India: Milaan Foundation, a nonprofit social impact organisation working to empower adolescent girls nationwide, has released the Impact Assessment Report for its flagship Girl Icon Programme. Launched in 2015, the programme strives to provide life-skills-based leadership training to adolescent girls aged 12–18 across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka, who in turn mentor groups of 20 Peer Girls from their local communities. To date, the programme has impacted over 1,00,000 girls. Over the years, the communities in which the programme functions have demonstrated measurable improvements in education, leadership, digital literacy, health awareness, and financial empowerment.
The study assessed the programme’s impact on 65 Girl Icons, 403 Peer Girls, and 403 Control Group participants. Girl Icons are adolescent girls selected as programme participants and trained as leaders within their communities, while Peer Girls are members of cohorts mobilised by the Girl Icons to expand the programme’s reach at the grassroots level. The programme has significantly improved educational outcomes, with 94 per cent of Girl Icons and 92 per cent of Peer Girls pursuing education, compared to 39 per cent in the Control Group. Moreover, enrollment by Girl Icons (49 per cent) in higher secondary education is nearly double that of the Control Group (25 per cent).
The Girl Icon Programme is also working to bridge the digital gender divide, with 97 per cent of Girl Icons having smartphone access and 94 per cent possessing email addresses, compared to only 72 per cent and 40 per cent among Peer Girls and 56 per cent and 19 per cent in the Control Group. This digital empowerment is opening doors to educational and career opportunities. The programme has also reduced child marriages among Girl Icons, with 100 per cent of Peer Girls remaining unmarried, in 
contrast to 32 per cent of the Control Group. Additionally, health awareness has improved significantly, with 85 per cent of Girl Icons understanding menstruation as normal, compared to 59 per cent of the Control Group. Awareness of contraceptives and HIV/AIDS among Girl Icons stands at 76.9 per cent and 90.7 per cent, far exceeding the Control Group’s 24.1 per cent and 35.7 per cent.
The report also highlights the programme’s positive impact on participants’ financial empowerment, with 91 per cent of Girl Icons having savings accounts and 81 per cent saving regularly, compared to 67 per cent and 70 per cent in the Control Group. Alongside individual growth, the programme has even driven community transformation through 1,600 Social Action Projects in the 2023-24 cohort, addressing issues such as education, menstrual health, and child marriage and impacting 239,408 community members.
Rati Misra, Executive Director of Milaan Foundation, said, “The findings of this report reaffirm the life-changing impact of the Girl Icon Programme and inspire us to do more. With over 36,000 adolescent girls already empowered, we see this as just the beginning. By incorporating cultural sensitivity into menstrual health education, enhancing reproductive health workshops, and broadening our outreach, we aim to create a future where every girl can realise her full potential and lead her community toward a brighter tomorrow.”
The Milaan Foundation’s flagship initiative has also reshaped community perceptions, with 76.67 per cent of community influencers expressing pride in having a Girl Icon represent their village. By cultivating a culture of inclusion and reducing gender and caste discrimination, the programme is paving the way for a more equitable society.
