A crucial juncture for evidence-based action to end violence against children (With A. Peterman, J. Njagi, A. Guedes) Nov. 2025 The Lancet Adolescent Child & Health
Gendered Impacts of Climate Change: Evidence from Weather Shocks (With Fruttero A., D. Halim, C. Broccolini, B. Coelho, N. Muller). Sept. 2024. Environmental Research: Climate
Free Compulsory Education Can Mitigate COVID-19 Disruptions’ Adverse Effects on Child Schooling (With S. Dessy, L. Tiberti and M. Tiberti). Oct. 2023. Economics of Education Review Previously circulated as "COVID-19 and Children's Resilience: Evidence from Nigeria"
Raising Awareness About the Risk of Irregular Migration: Quasi‐Experimental Evidence from Guinea (With J. Tjaden) Population and Development Review (PDR), 48(3), 745-766. March 2022. Top cited paper among work published in an issue between 1 January 2021 - 15 December 2023
Mobilizing a Voice for Science to Promote Vaccination: The Health Ambassadors Multi-site Randomized Controlled Trial (With Bado et al.). Draft available upon request
Vaccine hesitancy undermined COVID-19 responses in sub-Saharan Africa, where mistrust in institutions and misinformation limited the impact of mass communication campaigns. Personalized, analytic engagement holds promise for reducing misinformation, but it remains under-tested in low-trust, lower-income contexts. We conducted a pre-registered, multi-site cluster randomized controlled trial in Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, Senegal, and Zimbabwe. Trained “Health Ambassadors”, community health workers or recent medical graduates, visited vaccine-hesitant households using a structured conversational method. Outcomes were measured with a validated Vaccine Trust Indicator (VTI) and vaccination behavior. Personal engagement increased VTI scores by 0.15 SD on average, with larger effects (up to 0.70 SD) among never-vaccinated individuals, those with low baseline VTI, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. In Malawi, where vaccines were widely available, the intervention significantly increased first-time vaccination. Interpersonal engagement by trained health workers increases vaccine trust and uptake among the most hesitant and vulnerable, providing a scalable complement to mass communication in epidemic response.
When Violence Undermines Tradition: The Unexpected Collapse of FGM under Boko Haram (With S. Dessy, L. Tiberti and M. Tiberti). Under review
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) remains a deeply rooted practice across sub-Saharan Africa, often resistant to individual opposition. Yet, communal upheavals can realign private decisions, opening pathways to collective abandonment. This paper tests whether FGM persists due to widespread preference or coordination failure, using the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria—where FGM typically occurs before the age of one—as a natural experiment. Linking georeferenced conflict data with household surveys in a dynamic staggered Difference-in-Differences framework, we find that exposure to this insurgency significantly reduces the likelihood that girls aged 0–14 undergo FGM. A replication in Sierra Leone—where FGM typically occurs in adolescence—supports the external validity of this result. We identify three key mechanisms: economic disruption from aggregate income shocks, heightened health risks due to weakened infrastructure, and the conflict-induced erosion of pro-FGM beliefs. The findings suggest that coordination failure is a key barrier to abandonment. Policy interventions should aim to replicate the coordination effects of systemic shocks—by engaging local leaders, amplifying counter-narratives, and shifting collective expectations—to accelerate the decline of FGM.
Child Marriage Bans and Spousal Abuse: Evidence from Nigeria
Despite the increasing adoption of policies aimed at reducing child marriage in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, the developmental impact of these policies remains understudied and poorly understood. This study tests whether the 2003 Nigeria Child Marriage Ban—which prohibits marriage of children under the age of 18—has led to a reduction in Intimate Partner Violence Against Women (IPVAW). Using a Difference-in-Difference strategy that exploits variation in the intensity of the policy across states and cohorts, I find that the Child Marriage Ban effectively reduced the incidence of IPVAW. By exploring the channels that mediate the Child Marriage Ban's negative effect on IPVAW, I identified short-term factors such as an increase in age at first marriage and higher levels of education. On the other hand, I found that the long-term factors contributing to the negative effect of the program on IPVAW include women's engagement in the labor market, asset ownership, enhanced bargaining power within their households, and a decreased likelihood of being in polygamous relationships. The findings shed light on the role of child marriage policies on women's well-being and underscore the importance of empowering women through legal measures for broader societal development and gender equality.
Infrastructure Upgrades and Household Resilience: Evidence from San Salvador (With Echevin D. and Tejerina L.). Under review
This paper evaluates the impact of a large-scale infrastructure upgrading program in informal settlements of San Salvador aimed at strengthening resilience to climate-related shocks. Using a difference-in-differences approach and a three-wave household panel (2011, 2013, 2019), it provides causal evidence that the program reduced households’ exposure to shocks by nearly 20 percentage points and lowered harmful coping strategies, particularly among the most vulnerable. However, the program did not succeed in reversing deeply entrenched vulnerabilities among households already heavily affected by past shocks; instead, it primarily functioned as a preventive mechanism, delivering greater benefits to households with limited prior shock exposure. Key channels included improved road access and market connectivity, which enhanced income, asset accumulation, and community well-being. Overall, the findings highlight how targeted infrastructure investments can mitigate climate vulnerability, alleviate poverty, and promote inclusive urban development, while underscoring the importance of complementary policies to reach the most disadvantaged groups.
The Impact of Mobile Cinema Events on Potential Migrants in Guinea (With ML Bia-Zafinikamia and J. Tjaden). 2020.
La Creation d’Emploi au Bénin: Un Défi Majeur. 2019.
La gouvernance, affecte-t-elle la volonté des Béninois à payer leurs taxes? 2018.
La peur et l’expérience de la criminalité augmentent au Bénin. 2018.
Les Béninois approuvent la gratuité de l’éducation mais préfèrent la qualité. 2018.
La Tolérance Sociale au Bénin; Acquis et Défis (With R. Houessou). 2018.
Les Forces de Sécurité au Bénin: L’expérience et la Confiance Mitigée des Citoyens. 2018.
Regional integration for Africa: Could stronger public support turn ‘rhetoric into reality’? (With M. Olapade and E. Serlomey). 2016.
En Guinée, l’Intérêt à la Vie Politique est Faible, Mais la Perception des Libertés est Forte (With M. Billo Bah). 2016.
Les Guinéens Désapprouvent la Gestion des Problèmes Prioritaires par le Gouvernement (With D. Kaba). 2016.
Community Engagement and Promoting Positive Masculinities to End Harmful Practices (with Peterman A., Tchibozo A., Dumbaugh M.)
Impact Evaluation of Ghana’s Promoting Adolescent Safe Spaces (PASS) Program (with Kibsu Y., Iacolla F., Peterman A. & al.)
Sahel Women's Empowerment, Demographic Dividend, and Reproductive Health: Evidence from Mauritania and Chad (With M. Olapde). Data collection complete
Examining the Impact of Supplementary Math Courses with a Focus on Girls (with M. Yedomiffi, M. Olapade, L. Wantchekon). Data collection complete