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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Last month the Research to Action Roundtable series brought together a group of evaluators from the DFID-funded What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls programme. The panelists included Professor Tamsin Bradley (Evaluation Research Lead), Dr Sheena Crawford (Team Lead on Performance Evaluation), Katherine Liakos from IMC (project managers of the evaluation), and Megan Lloyd-Laney (Research Uptake Lead). The Roundtable comprised discussions of the objectives and approaches of the evaluation process, insights into challenges unique to a programme of this type as well as the broader learning outcomes that could be shared with the wider evaluation community.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Communication Protocol for Research Uptake. This document outlines the best methods and best practice for sharing and supporting uptake of results with a wide but targeted audience including policy makers, donors, NGOs, academics and the general public, through multiple communication activities such as stakeholder forums, policy briefs, peer reviewed publications, conference papers, reports, blogs, twitter feeds, short videos, Facebook posts and the media. There are guidelines on use of language, logos, photographs and social media.

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This is a database of 27 presentations delivered at the What Works Annual Scientific Meeting in Pretoria in July 2017. Presentations include subjects ranging from violence and disability, the role of poverty, effects of conflict, and violence against children. Other topics tackled include the prevalence, forms and types of violence, the economic cost of VAWG the importance of faith-based solutions, and violence in refugee camps

Download the 2017 ASM & Capacity Development Workshop Presentations here!

This report offers a comprehensive review of the annual What Works scientific meeting that took place over two days in July 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa. The meeting, and subsequent report, focused on the analysis of research from the previous year, and a study of how to use the research to influence VAWG policy and programming going forward. The meeting focused on four key thematic areas: Poverty and the Role of Economic Empowerment in VAWG Prevention; The Intersection Between Violence Against Women and Girls and Violence Against Children; Violence and Disabilities; and VAWG in Conflict and Humanitarian Settings. Other areas of interest included Emerging Findings in a Nutshell; Types and Prevalence of VAWG; and Synergies across projects.

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This study presents the results of the formative research phase of a larger project that was funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and that was supported by the ‘What Works’ consortium to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG). This project titled: “Utilising Innovative Media to End Violence against Women and Girls Through community Education and Outreach” was undertaken in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). It was implemented by Ma’an Network in strategic collaboration with 16 local partner non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the oPt. It focuses on all areas of the West Bank and Gaza. The formative research was carried out by the Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD)…

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