A new opinion piece from the Gender Violence &  Health Centre Co-Directors, Dr Manuela Colombini, Dr Meghna Ranganathan and Dr Nambusi Kyegombe, explores the urgent question: if we know what works to prevent violence against women and girls, why are we not seeing change at scale?

Against a backdrop of resurgent far-right and extremist ideologies in digital spaces, evolving forms of violence and global funding cuts, the authors highlight a critical challenge: by the time rigorous research is conducted, evaluated and translated into policy, the nature of the problem may have already shifted.

They set out what needs to change, from accelerating knowledge translation into policy and practice and securing sustained investment, to strengthening efforts to make the field of violence against women and girls more equitable.

Marking 20 years of research at the GVHC, the authors remain hopeful. Violence against women is preventable – rigorous research has shown how violence can be reduced in communities, couples and across generations. Now it must move from important but fragmented progress to systemic change that prioritises new evidence and policy engagement to support this change at the scale this crisis demands.

Read the full opinion piece.

The Gender Violence & Health Centre at LSHTM invites you to join our upcoming webinar: ‘The cut we still make: Episiotomy, childbirth and maternal health’, on Wednesday 3 June 2026, 12:30–13:00 BST (UTC+01:00).  

Join us to hear from Dr Judith Lieber, Research Fellow at LSHTM, who will share new evidence from the multi-country WOMAN-2 Trial. 

Episiotomy - a cut to the perineum during childbirth – remains common in many settings, despite the World Health Organization advising against its routine use for the past three decades.

This talk will explore how often episiotomy is used across Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania and Zambia and examines its impact on postpartum haemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal mortality.

Beyond the data, the presentation will briefly explore the history of episiotomy and its place within wider conversation around respectful maternity care and ‘obstetric violence’.

This webinar is part of GVHC’s Webinar Series at LSHTM, which brings together global and UK-based research to strengthen understanding and action on gender-based violence.

This is a free, online event, and registration is not required. 

Find out more.

The Gender Violence & Health Centre (GVHC) at LSHTM invites you to join our upcoming webinar: ‘Beyond the buzzword: Decolonising the field of violence against women and girls’, on Wednesday 3 June 2026, 14:00–15:00 BST (UTC+01:00).  

Speakers from the GVHC, alongside partners, will explore what decolonisation means in practice for those working to end violence against women and girls across research, programming and funding. Join us to examine colonial legacies shaping the field and concrete strategies for change. 

This webinar is part of GVHC’s Webinar Series at LSHTM, which brings together global and UK-based research to strengthen understanding and action on gender-based violence. 

This is a free, online event, and registration is not required.  

Find out more.

The GVHC invites you to join our upcoming webinar: ‘Co-producing knowledge to address violence against children in faith-based spaces’, on Wednesday 6 May 2026, 12:30–13:15 BST (UTC+01:00).

This session will feature Selina Palm, an independent researcher specialising in participatory feminist approaches to violence prevention. She will share insights on co-producing knowledge with communities and faith actors to develop more effective, inclusive safeguarding strategies for children.

Part of our 2026 GVHC webinar series at LSHTM, this event brings together research and practice to advance understanding and responses to gender-based violence. 

This is a free, online event, and registration is not required.

Find out more

A new article led by the Health in Humanitarian Crises Centre highlights how overlapping crises, including violence and climate change, are shaping health outcomes across Latin America. The piece shows how environmental shocks such as floods and droughts interact with social and structural violence, compounding risks for already vulnerable populations.

Featuring GVHC member Maria Gargiulo, the article draws attention to how violence against women is often hidden in public health data when other crises are present. Her research in Mexico shows that homicides of pregnant and postpartum women are frequently excluded from national maternal mortality statistics, masking the true scale of the issue. She said: “It can be difficult to disentangle everyday violence from conflict-related violence, particularly when it comes to violence against women. Constant exposure and the normalisation of violence have been linked to negative maternal health outcomes, increased intimate partner violence and obstetric violence.”

