Effectiveness of a cash for school program on education and marriage among adolescent girls: A longitudinal intervention study in Lebanon

IntroductionThis study evaluates the effects of a three-year conditional cash transfer program on educational outcomes and child marriage among Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian adolescent girls in Lebanon. MethodsIn the third year of the program, survey data were collected from households receiving a cash transfer conditional on adolescent girls school attendance and a comparison group of households. We conducted descriptive analysis and logistic regression models comparing outcomes, at endline, between girls in the intervention and comparison groups. Survey data on marriage and school dropout were also collected from all households of girls who were ever enrolled in the intervention or comparison groups over the three years of the program. Survival analysis was used to compare the transition to marriage and school dropout among girls who received cash transfers for different durations. ResultsAmong year three participants, receiving cash transfers was associated with improved educational and attitudinal outcomes, but not reductions in early marriage. Comparing all program participants, receipt of two or more years of cash transfers was associated with significant reductions in the risk of early marriage but receipt of cash for one year only was not. Each additional year of cash receipt was associated with reductions in the risk of school dropout. ConclusionOur findings point to the promise of cash for education as an approach to improving school retention and reducing early marriage among adolescent girls in humanitarian settings, provided that cash transfers can be implemented for a sufficient duration of time. Implications and contributionsThis is one of the first studies to evaluate the impacts of a CCT program on early marriage in a humanitarian setting. Leveraging longitudinal data, our findings provide evidence on the promise of cash conditional on schooling to improve school retention and reduce early marriage among conflict-affected adolescent girls.