An overview of the work of What Works, including a look at the scale of the problem, the different manifestations of VAWG, its causes, and the role of food insecurity, gender attitudes, disability, and violence against children.

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Details of a three-year project currently running across four villages in two districts of rural Tajikistan. The project is working with family units, addressing IPV and domestic violence, and also the impact of disability in experiences of VAWG. Includes research findings and the impact of the intervention.

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Is Right to Play effective in reducing peer victimisation in Pakistan and also in improving attitudes towards gender roles, and improving youth mental health and school performance? This informative brief includes methodology, findings regarding the relationship between disability and violence, and also the intersection of corporal punishment by teachers and peer violence, and makes policy recommendations.

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Corboz, J., Hemat, O., Siddiq, W., & Jewkes, R. (2018). Children's peer violence perpetration and victimization: Prevalence and associated factors among school children in Afghanistan. PLoS one, 13(2), e0192768.

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Authors: Ballantine, C., Fenny, A., Asante, F. and Duvvury, N.1

South Sudan is a country devastated by war. Since the end of colonial rule, there have been few years when the country has not been affected by conflict. Against this backdrop, the population has largely held to traditional values and close family ties. The world’s newest independent country, it is dominated by strong traditions and low levels of Western-style development. South Sudan shares land borders with 6 countries, making its stability a concern across the Horn of Africa (Frontier Economics et al. 2015). Even as war and conflict persist, so too does daily life, although the social and economic life of the country have been profoundly eroded by constant conflicts. The basis of South Sudan’s development has been, and will remain, its population. The wellbeing and status of women is a fundamental part of this.

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Baseline Evaluation of a Peace Education and Prevention of Violence Program in Jawzjan province, Afghanistan

This report presents the findings of a baseline study conducted to evaluate a peace education and prevention of violence intervention implemented by Help the Afghan Children (HTAC) in Jawzjan province, Afghanistan. This intervention is being implemented and evaluated as part of the What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls? Global Programme, funded by UK aid.

HTAC’s intervention aims to prevent violence perpetrated against children and between children by implementing peace education programming in schools and communities based on a comprehensive peace education curriculum and complemented by interventions aimed to reduce teacher use of corporal punishment, and work with families and communities to promote more equitable gender norms and reduce the use of violence against women and children.

The baseline study involved surveying 770 students (350 boys and 420 girls) in grades seven and eight, and 400 teachers (85 male teachers and 315 female teachers), in 11 schools in Jawzjan province where HTAC is implementing its peace education curriculum.

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What do we mean by social norms?

Gibbs, A., Corboz, J., Shafiq, M., Marofi, F., Mecagni, A., Mann, C., ... & Jewkes, R. (2018). An individually randomized controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of the Women for Women International Programme in reducing intimate partner violence and strengthening livelihoods amongst women in Afghanistan: trial design, methods and baseline findings. BMC Public Health, 18(1), 164.

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Stern, E., & Niyibizi, L. L. (2018). Shifting Perceptions of Consequences of IPV Among Beneficiaries of Indashyikirwa: An IPV Prevention Program in Rwanda. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 0886260517752156.

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Gibbs, A., Jewkes, R., Karim, F., Marofi, F., & Corboz, J. (2018). Understanding how Afghan women utilise a gender transformative and economic empowerment intervention: A qualitative study. Global Public Health, 1-11.

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Clark, C. J., Ferguson, G., Shrestha, B., Shrestha, P. N., Oakes, J. M., Gupta, J., ... & Yount, K. M. (2018). Social norms and women's risk of intimate partner violence in Nepal. Social Science & Medicine.

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Stern, E., Heise, L., & McLean, L. (2018). The doing and undoing of male household decision-making and economic authority in Rwanda and its implications for gender transformative programming. Culture, health & sexuality, 20(9), 976-991.

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This presentation, given by Professor Rachel Jewkes, Executive Scientist in the office of the President, South African Medical Research Council and Consortium Director, What Works Global Programme, examines different types of IPV, and assesses the relative importance of key driving factors, including poverty, food insecurity, social norms regarding both gender and the use of violence, and disability. The presentation outlines tasks to combat IPV and illustrates the beneficial effects of economic empowerment and gender empowerment, and of changing social norms.

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Women and girls in South Sudan continue to be at a heightened risk of VAWG including conflict related sexual violence, both in protection camps and in their homes. This presentation outlines IRC programmes dedicated to VAWG prevention and recommendations for how best to expand upon the work taking place.

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What are the forms, trends and prevalence of different forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in South Sudan? What are the direct and indirect drivers of VAWG, and how are they influenced by the different conflicts that have taken place in South Sudan? Based on a household survey of 2244 women and 481 men, and in-depth Interviews with over 500 key stakeholders, survivors and community members, this presentation looks at the prevalence of sexual assaults by non-partners, and physical and sexual violence by intimate partners, and examines the extent to which these are influenced by experience of conflict. The presentation concludes with a series of recommendations to tackle the issues raised.

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This presentation, given by Henri Myrttinen, International Alert, looks at the ongoing work of a three-year project taking place in four villages in two districts of Tajikistan, featuring 271 beneficiaries. The ethnic Tajik and Uzbek villages are all affected by circular out-migration. Findings indicate among the highest levels of VAWG in the What Works consortium, caused in part by male labour migration (Russia, less to Kazakhstan), structural food insecurity (esp. women), low income levels, very high levels of economic precarity and living on debt, and substance abuse.

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This presentation is an assessment of the approach, tools, challenges and successes of the Change intervention by Equal Access in Nepal. Changes noticed included increased communication between couples, joint decision-making, sharing of household chores, and participants learning to speak out against IPV and VAWG.

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A household survey taken in Ituri, DRC, reveals shocking levels of IPV and sexual violence. This presentation looks at the benefits of engaging with faith groups to prevent violence in conflict-affected communities. It assesses the reach and influence of faith groups and leaders, and how they have the capacity to change gender attitude. This is facilitated by training faith leaders and gender champions, and a programme of community dialogues.

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This presentation assesses the aims and efficacy of a programme seeking to foster change in knowledge, attitudes skills and behaviour to promote non-violent relationships. This involves creating enabling environments through training and supporting opinion leaders and promoting women’s safe spaces. It assesses the lessons learned from working with couples and from the women’s safe spaces.

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Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a serious human rights violation and an urgent global health and security challenge. It has been recognised as a key obstacle to development in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A ecting 35% of women globally, VAWG is both under-reported and under-addressed.¹ In South Sudan, VAWG is widespread and while it predates the decades of con ict the country has endured, the on-going violence has exacerbated an already serious issue. Beginning with the civil war in 2013, South Sudan has been in a constant state of crisis, made more acute by extremely high levels of food insecurity and subsequent risk of famine and starvation. All of these factors have put women and girls at even greater risk of violence from both partners and non-partners.

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