This work underscores the importance of recognising violence as a critical and interconnected driver of health, particularly in settings facing multiple, overlapping crises.

Read the full article

The Gender Violence & Health Centre (GVHC) at LSHTM invites you to join our webinar exploring intimate partner violence (IPV) within South Africa’s urban informal settlements on Wednesday 4 March 2026, 12:30 – 13:15 GMT.

Join us to hear from Dr Andy Gibbs, Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter, who will share insights from his research that uncover the social and structural drivers of IPV and relationship conflict in these marginalised communities.

This session will highlight the complexities of IPV in informal settlements and discuss prevention and response strategies tailored to these contexts. The webinar forms part of the GVHC Webinar Series at LSHTM, dedicated to advancing understanding and action on gender-based violence through global and UK-based research.

This is a free, online event, and registration is not required.

Find out more

The Gender Violence & Health Centre (GVHC) at LSHTM invites you to the first webinar in our new series, taking place virtually on Wednesday 4 February 2026, 12:30–13:30 GMT.

We are delighted to welcome Dr Marcos Signorelli, Associate Professor of Public Health at the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil, who will share insights from his book Violence against Indigenous women: a descriptive overview of Brazil. Drawing on official data and collaborative research, Dr Signorelli’s work highlights the experiences of Indigenous women and girls in Brazil, explores gaps in public policy, and underscores the importance of intersectional approaches to confronting violence and strengthening protections.

This free, open-access online event requires no registration and will not be recorded. Join us to learn from this important research and deepen your understanding of gender-based violence in global and public health contexts.

Find out more

The new GVHC Webinar Series will examine gender-based violence through insights drawn from global and UK-based research. Across the upcoming talks, speakers will share evidence and perspectives that deepen understanding of violence and inform more effective prevention and response approaches. 

Upcoming webinars will be posted on the GVHC events page.

A recent study led by the Gender Violence & Health Centre (GVHC) uncovered how girls and young women’s experiences of menstruation and contraceptive use in western Kenya are closely linked with intimate partner violence (IPV) and constrained reproductive autonomy. 

The research, published in BMJ Open, found that fear of violent retaliation drove many to use contraception secretly, while harmful norms led partners and even family members to monitor menstrual cycles as a means of detecting contraceptive use.

The study also highlights the impact of period poverty and menstrual stigma, which pushed some girls into transactional sexual exchanges to obtain sanitary products. These exchanges were often exploitative, increased exposure to violence, and contributed to poor reproductive health outcomes, including unintended pregnancies.

Erin Hartman, Research Fellow in the GVHC at LSHTM and lead author of the paper, said: "I hope this research highlights critical opportunities to strengthen sexual and reproductive health policy and sharpen violence-prevention efforts." 

Dr Ana Maria Buller, Associate Professor at LSHTM and senior author on the paper, said: "When menstrual stigma, economic hardship and contraceptive misinformation combine, they create conditions where coercion and violence flourish. Comprehensive prevention must address period poverty, challenge damaging norms about menstruation, and expand safe, stigma-free access to contraception.” 

Read more

For the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence - a UN Women campaign running from International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, to Human Rights Day on 10 December - the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is running a series of events discussing research and action on violence against women.

The events are hosted by the Gender Violence & Health Centre (GVHC), the Centre for Maternal, Adolescent Reproductive & Child Health, and Population Studies Group at LSHTM.

The series will start with an exploration into co-creating feminist technology to confront gender-based violence and feminicide on the 25 November, followed by a showcase of high-impact research led by senior academics in the GVHC on the 2 December. The series will close on 10 December with a deep dive into cutting-edge research on GBV from emerging and mid-career researchers in the GVHC, presenting evidence from Tanzania and Malawi to Saudi Arabia and Myanmar.

Explore the events and join us to learn how GVHC’s research is driving global progress in preventing violence against women.

Last month, colleagues from the Gender Violence and Health Centre (GVHC) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), presented at the European Conference on Domestic Violence in Barcelona .

This interdisciplinary conference – primarily showcasing work from Europe but welcoming global contributions – brought together practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to continue the co-creation and sharing of scientific knowledge aimed at eradicating all forms of domestic violence and violence against women.

