Measuring agency as a dimension of empowerment among young adolescents globally; findings from the Global Early Adolescent Study

•Agency, a domain of empowerment, is a measurable construct amongst early adolescents age 10-14.•Three sub-scales - Voice, Freedom of Movement, and Behavioral Control and Decision-making - comprise the measurement of agency.•Differences in the Freedom of Movement sub-scale show a growing equity gap between boys and girls across multiple countries.•Users of the scales must consider context when adapting the items to account for differences in culture and environment.