TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Garcia-Hernandez, Ana
AU  - Prakash, Nishith
AU  - Steinert, Janina Isabel
        TI  - Empowerment Paradox? The Long-Run Impact of a Cycling Program for Girls in Zambia
        PY  - 2025/May/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 17903
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/publications/dp17903
        AB  - This study examines the five-year impacts of a bicycle distribution program for adolescent girls in rural Zambia, implemented across 91 schools as part of a randomized controlled trial. While the program increased girls’ self-reported empowerment and reduced experiences of domestic and intimate partner violence, it also led to higher rates of early marriage and teenage pregnancy—outcomes that run counter to the program’s objectives. We explore mechanisms behind this paradox, including improved socioeconomic status and increased receipt of bride prices, which may reflect girls’ higher perceived value in the marriage market. These findings suggest that girls may have exercised greater agency by making strategic decisions about marriage and childbearing. Our results underscore the complex interplay between empowerment, economic mobility, and local norms, and highlight the importance of accounting for potential unintended consequences when designing gender-focused development interventions.
        KW  - intimate partner violence
KW  - domestic violence
KW  - fertility
KW  - marriage
KW  - female empowerment
KW  - bicycles
KW  - Zambia
KW  - RCT
        ER  -