Marjorie Pichon, Research Fellow at LSHTM presented findings from a new study published in BMC Public Health on the role of jealousy in intimate partner violence against women. In her presentation, Marjorie outlined how this research highlighted the importance of interventions that target jealousy and suspicions of infidelity to foster safe and equitable relationships.

Michelle Lokot, Assistant Professor at LSHTM discussed practitioner and researcher perspectives on colonialism and decolonisation in the field of violence against women and girls, presenting findings from a qualitative study and scoping review, including recommendations for research and programming.

Nerissa Tilouche, Research Fellow at LSHTM, shared initial baseline qualitative findings from a trial run by the LINEA (Learning Initiative on Norms, Exploitation and Abuse) project on school attendance as protective and a risk factor for age-disparate transactional sex for adolescent girls in Mwanza, Tanzania. Nerissa illustrated the risks and perceived protections linked to age-disparate transactional sex among schoolgirls in Mwanza, while highlighting that girls who are out of school face greater risk.

Nerissa and Marjorie also presented a poster on behalf of LSHTM researchers Annabelle Gourlay and Tanya Abramsky, on the link between engagement in transactional sex and intimate partner violence perpetration among motorcycle taxi drivers in Mwanza, Tanzania, using findings from the baseline cohort survey of the LINEA trial. The survey found that men who reported engaging in transactional sex, particularly those engaging with girls less than 18 years, were more likely to also report being perpetrators of intimate partner violence.   This suggests that adolescent girls engaging in transactional sex relationships may be particularly vulnerable to increased risks including intimate partner violence.

Tanya Abramsky, alongside Janet Nakuti from Raising Voices, also presented posters on the evaluation of ‘Together with Gloria!’ –  a 33-episode radio drama – delivered alongside the ‘SASA! Together’ community mobilisation intervention to prevent violence against women.

In addition to sharing their research, the conference allowed GVHC members in attendance to learn about domestic violence work being conducted beyond their own areas of expertise, and  hear from practitioners from a range of sectors, including government actors, police officers, legal actors, shelter/safe house providers and mental health service providers.

Particular highlights included the keynote addresses by Professor Sundari Anitha from the University of Sheffield on transnational marriage abandonment, and Professor Maria Eriksson from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden on children living with domestic violence who are often overlooked as both next-of-kin and young carers, as well as a session on sexual harassment and bullying within academia.

A new commentary, led by Emily Eldred, Research Fellow in the Gender Violence & Health Centre (GVHC) and International Centre for Evidence in Disability (ICED) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), highlights a critical gap in global violence prevention efforts: the exclusion of children with disabilities from key international commitments.

The article, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health assesses the pledges submitted to the 2024 Global Ministerial Conference to End Violence Against Children, to examine references to children with disabilities, actions proposed to address violence, and references to disability-inclusive services.

Of the 101 country and 21 organisational pledges to protect children from violence at home, in schools, communities, and online, only 17 countries – and none of the organisations – mentioned disability, and even fewer proposed concrete or defined actions to include children with disabilities.

The authors emphasise that children with disabilities face a higher risk of violence due to stigma, discrimination, gender norms, and poverty, yet often encounter inaccessible reporting systems and untrained service providers. Where disability was mentioned, commitments were typically vague, lacking clear prevention strategies.

The commentary calls on governments to strengthen disability inclusion by: (1) Embedding specific and actionable disability commitments in national violence prevention plans; (2) Developing inclusive child protection systems with trained staff and accessible communication; (3) Collecting data on violence broken down by disability status and intersectionality; and (4) Establishing legislation and policies that mandate accessibility and prevent discrimination.

The authors stress that achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16.2 – ending all forms of violence against children – will only be possible through child-centred, inclusive, and intersectional approaches that leave no child behind.

Read the full commentary

Discover Sarah, the latest cinematic offering from Sponsored Arts for Education (S.A.F.E. Kenya). This poignant coming-of-age film invites viewers into the world of a young Maasai girl as she navigates the complexities of love, tradition, friendship, and family during her formative teenage years.

