Opportunities and challenges in preventing violence against adolescent girls through gender transformative, whole-family support programming in Northeast Nigeria

Abstract

Background Household violence is one of the most prevalent forms of gender-based violence faced by adolescent girls in humanitarian settings. A growing evidence base demonstrates the extent to which multiple forms of familial violence, including intimate partner violence, violence against children, and sibling violence overlap in the same households. However, existing evidence of family support programming that effectively reduces violence against girls by addressing intersecting forms of household violence are limited, particularly in the Global South. Through a qualitative implementation evaluation informed by a grounded theoretical approach, we explored the perceived impact of a gender transformative, whole-family support intervention aimed at building adolescent girls’ protective assets against violence, among program participants in two communities of internally displaced people Maiduguri, Borno State, Northeast Nigeria. Methods We conducted six in-depth interviews and six focus group discussions with adult caregivers; six participatory activities and four paired interviews with adolescent girls and boys; and 12 key informant interviews with program staff. Criterion sampling was used to recruit 21 male caregivers, 21 female caregivers, 23 adolescent boys, and 21 adolescent girls; purposive sampling was used to recruit 12 program staff to participate in qualitative research activities. We audio recorded, translated, and transcribed all interviews. In a collaborative coding process, a multi-stakeholder team used applied thematic analysis in Dedoose to identify emergent themes in the data. Results Participants reported a decreased tolerance for and perpetration of violence against girls at the household level, and endorsed their right to protection from violence at the community level. However, alongside these self-reported changes in attitude and behavior, aspects of normative, patriarchal norms governing the treatment of adolescent girls were maintained by participants. Conclusions This study builds the evidence base for gender transformative, whole-family support programming and its impact on preventing violence against adolescent girls in humanitarian emergencies. Situating our findings in a feminist analysis of violence, this study calls attention to the complexity of gender norms change programming amongst families in conflict-affected settings, and highlights the need for programming which holistically addresses the relational, community, and structural drivers of violence against girls in emergencies.

Adolescences experience of gender-based violence: a qualitative study

“…There needs to be action to encourage gender equality and empower female adolescents [29], especially in preventing and overcoming violence. In addition to the support from family [30], it is also necessary to prevent violence against female adolescents at the family level.…”

Exploring the Impact of a Family-Focused, Gender-Transformative Intervention on Adolescent Girls’ Well-Being in a Humanitarian Context

“…The four members of each participating household attended program sessions with their gender and age group over the course of twelve weeks, which were led by program mentors who were also Syrians residing in the Azraq and Za’atari camps. Trained by Mercy Corps, these program mentors facilitated four distinct but synchronous curricula that were designed to stimulate self-reflection and discussion amongst participants on topics related to gender, power, violence, interpersonal communication, and healthy relationships (please see [ 39 ] for more information on the SSAGE intervention, including the curricula topics). Prior to the implementation of the program, the SSAGE curricula were contextualized via a community consultation process to ensure the content and facilitation methods were appropriate and relevant to the Syrian refugee communities in the Za’atari and Azraq camps.…”

Sibling-Support for Adolescent Girls (SSAGE): A study protocol for a pilot randomized-controlled trial of a whole-family, gender transformative approach to preventing mental illness among forcibly displaced adolescent girls

“…The sessions are interactive, engaging, and promote self-reflection and discussion on topics such as power, gender, interpersonal communication, and healthy relationships. Given the whole-family approach, SSAGE addresses intersections between spousal relationships, caregiver-child relationships, and relationships between siblings, as they pertain to supporting the mental health and psychosocial well-being of adolescent girls [31]. The SSAGE program improves family functioning by engaging the entire family unit in discussion; adolescent boys receive normative support from other boys and adolescent girls receive support from their peers, thereby improving social support in a manner that is sensitive to gender norms.…”

“…Qualitative data collected from participants in Nigeria revealed key ways in which the program improved elements of family functioning; participants reported more equitable gender roles and attitudes such as joint decision making among caregivers, men and boys' participation in household labor, reduced stigma when discussing menstruation and puberty and a reduction in intrahousehold violence against girls [30,31]. Additional positive impacts for adolescent girls were demonstrated in Jordan, where girl participants exhibited higher levels of mental well-being, resilience, and perceived family functioning [32].…”