GRAP Opportunity – Together to End Violence Against Women (Messersmith)
Opportunity ID: 01-Messersmith
Project Title: Together to End Violence Against Women (TEVAW), Tanzania
Faculty Mentor: Lisa Messersmith
Description Statement:
Women in Tanzania suffer alarming rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) that has detrimental effects on mental and physical health including an increased risk of HIV infection. To date, research on IPV has produced somewhat contradictory findings about the effectiveness of prevention efforts and has not sufficiently examined how structural drivers enable and constrain individual- and group-level attitudes and behaviors related to IPV. The proposed research will provide insight on effective approaches for IPV prevention within existing orphans and vulnerable children programming and contribute to a better understanding of the interplay between individual knowledge and attitudes of both men and women regarding IPV and how these influence and are influenced by gender norms at the community level.
We propose to conduct a 10-month preliminary evaluation study to investigate the effect of World Education’s Together to End Violence Against Women (TEVAW) program in Tanzania. TEVAW aims to prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) in Karatu District. Boston University’s Center for Global Health and Development will collaborate with World Education and a local research team to carry out this study.
Nine villages were randomly assigned into one of three study arms, each comprised of 150 partnered women and their co-resident male partners (900 total sample size). Women in the comparison arm will be exposed to World Education’s savings and lending group intervention (known as LIMCA), in which they will join a savings and lending group and receive training on business skills, literacy, child nutrition and health, child protection, intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV prevention. LIMCA is an existing intervention currently being implemented by World Education as part of a larger comprehensive care and support program for vulnerable children and families in Karatu District. Women in Intervention Arm 1 will be exposed to LIMCA, while their male partners will participate in male peer group workshops that explore gender norms, IPV and HIV prevention issues. In Intervention Arm 2, men and women will receive the same treatment as Intervention Arm 1 and participate in community dialogues with community leaders to explore similar topics to the male peer groups. Our hypothesis is that study participants in Arm 2 will report improved gender equitable attitudes and lower intolerance of intimate partner violence than participants in Arm 1 and participants in the control group.
Data were collected at baseline in June/July 2015 and will be collected again at endline (in February/March 2016) using a questionnaire with questions from three validated instruments that measure gender equitable attitudes and attitudes about IPV. A structured questionnaire was administered to all survey participants, and a semi-structured interview guide was used to interview community leader key informants. Analysis of these data will allow for measurement of proof of concept to improve gender equitable attitudes and reduce tolerance of IPV among men and women in Karatu District, Tanzania.
Scope of Work:
I am looking for two students to work with me on this project. Tasks may include:
- Verification of questionnaires in Teleform;
- Data cleaning and data analysis using SAS;
- Literature review on intimate partner violence and effective programs and policies;
- Coding qualitative interviews;
- Other project-related tasks.
Minimum skills desired:
Experience with SAS, and knowledge and experience with Teleforms a plus.
Time / Date Expectations:
10 hours per week, beginning immediately. This is an open-ended assignment. Success with initial tasks may lead to opportunities for further involvement with the project.
Additional Requested Material: None
Number of Positions: Two (2)
Logistics & Support: Biweekly meetings