Having garnered significant attention since its premiere at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles this February, followed by its national debut in Nairobi and widespread community screenings across Kenya, Sarah now arrives in the UK. This event holds a unique opportunity to view the film and also to hear from the film's creators and those implementing its vital outreach. Beyond the screen, Sarah is integral to Sarah's Movement, a transformative initiative dedicated to building crucial safe spaces for survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and spearheading the fight to end GBV in Kenya and East Africa.

The screening will be held on Wednesday 8 October, 17:30 - 19:00 UK Time, in the Manson Lecture Theatre at LSHTM. 

Speakers include:

• Sarah Tenoi, S.A.F.E. Maa's co-Founder and co-producer of Sarah the movie
• Angelina Namiba, with over 26 years of experience working on different initiatives in the HIV sector
• Alice Crookenden, Head of S.A.F.E., leading projects focusing on health, gender equality and the environment
• Dr Leyla Hussein, a psychotherapist specialising in providing crucial support to survivors of sexual abuse

Please note that this event is in person only, and the film contains themes of gender based violence, in particular female genital mutilation/cutting. Viewer discretion is advised.

Find out more

Members of the Healthcare Responding to Violence and Abuse (HERA) Global Health Research Group, Beatriz Kalichman, Stephanie Pereira, Lilia Blima Schraiber, Ana Flávia d’Oliveira (University of São Paulo) and Loraine Bacchus (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), reflect on mutual learning, reciprocity and communication in research partnerships with healthcare services, along with their partners in the field, Camila Nascimento Monteiro and Daiana Bonfim (Albert Einstein Hospital):

Doing research in healthcare services can be very rewarding, but it also poses important issues that must be addressed to ensure all parties involved benefit. As a research group working within healthcare, it is essential to reflect on whether we are contributing meaningfully to the services where the research takes place. True partnership requires mutual support, respect and understanding. That is why the HERA team was so excited when one of the services we had worked with invited us to scale-up our intervention by training a local network consisting of two primary health clinics (PHC), two emergency services, one mental health service, and an NGO.

This work was part of a study on the implementation of a complex intervention to improve the response to domestic violence against women (DVAW) in PHC settings in Brazil. The study was conducted as part of HERA, a Global Health Research Group, working with partners in the occupied Palestinian Territories, UK, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Engaging PHC services and other stakeholders - and ensuring that what we offered was feasible and meaningful in their context was paramount to our research proposal. This engagement was instrumental to the success of the intervention and opened the possibility of scaling it up.

There is a wide literature in the health and development fields on the importance of scaling up, often focusing on the expansion and institutionalisation of pilot interventions. What was new, and perhaps most surprising in our case, was that the invitation to scale up came first from local PHC managers and providers themselves, prompting us to reflect on what this might signal. Much has been written about the problems of “directive” research collaborations, in which there is a unidirectional flow of priorities and timelines from academics to partners involved in research, and of “extractive” research, where data are collected with little offered in return. These practices not only pose ethical questions but can also result in poor quality data or the implementation of interventions that are a poor fit within certain contexts – ultimately creating additional burden to the healthcare system instead of helping to address a problem.

The request to scale-up HERA - and the reasons given - were seen as indicators of the intervention’s success. Health care professionals (HCP) and managers spontaneously highlighted several aspects they valued: it offered concrete lessons that could be applied in their day-to-day practice; the monthly discussion spaces provided ongoing support in managing cases, emotions, teamwork and referrals; and the guidelines we proposed helped strengthen their performance. Importantly, other reasons given for scaling up validated something we have long understood theoretically but rarely seen so clearly articulated as a demand from frontline HCPs: the need to train and engage the entire network, including other levels of the health care system, NGOs, the police, the justice system and the education sector.

