Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Using Gender-Transformative Approaches at a Community Level in Rural Tanzania: The UZIKWASA program

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognised as an important public health and social problem, with far reaching consequences for women's physical and emotional health and social well-being, yet little is known about how behaviour change campaigns impact on this type of behaviour and other related abuses in Tanzania and in other sub-Saharan African countries. UZIKWASA is a civil society organization based in Pangani District in coastal Tanzania and since 2009 has conducted Behaviour Change Campaigns (BCCs) focused on promoting gender justice and effective leadership. As with other complex programmes there is a question about how such approaches affect norms and practice in relation to violence against women and girls. Drawing on longitudinal research utilising over 1000 community diary entries (hearsay ethnographies) and qualitative methods using 20 in-depth interviews and 16 focus group discussions with women and men, and adolescent girls and boys, this paper explores the ways in which UZIKWASA's programme effects change. The findings reveal personal and community narratives about gender-based and intimate partner violence as forms of retributive justice and assertion of authority by men. Drawing on gender performance as an explanation for violence, the research revealed changes in norms and practice in relation to violence against women and girls. Thus,we argue that UZIKWASA is gender-transformative by addressing gender norms, and the critical awareness amongst leaders and the community of the social construction and reconstruction of gender that creates the context for real impact on changes in behaviour.

Positive Masculinities and Gender-Based Violence Educational Interventions Among Young People: A Systematic Review

“…The other outcomes related to lifestyles, including healthy sexuality, contraceptive use, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk, HIV incidence, sexual risk and protection, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) knowledge, AIDS stigma, and early pregnancy (Doyle et al, 2018; Dworkin et al, 2013; Freudberg et al, 2018; Jewkes et al, 2008; Kalichman et al, 2009; Lees et al, 2019), drug/alcohol consumption (Ashburn et al, 2016; Dworkin, et al, 2013; Jewkes et al, 2008; Kalichman et al, 2009), and new roles in households, equitable division of labor and parenting (Dworkin et al, 2013). Other GBV-related outcomes included attitudes toward IPV, gender relations and rights, gender norms, recognition of abusive behaviors, and intention to intervene in IPV cases ( n = 13).…”

“…For most studies, the time that elapsed between implementation and evaluation ranged from 3 months (Dworkin et al, 2013; Freudberg et al, 2018; Gibbs et al, 2017; Hatcher et al, 2014; Hossain et al, 2014; Kalichman et al, 2009; Lees et al, 2019; Miller et al, 2014) to 2 years (Doyle et al, 2018; Gibbs et al, 2014; Jewkes et al, 2008). Two studies did not specify the time of follow-up (Ashburn et al, 2016; A.…”

“…Only two studies did not use a control group (Freudberg et al, 2018; Kalichman et al, 2009). Studies with a qualitative methodology used intervention groups only for the in-depth interviews or focus groups (Dworkin et al, 2013; Freudberg et al, 2018; Gibbs et al, 2017; Gibbs et al, 2014; Hatcher et al, 2014; Lees et al, 2019).…”

“…F. Salazar et al, 2014: p ¼ .04). Only one study reported no changes in the risk of SV (Lees et al, 2019).…”

Intimate partner violence and HIV testing during antenatal care: A latent class analysis to identify risk factors for HIV infection in mothers and their children in the United Republic of Tanzania

“…Intervention programs for IPV in rural Tanzania exist [21], however, lack of resources and access, as well as cultural norms and behaviors may affect the efficiency and efficacy of programs. Education has often been considered a critical factor in mitigating IPV, yet Tanzania has compulsory education up to the primary level [22].…”