你发短信的人很重要：短信框架的性别效应和社会影响对青年培训招生的影响（英）

WHO YOU TEXT MATTERS:GENDEREDEFFECTS OF TEXT MESSAGEFRAMING AND SOCIAL INFLUENCEON YOUTH TRAINING ENROLLMENTPublic Disclosure Authorized ABOUT THEAFRICA GENDERINNOVATION LAB The World Bank’s Africa GenderInnovationLab(GIL)conductsimpact evaluations of developmentinterventionsinSub-SaharanAfrica,seekingtogenerateevidence on how to close gendergapsin earnings,productivity,assets, and agency. The GIL teamiscurrently working on over 80impact evaluations in more than 30countries with the aim of buildingan evidence base for the region. Authors: Jeannie Annan, Patrice Boa, Clara Delavallade, David Evans, Marie-FranceGuimond, Estelle Koussoubé, Léa Rouanet, Joséphine Tassy1 KEY MESSAGES •In Côte d’Ivoire, the Africa Gender Innovation Lab (GIL) tested whether varying thecontent and recipientof text message reminders could boost youth enrollment ina skills training program. •Our study finds thatSMS reminders sent to youth alone had no impact onenrollment.However, when bothyouth and their nominated contactreceivedmessages, enrollment shifted sometimes positively, but more often negatively.Public Disclosure Authorized •Theanalysis revealed strong gender dynamics:the same message couldencourage enrollment for women but discourage men. Moreover,male contactsappeared to exert greater influence on youth decision-making than female contacts. Theimpact objective of GIL istoincrease take-up of effectivepoliciesbygovernments,developmentorganizations,andtheprivate sector to addressthe underlying causes of genderinequality in Africa, particularly interms of women’s economic andsocial empowerment. GIL aims todo this by producing and deliveringanew body of evidence anddeveloping a compelling narrative,geared towards policymakers, onwhatworks and what does notwork in promoting gender equality. •Message framing also mattered.When both youth and contacts were targeted,messagesemphasizing long-term career benefits reduced enrollment amongmen only, while messages highlighting that the program was free discouragedenrollment for both genders. •The only positive effectwas observed when messages emphasizing careerbenefits were sent to women and their male contacts, underscoring the interplayof gender and social context shaping program take-up.Public Disclosure Authorized •Trustand credibility proved critical.Even well-intentioned reminders candiscourage participation when recipients lack confidence in the program or perceiveit as low quality—highlighting the importance of clear, credible, and context-awarecommunication. TheauthorsthankNelsyAffoumforthepreparationofthisbrief. https://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/africa-gender-innovation-lab CONTEXT revealed a significant drop-off between registration andenrollment, limiting the program’s effectiveness. WithSub-Saharan Africa’s working-age populationprojected to reach 1.3 billion by 2050—one quarter of theglobal labor force—creating economic opportunities foryouth is an urgent priority. Yet 20–30% of young peopleare currently not in employment, education, or training,underscoring the need to equip them with relevant skills.Technical and vocational education and training (TVET)programs have shown promise in improving employmentoutcomes, but their impact is often constrained by lowparticipation rates. Thisstudy,led by the World Bank’s Africa GenderInnovationLab(GIL),investigates whether behavioralSMSinterventions can increase participation byaddressing informational and social barriers to enrollment.Specifically, it tests how message framing and recipientidentity (youth vs. youth & contact) shape enrollment in ayouth employment program in Côte d’Ivoire. The resultspresented here summarize findings fromAnnan et al.(2025). InCôte d’Ivoire,where youth unemployment andunderemploymentremain high despite substantialpublicinvestment in skills training,the PRO-Jeunesemployment program, implemented by the InternationalRescueCommittee(IRC),was designed to providebusiness and employment readiness services to approx.10,000 vulnerable youth aged 15-30, over the course offive years (2017-2021). The program used a two-stagerecruitment process: (1) youth first register and expressinterest in the program, then (2) eligible applicants areinvited to an enrollment meeting.However, early data The design of the SMS intervention was informed byqualitative fieldwork conducted in 2019, which helpedidentifythe social dynamics most relevant to youthdecision-making.These preliminary insights showedthat familial and peer networks play a central role inshaping youth aspirations and decision-making, in linewith the literature. Importantly, these social influences aregendered. In many low- and middle-income countries,includingCôte d’Ivoire,young women face specificbarriers to labor market participation and may be subjectto distinct familial and societal expectations. HERE’S WHAT WE DID We designed a randomized controlled trial to test theimpact of: Two message framings: •Free SMS: Highlighted that the