This alignment with healthcare professionals’ needs was the result of our approach to cultivating relationships between researchers, healthcare providers and managers which created mutual trust and understanding. These relationships were crucial for gaining insight into their work and needs, enabling us to design a bespoke intervention and foster open dialogue - where they felt able to offer honest, and sometimes critical, feedback that helped us adapt and improve the intervention. The recognition of our model by the very people whose work we aimed to support - and their trust in us as a source of knowledge and practical guidance - led to a valuable opportunity to scale-up HERA.

This opportunity did not arise solely from the researchers’ agenda and goals, but from a mutual understanding of a need within the healthcare system and the recognition of our intervention as a meaningful way to address it. It is also important to highlight that the service which invited us to expand the intervention is managed by Albert Einstein Hospital’s Centre for Studies, Research and Practice in PHC and Networks (CEPPAR) - an institution that invests in research with clear potential to be translated into healthcare provider’s professional practice. This meant that building a strong relationship and guaranteeing the success of the intervention was a priority not only for the research team, but also for the institution itself. The prioritisation of the intervention by managers at all levels was instrumental to its success, reinforcing the importance of considering management structures and priorities when designing interventions.

As part of HERA’s commitment to cultivating and valuing communication and relationships beyond academia, the project also decided to disseminate its work through a short documentary film, making it freely accessible on YouTube. The film, entitled “Opening the Door: How HERA is Changing the Healthcare Response to Violence Against Women” captures key insights from the intervention from the perspectives of healthcare providers, researchers, and women survivors of domestic violence.

Find out more and watch the film 

In a recent expert comment, Dr Ana Maria Buller and Marjorie Pichon from the Gender Violence & Health Centre (GVHC) at LSHTM explore how the LINEA (Learning Initiative on Norms, Exploitation and Abuse) Project engages with communities to tackle harmful gender norms, prevent sexual exploitation, and create safer futures for adolescent girls.

Through research in Brazil, Tanzania and Uganda, LINEA has shown how community expectations around gender, sexuality and provision reinforce transactional sex, while also highlighting girls’ agency and the complex realities they face. Importantly, the project works not just with adolescent girls but also with boys, men, parents, and community leaders to create transformative change.

Dr Ana Maria Buller, Co-Director of the Centre for Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive, and Child Health (MARCH) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Principal Investigator of the LINEA Project said: “While global violence prevention efforts often centre on intimate partner violence or child abuse more broadly, LINEA addresses the more hidden and nuanced forms of gender-based violence that adolescent girls face, such as transactional sex and coerced relationships shaped by unequal power dynamics and normative expectations around gender and sexuality.

“LINEA’s method is grounded in the idea that people’s actions are shaped by what they think others do and expect of them – what are called “social norms.” LINEA uses a unique and transformative approach that focuses on shifting harmful social norms, rather than simply changing individual behaviour and attitudes.”

One of LINEA’s most innovative tools is a 39-episode Swahili radio drama, co-created with Tanzanian partners. Early findings show that it has helped shift gender attitudes, supported family conversations on transactional sex, and encouraged girls to prioritise education. Crucially, it has also engaged men as fathers and caregivers, encouraging them to take on protective roles in their families and communities.

Marjorie Pichon, Research Fellow in the GVHC at LSHTM and researcher on the LINEA Project said: “Overall, our results were very promising. We found that after listening to the drama participants held more gender-equitable attitudes, especially girls and women. Our most recent publication focused specifically on findings from men. The drama features several male role models, including a father character, and after listening, men reported feeling greater responsibility towards their daughters, and girls in their communities more generally, with several noting the importance of working with other men in the community to prevent age-disparate transactional sex.”

A trial evaluating the full intervention is currently underway in Mwanza, Tanzania, with results expected in 2026–27. While changing social norms can be slow and complex, LINEA’s community-wide, gender-transformative approach offers a promising path to sustainable change. 

This week, Dr Meghna Ranganathan, Co-Director of the Gender Violence & Health Centre (GVHC) and Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), participated in a high-level panel session at the 2025 Global Symposium on Climate Justice and Impacted Populations in Brasília. The conference, co-hosted by UNFPA and the Government of Brazil, convened global leaders, researchers and advocates to explore how climate action can advance gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and resilience for the world’s most impacted populations.

