GAGE Report: Title Adolescent girls’ capabilities in Nepal The state of the evidence Alex Cunningham and Madeleine D’Arcy d December 2017 Disclaimer Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) is a nine-year longitudinal research programme building knowledge on good practice programmes and policies that support adolescent girls in the Global South to reach their full potential. Acknowledgements This document is an output of the programme which is The authors of this report are Alex Cunningham and funded by UK Aid from the UK Department for International Madeleine D’Arcy. The authors would like to thank Rachel Development (DFID). The views expressed and information Marcus and Nicola Jones for comments on previous contained within are not necessarily those of or endorsed versions, Denise Powers for copy-editing and Alexandra by DFID, which accepts no responsibility for such views or Vaughan, Gabbi Gray and Jojoh Faal for formatting. information or for any reliance placed on them. Table of Contents Acronyms and abbreviations ............................................................................................................... i Executive summary ...........................................................................................................................ii Report objectives ............................................................................................................................... ii Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... ii State of the evidence base on adolescent girls in Nepal ..................................................................... ii Key findings and evidence gaps .......................................................................................................... ii Conclusions ....................................................................................................................................... vi 1. Introduction ...............................................................................................................................1 1.1. Methodology and overview of literature ................................................................................1 1.2. Limitations .............................................................................................................................2 1.3. Context of Nepal ....................................................................................................................2 2. Voice and agency........................................................................................................................4 2.1. Overview of sources ...............................................................................................................4 2.2. Key gender norms affecting adolescent girls ..........................................................................4 2.3. Voice and agency ...................................................................................................................8 2.4. Assessment of the evidence and key gaps ..............................................................................9 3. Education and learning .............................................................................................................11 3.1. Overview of sources and context .........................................................................................11 3.2. Gender inequalities in education ..........................................................................................11 3.3. Factors underlying obstacles to girls’ educational capability development ...........................14 3.4. Access to information ...........................................................................................................15 3.5. Assessment of the evidence and key gaps ............................................................................15 4. Bodily autonomy, integrity and freedom from violence ..........................................................16 4.1. Overview of sources .............................................................................................................16 4.2. Child marriage ......................................................................................................................16 4.3. Violence against girls ............................................................................................................19 4.4. Trafficking/sexual exploitation .............................................................................................20 4.5. Assessment of the evidence and key gaps ............................................................................22 5. Sexual and reproductive health, health and nutrition .............................................................23 5.1. Overview of sources .............................................................................................................23 5.2. Sexual and reproductive health ............................................................................................23 5.3. Nutrition ..............................................................................................................................30 5.4. Alcohol, smoking and drug use .............................................................................................31 5.5. Assessment of the evidence and key gaps ............................................................................32 6. Psychosocial wellbeing .............................................................................................................34 6.1. Overview of sources .............................................................................................................34 6.2. Overview of psychosocial wellbeing .....................................................................................34 6.3. Assessment of the evidence and key gaps ............................................................................37 7. Economic empowerment .........................................................................................................38 7.1. Overview of sources .............................................................................................................38 7.2. Child labour ..........................................................................................................................38 7.3. Youth unemployment...........................................................................................................41 7.4. Migration .............................................................................................................................43 7.5. Access to productive assets and savings ...............................................................................45 7.6. Access to financial services ...................................................................................................46 7.7. Assessment of the evidence and key gaps ............................................................................47 8. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................48 8.1. Voice and agency .................................................................................................................48 8.2. Education and Learning ........................................................................................................48 8.3. Bodily autonomy, integrity and freedom from violence ........................................................48 8.4. Sexual and reproductive health, health and nutrition ...........................................................48 8.5. Psychosocial wellbeing .........................................................................................................49 8.6. Economic empowerment .....................................................................................................49 8.7. Conclusion............................................................................................................................49 References ......................................................................................................................................51 Annex 1: Search location results .....................................................................................................62 Annex 2: Search methodology ........................................................................................................63 Tables Table 1: Thematic distribution of studies included in this report (note: studies are coded with multiple capability areas) ...................................................................................................................1 Table 2: Percentage of women aged 15-19 who experience discrimination during menstruation ......6 Table 3: Key education-related data for Nepal .................................................................................12 Table 4: Percentage distribution of female adolescents and youth (15-24) by currently used contraceptive methods ....................................................................................................................25 Table 5: Percentage distribution of adolescents and youth aged 10-24 by state of psychological problems and sex .............................................................................................................................35