GLOBAL GIRLS GLOW EVALUATION REVEALS MEASURABLE GAINS ACROSS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS FOR GIRLS IN RURAL INDIA

Three years of data examining GLOW Club programming in Andhra Pradesh documents measurable improvements in girls' decision-making and leadership skills, growing family support for girls' education, and a meaningful shift in attitudes towards early marriage.

SANTA ANA, Calif., April 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Girls Glow, an organization that mentors girls around the world to become powerful advocates and confident leaders, has released findings from three years of data collection examining their signature mentorship program, GLOW Club, which is currently active in 30 countries worldwide.

Conducted in partnership with The Holy Cross Social Service Society, the results were drawn from multiple GLOW Clubs in Andhra Pradesh, India from 2021 to 2023, with sample sizes of 179 girls in Year 1, 122 girls in Year 2, and 223 girls in Year 3. The assessment examined how GLOW Club programming strengthens the foundational CASEL Social and Emotional Learning competencies that girls need to develop their agency, voice, and power, alongside four additional areas: leadership, self-advocacy, positive future outlook, and gender equality beliefs.

Across three annual cohorts, girls demonstrated statistically significant gains in Social and Emotional Learning and related skills, with the strongest improvements observed in Year 1 and in Year 3. Gains were seen across decision-making, leadership, social awareness, self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, gender equality beliefs, and future outlook.

The findings also reflect changes at home and signs of broader community impact. Drawn from surveys collected before and after each program year, the evaluation shows how consistent mentorship can support personal growth and strengthen girls' relationships within their families and communities.

Key findings from the Andhra Pradesh GLOW Club study include:

• 36% increase in responsible decision-making skills after Year 1 of GLOW Club
• 21% overall increase in Social and Emotional Learning and related skills after Year 1 of GLOW Club
• 100% of girls advanced to the next academic grade after Years 2 and 3 of GLOW Club
• After one year of programming, parental support for daughters' higher education increased from 74% to 96%
• After one year of programming, parents' preferred marriage age for daughters rose from 19 to 21

Some of the most significant gains came in Year 1, when the introduction of Social and Emotional Learning concepts laid a foundation for growth. Overall outcomes improved by 21%, with the biggest jumps in decision-making (36%), leadership (29%), and social awareness (24%). Other areas, including self-awareness, self-management, gender equality beliefs, and future outlook, also saw meaningful growth. In Year 3, girls across that cohort showed a 12% overall improvement, with gains seen at every program site.

Among the evaluation's most notable secondary findings, grade progression stood out as a meaningful indicator of broader impact. In Years 2 and 3, every participating girl (100%) advanced to the next academic grade, while 89% progressed in Year 1. In a region where dropout is often shaped by early marriage, traditional household responsibilities, and limited family support, full grade advancement across two consecutive cohorts stands out as one of the study's most tangible secondary findings.

In Year 1, the evaluation found that family attitudes had already begun to shift. Parental support for daughters' higher education rose from 74% to 96%, reflecting a meaningful change in what the same parents envisioned for their daughters' futures. Families also reported raising their preferred age of marriage for daughters, from 19 to 21, an important indicator of changing expectations at the household level.

The quantitative findings were echoed in girls' own words. A GLOW Club participant in Andhra Pradesh shared: "Before GLOW Club, I thought that only elders or boys could make decisions. But now, I speak confidently in my family and community, sharing my ideas and standing alongside boys as equals."

These findings point to a meaningful ripple effect: When girls build Social and Emotional Learning skills through consistent mentorship, the impact extends to their families and communities.

"Our work is grounded in a simple but powerful vision: That every girl should be able to use her agency, voice, and power to design a life of her own choosing," says Michele Coleman, Director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning at Global Girls Glow. "When a girl is powerful, she has a positive influence on her family and those around her. When girls grow in confidence and leadership, parents start to shift their expectations, communities begin to challenge gender norms, and systems become more responsive. When girls have consistent access to mentorship and skill building, the results extend beyond the individual."

Together, these findings reinforce Global Girls Glow's belief that investing in girls' social and emotional development is a powerful catalyst for lasting change. By equipping girls with the skills, confidence, and support systems they need to lead, GLOW Club is not only transforming individual trajectories, but also contributing to shifts in families, communities, and broader social norms.

About Global Girls Glow
Global Girls Glow mentors girls around the world to become powerful advocates and confident leaders. Since inception, our signature program, GLOW Club, has ignited the power of over 100,000 girls to do 3 transformative things: increase their confidence, strengthen their voice, and build their power. We sharpen girls' advocacy skills by supporting specialty summits, sponsoring girl-led community advocacy projects, and engaging in U.N. advocacy, reaching 2 million people annually. Our outcome evaluations demonstrate that girls experience growth in confidence and a more positive future outlook, along with measurable progress in their own lives and in their communities.

SOURCE Global Girls Glow