions for a Second Generation of Programming-Background Documents for the Meeting, pp. 155-176
Publication date: 2003
An innovative youth program focuses on rural, out-of-school girls (PDF)
Ishraq: Safe Spaces to Learn, Play, and Grow, Briefing Sheet (no. 2)
Publication date: 2002
An innovative youth program focuses on rural, out-of-school girls [Arabic] (PDF)
Ishraq: Safe Spaces to Learn, Play, and Grow, Briefing Sheet (no. 2)
Publication date: 2002
How community structures of time and opportunity shape adolescent sexual behavior in South Africa (PDF)
Kaufman,Carol E.; Shelley,Clark; Manzini,Ntsiki; May,Julian
Policy Research Division Working Paper (no. 159)
Publication date: 2002
Letting Girls Play: The Mathare Youth Sports Association's Football Program for Girls (PDF)
Brady,Martha; Khan,Arjmand Banu
Publication date: 2002
Letting Girls Play: The Mathare Youth Sports Association's Football Program for Girls [Arabic] (PDF)
Brady,Martha; Khan,Arjmand Banu
Publication date: 2002
Facts about adolescents from the Demographic and Health Survey: Statistical tables for program planning (HTML)
Series of DHS data tables by country
Publication date: 2001
Gender roles sharply differentiated among Egyptian youth [Arabic] (PDF)
Population Briefs 7(2)
Publication date: 2001
Safe spaces to learn, play and grow (Ishraq) (PDF)
Ishraq: Safe Spaces to Learn, Play and Grow, Briefing Sheet (no. 1)
Publication date: 2001
Safe spaces to learn, play and grow (Ishraq) [Arabic] (PDF)
Ishraq: Safe Spaces to Learn, Play and Grow, Briefing Sheet (no. 1)
Publication date: 2001
Caught between two worlds: Youth in the Egyptian hinterland
Ibrahim,Barbara L.; Wassef,Hind; Meijer,Roel
from Alienation or Integration: Arab Youth Between Family, the State and the Street
Publication date: 1999
The changing nature of adolescence in the Kassena-Nankana District of northern Ghana (abstract) (PDF)
Mensch,Barbara S.; Bagah,Daniel; Clark,Wesley H.; Binka,Fred N.
Studies in Family Planning 30(2): 95-111
Publication date: 1999
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