Phase 1 of CARE’s Tipping Point project addressed child marriage through a dynamic process of innovation, insight, and influence in two districts of Nepal in partnership with Siddhartha Samudayik Samaj (SSS) and Dalit Social Development Centre (DSDC). In its first phase, the project promoted girls’ rights and choices regarding marriage in 16 communities using complementary approaches with collectives of girls, boys, and parents, who regularly participated in meetings, and advocacy events to raise public awareness and promote gender-equitable social norms. The project also engaged allies and potential champions for girls’ rights, including government and civil society, to help drive social change and direct more resources towards girls’ empowerment in project communities.
At the conclusion of Phase 1, an external evaluation team visited project sites in Kapilvastu and Rupandehi to conduct qualitative data collection with girls, boys, parents, and community members. The evaluation team’s findings indicate that Tipping Point’s iterative and adaptive strategies have contributed to several changes in the lives of girls, the actions of parents and community members to support girls, and social norms that promote gender equity.