Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP15808
Authors: Selim Gulesci; Manuela Puente Beccar; Diego Ubfal
Abstract: This paper shows that a youth empowerment program in Bolivia reduces the prevalence of violence against girls during the COVID-19 lockdown. The program offers training in soft skills and technical skills, sexual education, mentoring and job-finding assistance. To measure the effects of the program, the study conducts a randomized control trial with 600 vulnerable adolescents. Results indicate that 7 months after its completion, the program increased girls' earnings and decreased violence targeting females. Violence is measured with both direct self-report questions and list experiments. These findings suggest that empowerment programs can reduce the level of violence experienced by young females during high-risk periods.
Keywords: No keywords provided
JEL Codes: No JEL codes provided
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| increased earnings for girls (I24) | bargaining power within households (D10) |
| bargaining power within households (D10) | stress-related domestic violence (J12) |
| youth empowerment program (I24) | prevalence of violence against girls (J12) |
| youth empowerment program (I24) | physical violence against girls (J12) |
| youth empowerment program (I24) | psychological violence against girls (J16) |
| youth empowerment program (I24) | sexual violence against girls (J16) |