; (2) the United States has been a global leader in efforts to expand and improve educational opportunities for those who have been traditionally disenfranchised, particularly women and girls; (3) gains with respect to girls’ secondary education and empowerment have been proven to correlate strongly with progress in gender equality and women’s rights, as well as economic and social progress, and achieving gender equality should be a priority goal of United States foreign policy; (4) achieving gender parity in both access to and quality of educational opportunity contributes significantly to economic growth and development, thereby lowering the risk for violence and instability; and (5) education is a lifesaving humanitarian intervention that protects the lives, futures, and well-being of girls. 5. Secondary education for adolescent girls (a) Authority The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development may enter into acquisition, assistance, or results-based financing agreements, including agreements combining more than one such feature, for activities addressing the barriers described in subsection (b) that adolescent girls face in accessing a quality secondary education. Such activities shall— (1) set outcome-based targets to demonstrate qualitative gains; (2) use existing United States Government strategies and frameworks relevant to international basic education and gender equality, including evidence-based interventions, to— (A) integrate new technologies and approaches, including to establish or continue public-private partnerships or to pilot the use of development impact bonds; (B) to the greatest extent possible, apply quasi-experimental and scientific, research-based approaches; (C) promote inclusive, equitable and sustainable educational achievement; (D) support a responsible transition to education systems that are sustainably financed by domestic governments; and (E) achieve transparent results that are verified by an independent and empowered evaluator