In her session, titled “Global Stocktake on SRHR, GBV and Climate Change”, Dr Ranganathan provided a focused analysis of the state of evidence on how climate change is exacerbating gender-based violence (GBV) and undermining SRHR – particularly for women and girls in climate-vulnerable settings. Dr Ranganathan emphasised the importance of longitudinal data (data collected from the same subjects over an extended period) using interdisciplinary methods, and expanding community-led research to centre lived experiences of populations at highest risk, to unpack mechanisms. Recommendations included leveraging social protection programmes to build climate resilient livelihoods, and ensuring that GBV is addressed in national and international climate policies. She highlighted the international legal obligations of States to invest in robust research and evidence as part of their commitment to uphold the right to live free from violence and to ensure access to comprehensive SRHR.

Dr Ranganathan said: “We need to really utilise the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and include GBV considerations into the National Adaptation Plans so that countries are held accountable. It’s important that in our advocacy around GBV, we ensure the accountability of States, using both international policy obligations as well as international legal obligations.”

The panel offered rich dialogue on how climate change intensifies existing vulnerabilities, particularly for women, girls, and marginalised communities, with speakers sharing both empirical research and frontline experiences. Discussions focused on translating evidence into action through more inclusive and better-resourced national strategies.

With COP30 on the horizon, the session was a timely reminder of the growing momentum to embed gender equality and SRHR into global climate responses.

Find out more about the event

Last week, the Gender Violence & Health Centre (GVHC) was proud to host our flagship Short Course on Researching Gender-Based Violence - a dynamic and intensive programme held at The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). The course brought together over 49 students in person and online, from or currently living in 33 countries, including Nigeria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia and Myanmar - each bringing valuable experience and perspectives on addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in diverse contexts.

The course provided a comprehensive overview of the latest evidence, methods, and ethical considerations in GBV research, designed for researchers, practitioners, and policy professionals working to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls worldwide.

Monday opened with a warm welcome from GVHC Co-Directors and course organisers Dr Meghna Ranganathan and Dr Manuela Colombini, followed by a keynote from Dr Claudia Garcia-Moreno on ‘Conceptualising GBV: What Works’? The day explored the burden of disease, introduced conceptual frameworks, and concluded with a hands-on session on applying these frameworks to real research contexts.

On Tuesday, students delved into the role of gender norms and masculinities in driving violence, and examined research design and evaluation methods. The day included a blend of lectures and practical sessions on quantitative methods, and ended with students starting their group project work.

Wednesday focused on qualitative methods, and explored mixed methods approaches, economic evaluation, and integrating GBV responses into health systems. The day provided crucial tools for analysing complex, layered GBV data.

Thursday tackled some of the most challenging contexts for GBV research, including ethics, researcher safety, children and adolescents, and humanitarian settings. Afternoon panels addressed co-creation in research, equity in partnerships, and conducting research with vulnerable populations, with powerful contributions from researchers working in diverse field settings.

On Friday, students presented their group projects, reflecting on what they had learned throughout the week by designing GBV studies grounded in context, ethics, and rigour. Presentations covered diverse topics, including: sexual violence response in UK universities; understanding GBV experiences of LGBTI communities in wartime in Ukraine; and how climate-induced water shortages drive transactional sex for menstrual products among Kenyan adolescent girls.

The group presentations were followed by a guest lecture from Emily Esplen, Head of Ending Gender-Based Violence at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), who shared insights on what works (and what doesn’t) to prevent violence against women and girls from the FCDO, grounding the week’s learning in urgent, real-world challenges and policy action, and discussing how to implement interventions at scale across syste, without compromising ethics, quality and intensity.

Ms Esplen’s talk followed a welcome from Professor Liam Smeeth, Director of LSHTM, who reflected on the difficult times facing health and equity worldwide, and the need for evidence and public health researchers now more than ever, encouraging participants to not give up, but to use this critical moment as a motivator to build their careers.

We are especially grateful to the Ford Foundation, whose generous support enabled 10 fully funded scholarships, helping to broaden access and participation across regions and sectors.

