x

The AEA RCT Registry will be down for maintenance on Tuesday, April 20th, from 9pm EDT to 11pm EDT to perform necessary upgrades. The site will be in maintenance mode during that time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Youth Empowerment in Bolivia
Last registered on February 24, 2021
View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information
General Information
Title
Youth Empowerment in Bolivia
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0004836
Initial registration date
October 10, 2019
Last updated
February 24, 2021 5:00 PM EST
Location(s)
Country
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
Region
Cochabamba, Oruro, La Paz and Santa Cruz
Primary Investigator
Name
DIEGO UBFAL
Affiliation
World Bank
Contact Primary Investigator
Other Primary Investigator(s)
PI Name
Manuela Puente Beccar
PI Affiliation
Bocconi University
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Selim Gulesci
PI Affiliation
Bocconi University
Contact Investigator
Additional Trial Information
Status
Completed
Start date
2019-05-20
End date
2020-11-30
Keywords
Behavior, Crime, Violence, & Conflict, Education, Labor, Welfare
Additional Keywords
Soft-skills Training, Vocational Training, Sexual Education, Adolescents
JEL code(s)
I25, J13, J24, O17
Secondary IDs
Abstract
We evaluate a program that aims to help vulnerable youth aged 15-18 find a job, improve their working conditions and strengthen their income generation capacity. In order to achieve these goals, the program, which is implemented in four regions of Bolivia, provides youth with soft-skills and vocational training, mentoring and support in finding a job or starting a business. The package the program offers includes courses on personal and economic empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, and training on vocational skills.
External Link(s)
Registration Citation
Citation
Gulesci, Selim , Manuela Puente Beccar and DIEGO UBFAL. 2021. "Youth Empowerment in Bolivia." AEA RCT Registry. February 24. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.4836-2.1.
Sponsors & Partners

There are documents in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access to this information.

Request Information
Experimental Details
Interventions
Intervention(s)
Treated youth are offered a full package that includes: courses on personal and economic empowerment as well as sexual and reproductive health, training on vocational skills, and support in finding a job or starting a business.
Intervention Start Date
2019-08-01
Intervention End Date
2019-12-31
Primary Outcomes
Primary Outcomes (end points)
Labor Market Outcomes (formal and informal employment, job stability, earnings), Violence
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Secondary Outcomes
Secondary Outcomes (end points)
soft skills (self-esteem, aspirations),
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
Experimental Design
Experimental Design
Youth are considered eligible for the program if they satisfied certain vulnerability criteria. Once a group of 600 youth is obtained, they are randomized in equal proportion into treatment and control groups. The treatment group is offered to take the full program package, while the control group is excluded from the program for at least one year.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization done in office by a computer using STATA.
Randomization Unit
Individuals aged 15-18
Was the treatment clustered?
No
Experiment Characteristics
Sample size: planned number of clusters
600 youth
Sample size: planned number of observations
600 youth
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
300 youth treatment, 300 youth control
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB
INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARDS (IRBs)
IRB Name
Ethics Committee of Bocconi University
IRB Approval Date
2019-05-09
IRB Approval Number
9882-2
Analysis Plan
Post-Trial
Post Trial Information
Study Withdrawal
Intervention
Is the intervention completed?
Yes
Intervention Completion Date
March 01, 2020, 12:00 AM +00:00
Is data collection complete?
Yes
Data Collection Completion Date
September 30, 2020, 12:00 AM +00:00
Final Sample Size: Number of Clusters (Unit of Randomization)
511 youth
Was attrition correlated with treatment status?
No
Final Sample Size: Total Number of Observations
511 youth
Final Sample Size (or Number of Clusters) by Treatment Arms
255 control, 256 treated
Data Publication
Data Publication
Is public data available?
No
Program Files
Program Files
No
Reports, Papers & Other Materials
Relevant Paper(s)
Abstract
This paper shows that a youth empowerment program in Bolivia reduces the prevalence of violence against girls during the COVID-19 lockdown. The program offers training in soft skills and technical skills, sex education, mentoring, and job-finding assistance. To measure the effects of the program, the study conducts a randomized control trial with 600 vulnerable adolescents. The results indicate that seven months after its completion, the program increased girls' earnings and decreased violence targeting females. Violence is measured with both direct self-report questions and list experiments. These findings suggest that empowerment programs can reduce the level of violence experienced by young females during high-risk periods.
Citation
Gulesci, S., Puentes Beccar, M. and D. Ubfal (2021) "Can Youth Empowerment Programs Reduce Violence against Girls during the COVID-19 Pandemic?" World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 9547.
Url
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/35143
REPORTS & OTHER MATERIALS