Perspectives on agency from adolescent girls in Muong Khuong District, Lao Cai, Vietnam

• In Event: From surviving to thriving: Participatory research with and for girls’ agency in marginalized communities across Africa and Asia

Proposal

This study reports on research conducted with ethnic minority girls in Muong Khuong District, Lao Cai, Vietnam. Girls in Lao Cai described agency as tính tự chủ, or the ability to make life choices, linked to happiness, confidence, and growth. Their ability to act was shaped by individual (self-efficacy, negotiation skills, and education), relational (supportive relationships at home, school, and via social media, and a shared co-agency in decision-making), and systemic levels (poverty, gender norms, and unequal access to quality education) . The report stresses the need for an ecosystemic approach to advance girls’ agency. Ultimately, fostering girls’ agency requires collective and coordinated action across communities, systems, and global networks to create more inclusive and equitable societies.

Author

• Tran Tran, Learning and Action Alliance for Girls' Agency