Tipping Point program impact evaluation : Baseline study findings in Nepal

Emory University (USA) and IDA (Nepal), in collaboration with CARE Nepal, is conducting an impact evaluation on the CARE Tipping Point Initiative focused on reducing the rates of child, early and forced marraige and increasing adolescent girls' agency and decision-making power. The evaluation is designed as a three-arm cluster Randomised Control Trial (RCT) using mixed-methods to assess girls' agency, relations and the social norms restricting them. The study found that in programme areas, even girls in school were at risk of being married early if perceived to be disobedient – for example by roaming around their village “without purpose” or interacting with boys. Restrictive norms around girls’ mobility, interacting with boys, and participating in leisure activities outside the home intensify during adolescence to guard against expected reputational damage. Norms are somewhat in flux, especially among educated families, but despite this, girls face limitations in their ability to participate in decisions about the timing of marriage and choice of spouse. Collective action among adolescents is in a nascent stage, but there are some adult stakeholders who are committed to supporting such activity.