CONTRIBUTORS
Alvin Joseph Kimani
Policy and Advocacy Officer
Amani Karisa
Associate Research Scientist
Across Africa, millions of girls still face the heartbreaking reality of dropping out of school due to early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and entrenched gender norms. Yet, despite these enduring challenges, the tide is turning. From the bustling classrooms of Nairobi to the quiet villages of Sierra Leone, countries are boldly reimagining education systems to include—not exclude—girls. And at the heart of this transformation lies one powerful truth: evidence matters.
From Exclusion to Inclusion: Four Countries, One Shared Vision
In 2020, Sierra Leone took a groundbreaking step by reversing a policy that banned pregnant girls from attending school. A year later, the country launched its Radical Inclusion Policy—a visionary framework that ensures marginalized learners, including pregnant girls, children with disabilities, and those from impoverished backgrounds, are not only allowed in school but actively supported to thrive.
In Malawi, a grassroots movement led by Mother Groups—community-based networks of women—has proven that local action can drive national change. These women have helped hundreds of girls escape early marriage and return to school. Their message is clear: when communities lead, girls win. Uganda has introduced a National Strategy to End Child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancy, bringing together the ministries of health, education, and justice. The strategy represents a significant step forward, but its success depends on practical implementation, not just policy statements. Coordinated action, accountability, and sufficient resources will determine whether it has a lasting impact or gathers dust.
Kenya’s School Re-entry Policy for adolescent mothers offers a promising framework; however, its implementation lags. Many girls face stigma, isolation, or a lack of support. The lesson here is simple: policies need more than good intentions. They need financing, monitoring, and strong community engagement to succeed.
Why Gender-Responsive Education Policies Matter
This movement isn’t just about increasing the number of girls in school—it’s about transforming education systems to be fair, inclusive, and empowering for all by delivering comprehensive, fact-based sexuality education; training teachers to support rather than shame adolescent mothers; building safe and flexible learning environments; and actively involving boys and men—because evidence consistently shows that such gender-responsive, inclusive policies keep girls in school longer, delay marriage and pregnancy, and lead to better life outcomes.
The Role of Research and Evidence
Research is not a luxury—it is the backbone of sustainable change. Data helps us identify what works, where gaps remain, and how best to adapt solutions to different contexts. In all the examples above, it is research that sparked reform, and data that steered implementation. Whether it’s mapping re-entry rates, tracking the effectiveness of community-based interventions, or understanding why policies stall, evidence empowers governments and partners to act more effectively, efficiently, and fairly.
Evidence-informed decision-making ensures that gender policies are not based on assumptions, but on lived realities. It’s how we make sure every dollar invested delivers maximum impact. And it’s how we hold systems accountable to the girls they’re meant to serve.
What Still Needs to Change?
Despite the progress, significant challenges remain. Gender is still too often seen as a “soft” issue—undervalued in budgets, underrepresented in policy, and misunderstood in practice. Schools usually lack the resources to translate intent into meaningful impact. Data systems are fragmented. And community resistance can quietly undermine even the best-designed interventions.
But here’s the truth: when a girl is educated, she’s not the only one who benefits. Her entire world changes. Her family becomes stronger. Her community becomes healthier. Her country becomes more resilient. This is the ripple effect of investing in girls’ education.
So, What Now?
We need more than ambition—we need action.
It begins with political leaders who prioritize gender equity in their education budgets.
It requires donors who fund not just programs, but the research and evidence generation needed to sustain them.
It depends on schools that are built not just with bricks and books, but with dignity, safety, and inclusion.
And it calls on every citizen to believe that school girls belong in classrooms, not kitchens, not labor fields, and certainly not delivery rooms.