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Learning and resources on gender in education
Reshaping Adolescents' Gender Attitudes: Evidence From a School-based Experiment in India
Societal norms about gender roles contribute to the economic disadvantages facing women inmany developing countries. This paper evaluates a school-based intervention in India thatengaged adolescents in classroom discussions about gender equality for two and a half years withthe goal of eroding their support for restrictive gender norms. Using a randomized controlledtrial, we find that the program made attitudes 0.18 standard deviations more supportive of gender
equality, or, equivalently, converted 16% of participants' regressive views. In addition, self-reported behavior became more aligned with progressive gender norms, particularly among boys.
The effects...
Societal norms about gender roles contribute to the economic disadvantages facing women in
many developing countries. This paper evaluates a school-based intervention in India that
engaged adolescents in classroom discussions about gender equality for two and a half years with
the goal of eroding their support for restrictive gender norms. Using a randomized controlled
trial, we find that the program made attitudes 0.18 standard deviations more supportive of gender
equality, or, equivalently, converted 16% of participants' regressive views. In addition, self-
reported behavior became more aligned with progressive gender norms, particularly among boys.
The effects observed in the short run were still present two years after the program had ended.