Goal-setting and Male Inclusion: Improving Sexual and Reproductive Health for Female Adolescents

On September 23, 2020 at 8:30AM PT/11:30 AM ET, CEGA and BRAC hosted a webinar with Manisha Shah on Goal-setting and Male Inclusion: Improving Sexual and Reproductive Health for Female Adolescents, a Behavioral Economics in Reproductive Health Initiative (BERI) funded study.

Manisha Shah will discussed the findings of her research collaboration with BRAC Tanzania and its Empowerment and Livelihoods for Adolescents (ELA) program. Shah, BRAC, and Grassroot Soccer implemented a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Tanzania which offered young women free access to contraceptives, behavior change programming for their boyfriends through soccer leagues, and a goal-setting activity focused on staying healthy to improve their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. We find that female reports of intimate partner violence reduced by offering their male partners a soccer intervention, which also educated and inspired these young men to make better SRH choices. In addition, we find that female adolescents who participate in the goal-setting activity also report decreases in intimate partner violence. Interestingly, impacts are larger among females who were already sexually active at baseline, and access to free contraceptives has no significant impact on adolescent SRH outcomes.

The discussion also featured Carrie Ellett and Susan Bipa from BRAC, and Jeff DeCelles from Grassroot Soccer who commented on the potential application of Shah’s findings.

Please join us and register here!