An integrated approach to increasing women’s empowerment status and reducing domestic violence: Results of a cluster-randomized controlled trial in a West African country.

Ismayilova, Leyla; Karimli, Leyla; Gaveras, Eleni; Tô-Camier, Alexice; Sanson, Jo; Chaffin, Josh; Nanema, Rachel

doi:10.1037/vio0000136

Cited by 31 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Five SHG and VSLA studies used an experimental design. This included Bass et al (2016), Beaman et al (2014), Desai and Joshic (2013), Ismayilova et al (2018), Karlan et al (2017) and Kumar et al (2018). All six studies had some concerns related to risk of bias.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strengthening women's empowerment and gender equality in fragile contexts towards peaceful and inclusive societies: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Lwamba¹,

Shisler²,

Ridlehoover³

et al. 2022

Campbell Systematic Reviews

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Background Across the globe, gender disparities still exist with regard to equitable access to resources, participation in decision‐making processes, and gender and sexual‐based violence. This is particularly true in fragile and conflict‐affected settings, where women and girls are affected by both fragility and conflict in unique ways. While women have been acknowledged as key actors in peace processes and post‐conflict reconstruction (e.g., through the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda) evidence on the effectiveness of gender‐specific and gender‐transformative interventions to improve women's empowerment in fragile and conflict‐affected states and situations (FCAS) remains understudied. Objectives The purpose of this review was to synthesize the body of evidence around gender‐specific and gender‐transformative interventions aimed at improving women's empowerment in fragile and conflict‐affected settings with high levels of gender inequality. We also aimed to identify barriers and facilitators that could affect the effectiveness of these interventions and to provide implications for policy, practice and research designs within the field of transitional aid. Methods We searched for and screened over 100,000 experimental and quasi‐experimental studies focused on FCAS at the individual and community levels. We used standard methodological procedures outlined by the Campbell Collaboration for the data collection and analysis, including quantitative and qualitative analyses, and completed the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) methodology to assess the certainty around each body of evidence. Results We identified 104 impact evaluations (75% randomised controlled trials) assessing the effects of 14 different types of interventions in FCAS. About 28% of included studies were assessed as having a high risk of bias (45% among quasi‐experimental designs). Interventions supporting women's empowerment and gender equality in FCAS produced positive effects on the outcomes related to the primary focus of the intervention. There are no significant negative effects of any included interventions. However, we observe smaller effects on behavioural outcomes further along the causal chain of empowerment. Qualitative syntheses indicated that gender norms and practices are potential barriers to intervention effectiveness, while working with local powers and institutions can facilitate the uptake and legitimacy of interventions. Conclusions We observe gaps of rigorous evidence in certain regions (notably MENA and Latin America) and in interventions specifically targeting women as actors of peacebuilding. Gender norms and practices are important elements to consider in programme design and implementation to maximise potential benefits: focusing on empowerment only might not be enough in the absence of targeting the restrictive gender norms and practices that may undermine intervention effectiveness. Lastly, programme designers and im...

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strengthening women's empowerment and gender equality in fragile contexts towards peaceful and inclusive societies: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Lwamba¹,

Shisler²,

Ridlehoover³

et al. 2022

Campbell Systematic Reviews

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…We failed to find evidence of improvements in women’s agency at the relationship/family level around decision making or uses of the loans provided through the program. Although the evidence remains mixed, some studies have shown that strengthening women’s agency can lead to a reduction in IPV by improving their involvement in decision making (Hadi, 2005; Iyengar & Ferrari, 2011) and enhancing their financial autonomy (Ismayilova et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Missed Opportunities for Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Through Microcredit: Qualitative Findings From Bangladesh

Robinson

Stephenson

Merrill

et al. 2020

Violence Against Women

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Microcredit has shown mixed results when used to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV). This study explored microcredit and IPV in Bangladesh by conducting 12 focus groups with married men and women. Participants described challenges to microcredit participation highlighting “missed opportunities” for reducing IPV, including needs to (a) prevent violence sparked by loan disputes, (b) incorporate skill development to improve women’s agency as a means of reducing IPV, and (c) mindfully engage men in the loan process to help address men’s unequal gender ideologies. These modifications to microcredit programs are proposed to maximize positive change on gender and IPV.

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“…The literature on the connection between women’s economic empowerment and risk of IPV is mixed, though it has focused thus far on physical, emotional, and/or sexual forms of IPV and not economic coercion (Ismayilova et al, 2018; Naved et al, 2018; Schuler & Nazneen, 2018). Yount, Cheong, Khan, et al (2021) found no evidence that women’s participation in microfinance programs increased their risk of IPV, including economic coercion.…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Men’s use of economic coercion against women in rural Bangladesh.

Dore¹,

Hennink²,

Naved³

et al. 2022

Psychology of Violence

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Objective: Bangladesh is historically a patriarchal society, but has made recent strides in increasing educational and economic opportunities for women. Yet men continue to perpetrate economic coercion and other forms of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women in Bangladesh. This study examines how men in rural Bangladesh shape the economic activities of their wives within the context of changing norms around women's involvement in economic domains. Men's perspectives are not often explored in the literature and can provide valuable insight into how and why economic coercion persists. Method: Twentyfive in-depth interviews were conducted with men in rural Bangladesh and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Men engaged in economically coercive practices, both implicitly and explicitly. Three themes captured how men perpetrated economic coercion: they held gendered expectations about how and if women should participate in economic activities, they monitored women's activities to ensure they conformed to the men's gendered expectations, and they placed explicit restrictions on women's economic activities to align with and maintain gender inequitable norms. Conclusion: These findings call attention to how men continue to see themselves as dominant over women in rural Bangladesh, despite the progress made in expanding educational and economic opportunities for women. The analysis points to the need for interventions that go beyond increased access to educational and economic programs for women to address the persistence of gender inequitable norms within patriarchal societies.

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An integrated approach to increasing women’s empowerment status and reducing domestic violence: Results of a cluster-randomized controlled trial in a West African country.

Cited by 31 publications

References 46 publications

Strengthening women's empowerment and gender equality in fragile contexts towards peaceful and inclusive societies: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Strengthening women's empowerment and gender equality in fragile contexts towards peaceful and inclusive societies: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Missed Opportunities for Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Through Microcredit: Qualitative Findings From Bangladesh

Men’s use of economic coercion against women in rural Bangladesh.

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