Effects of multisectoral interventions on girls’ empowerment: results from the adolescent girls Initiative randomized trial in Wajir County, Kenya

This paper examines the effects of multisectoral interventions on girls’ empowerment in Wajir, Kenya. We used data from the Adolescent Girls Initiative-Kenya (AGI-K), a randomized trial designed to evaluate whether different combinations of interventions targeting adolescent girls can enhance their well-being over four years. Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the effects on girls’ empowerment, measured through self-efficacy, gender attitudes, savings behaviour, and school retention. The results revealed significant improvements in empowerment, especially among girls who received the full package of interventions. Specifically, those in the comprehensive intervention group, violence prevention, education, health, and wealth creation (VEHW) had 72% higher odds of being empowered compared to those in the violence prevention-only group (aOR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.27, 2.32). These findings suggest that multisectoral interventions, including cash transfers for education, health, and financial literacy, are highly effective in empowering adolescent girls.