El Salvador Sponsorship Program – Baseline Report Brief (Calapa Program, 2025)

This Baseline Report Brief presents the findings of the CALAPA Sponsorship Program in El Salvador, implemented in nine districts of La Unión Norte. The program aims to empower very young adolescent (VYA) girls aged 9–14 to thrive in safe and protective environments while challenging harmful social and gender norms. Using a mixed-methods pre-post evaluation design, the baseline collected data from 326 children, 206 caregivers, 27 community leaders, and 17 child protection service providers.

Findings reveal low levels of girls’ empowerment (18%), limited mobility, and persistent inequitable gender norms, with only 16% of participants approving more than 12 out of 16 equitable norms. Service providers scored moderately (3.8/5) but showed critical gaps in child participation and child-friendly spaces, especially in health units. Only 29% of families were classified as transformative and just 14% of leaders implemented six or more good child protection practices. The report highlights urgent needs to strengthen positive parenting, enhance community-based protection mechanisms, and improve inclusive, gender-transformative services.