Journal of Reproductive Health, Gender, and HIV in Africa | 09 September 2003
A Systematic Review of School-Based Empowerment Programmes for Adolescent Girls: Evaluating Impact on Sexual Coercion in Monrovia, Liberia
P, a, t, i, e, n, c, e, K, r, o, m, a, h, ,, S, a, m, u, e, l, G, ., W, e, a, h, ,, D, r, G, e, m, m, a, S, a, n, d, e, r, s, o, n
Abstract
Sexual coercion against adolescent girls in schools is a critical public health and human rights issue in post-conflict settings. School-based empowerment programmes are a proposed strategy to mitigate this risk. This review examines a specific intervention in Monrovia, Liberia, integrating empowerment education with self-defence training for secondary school girls. This systematic review aims to synthesise and critically appraise literature evaluating the impact of this specified programme on experiences of sexual coercion. Its objective is to assess the programme’s efficacy and identify key implementation components. A systematic literature review was conducted following established guidelines. Multiple academic databases were searched for relevant studies. Included publications were peer-reviewed articles, reports, or theses evaluating the programme’s impact on sexual coercion outcomes. Studies were screened, selected, and their quality assessed using standardised tools. Data were extracted and synthesised narratively. The search identified a limited number of qualifying studies. The available evidence, while not extensive, suggested a positive association between programme participation and reduced self-reported experiences of sexual coercion. Findings indicated a decrease in incidents of coerced sexual contact among participants, though the effect size requires further verification. Improved self-efficacy and knowledge of rights among participants were common themes. Preliminary evidence indicates this integrated programme may be a promising intervention for reducing sexual coercion in Liberian schools. However, the current evidence base is insufficient to draw definitive conclusions regarding long-term effectiveness or scalability. Further rigorous, longitudinal research with robust methodologies is required to substantiate these findings. Future evaluations should employ standardised measures of sexual coercion and explore contextual factors influencing programme outcomes. adolescent girls, sexual coercion, school-based intervention, empowerment, self-defence, Liberia, systematic review This review consolidates the nascent evidence on a specific empowerment programme in Liberia, highlighting the need for more robust evaluation to inform policy and practice aimed at preventing sexual violence in educational settings.