Social protection as a strategy for HIV prevention, education promotion and child marriage reduction among adolescents: a cross-sectional population-based study in Lesotho
Summary & Objectives
This study assesses whether social protection programmes are associated with improved educational, sexual and reproductive health outcomes, including reduced child marriage, among adolescents living in poverty in Lesotho. Using nationally representative data from the 2018 Lesotho Violence Against Children and Youth Survey, the study aims to examine the relationship between household receipt of governmental and non-governmental social protection and key adolescent outcomes, and to explore whether these associations differ by sex
Findings
The study finds that receipt of social protection, particularly government-led programmes, is associated with significantly better outcomes among adolescents living in the poorest households. Adolescents in households receiving government social protection had higher odds of school enrolment and educational attainment, and higher likelihood of consistent condom use. Among adolescent girls, social protection receipt was associated with a substantially lower likelihood of child marriage. For boys, government social protection was strongly associated with improved educational outcomes. Non-governmental programmes showed more limited associations overall, but were linked to increased engagement in paid work among young women over 18. The findings suggest that social protection may operate as a protective mechanism against poverty-related risks, including early marriage, especially for girls
Recommendations
The study recommends expanding and strengthening government-led social protection programmes as part of integrated strategies to improve adolescent well-being and reduce child marriage in high-poverty settings. Policies should prioritise reaching the poorest households and ensure that social protection is gender-sensitive, given its stronger protective effects for girls. Improved monitoring of adolescent-specific outcomes and clearer differentiation between programme types would strengthen future evaluations. Integrating social protection into broader HIV prevention, education, and child marriage prevention strategies is critical to maximise long-term benefits.
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