KIT is a technical partner of Power to You(the) (PTY), and has been responsible for the desk reviews and baseline studies conducted in the 7 PTY countries in collaboration with in-country research teams. The country-specific desk reviews objectives were: •To provide an overview of available literature, evidence and lessons learned related to the pathways of change in the Power to You(th) Theory of Change •To provide background information for the country-specific baseline studies that follow after •To provide country teams with an overview, to be able to identify remaining knowledge needs and gaps for the implementation of the power to you(th) programme The overall aim of the baseline studies was to provide a situational analysis of the focus areas of the programme and provide insights which can be incorporated into the design and/or adaptation of programme interventions. These baseline studies used a mixed-methods design, involving qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

The Power to You(th) (PTY) programme focuses on harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and unintended pregnancies. All of these are persistent ‘key issues’ where insufficient progress has been made in recent years. Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the programme is led by a consortium between Amref Flying Doctors, Rutgers, and Sonke Gender Justice, with KIT and Choice for Youth and Sexuality as technical partners. It is being implemented in seven countries by partners of these three consortium organisations in Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda, with coordination support and advocacy activities conducted in the Netherlands and globally. The consortium strives to foster ownership at the country level, with locally formed coalitions and representation of beneficiaries in its governance. The implementing partners believe in the power of young people (especially young women and girls) to bring about positive change, and think they should be meaningfully included in discussions and decisions regarding key issues. Accordingly, the programme will empower adolescent girls and young women to increase their agency, claim their rights, address gender inequalities, challenge gender norms and advocate for inclusive decision-making. Boys and men will be engaged as positive contributors to this process of change.

The knowledge and information provided out of the 7 desk reviews and the 7 baseline studies targeted the whole Power to You(the) (PTY) Consortium, but more specifically the PTY country teams, and CSO and state actors that will be part of the implementation of the PTY programme. Furthermore, the desk reviews and baseline studies informed the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The participants of the baseline studies were adolescents and young people between the age of 15-24, social and state actors, civil society organizations and youth advocates active in the area of harmful practices, SGBV and teenage pregnancy in the implementation areas in-country.