The World Bank joined governments and the private sector today to launch the Adolescent Girls Initiative (AGI) to promote the economic empowerment of adolescent girls in poor and post-conflict countries...The AGI is being piloted in Liberia through a partnership between the Bank, the Nike Foundation...It will be expanded in the coming year to include Afghanistan, Nepal, Rwanda, South Sudan...“...Every global company should invest in the girl effect. Economists have demonstrated that it is the best possible return on investment,” said Mark Parker, President and CEO of Nike...Public and private sector partners pledged today around $20 million to fund the Initiative, including: The Nike Foundation $3M. [also refers to Cisco, Standard Chartered, Goldman Sachs]