The course directors would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all participants, speakers, and facilitators for their energy, dedication, expertise, and openness throughout the week, and for making this course an inspiring and truly global week of generative learning. 

We look forward to seeing the continued impact of this community.

On 1 February 2021, Myanmar’s democratically-elected government was overthrown by the military, triggering widespread instability and deepening the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the coup, adolescent girls and young women across the country have faced increasing insecurity, displacement, and educational disruption – factors that significantly threaten their mental wellbeing.

During conflict, adolescent girls and young women are also at a greater risk of experiencing sexual and gender-based violence, early and forced marriage, and reduced access to sexual and reproductive health services.

A new study led by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), University College London (UCL) and Girl Determined (GD) surveyed 750 girls aged 10-21 on their experiences of conflict-related stressors and mental health. Published in Conflict and Health, the study offers rare insights from within a highly restricted research environment.

The findings are stark: 40% of respondents reported direct experience of armed combat, over a third had been separated from family, and around one in ten had lost a family member. Nearly all participants (94%) reported symptoms of depression, with almost one in three considering self-harm and 70% saying they are so unhappy they struggle to sleep.

These results point to a need for targeted mental health support. The study recommends prioritising interventions for girls who are displaced, out of school, separated from parents, or living near active conflict. Suggested strategies include peer-support groups and basic psychosocial training for community-based care providers.

Isabelle Pearson, PhD Student in the Gender Violence and Health Centre (GVHC) at LSHTM, and lead author on the study, said: 

“With research and humanitarian access in Myanmar so severely restricted, these findings offer a rare but urgent insight into the mental health impacts of conflict on adolescent girls across the country. As Myanmar faces both protracted violence and the aftermath of a major earthquake, there is an immediate need for tailored support for those most affected.”

Professor Cathy Zimmerman, co-founder of the GVHC and a co-author on the study, said:

“Girls and young women in Myanmar are living through war, displacement, and disaster - but the world has stopped watching. Their voices are missing from the headlines, yet many have witnessed terrifying violence that no child should ever see.”

Read the full article, or the publication.

The Researching Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Short Course at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) continues to be a leading training ground for professionals looking to deepen their understanding of GBV research, policy, and practice. This immersive course draws on the expertise of renowned researchers and practitioners, offering participants a rich blend of methodological training, critical reflection, and real-world case studies.

This year’s course, running 9-13 June, features lectures from Dr Loraine Bacchus, Dr Marcella Vigneri, Dr Ana Maria Buller, Daniel Carter, and Dr Meghna Ranganathan - each contributing distinct perspectives across a range of methods used in GBV research. They will cover study design and evaluation (Dr Marcella Vigneri), quantitative research (Daniel Carter), qualitative methods and analysis (Dr Ana Maria Buller), mixed methods (Dr Loraine Bacchus), and evaluation approaches including economic evaluation (Dr Meghna Ranganathan).

Sessions are grounded in lived experiences and fieldwork from around the world, with practical examples spanning intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention in Rwanda, domestic violence in LGBTQ+ communities in the UK, and evaluations of health system responses to GBV in low- and middle-income countries. The course helps participants develop the tools to design, implement, and assess interventions in complex settings, with a strong emphasis on ethical considerations and methodological rigour.

Reflecting on her experience teaching on the course, Dr Ana Maria Buller, Associate Professor at LSHTM, said: “What I enjoy most about teaching on this course is the dynamic mix of students - practitioners, researchers, and policymakers from around the world - who bring rich, real-world experience. The course becomes a space for shared learning, critical reflection, and meaningful exchange, which is always energising and inspiring.

“Students can expect to gain practical tools for researching gender-based violence, taught by leading experts who draw directly from their own fieldwork and academic research. The course combines cutting-edge evidence, ethical insight, and real-life case studies, offering a nuanced understanding of GBV research in diverse settings. Students also benefit from joining a global cohort of peers committed to driving meaningful change.”

Whether you're a practitioner, researcher, or policymaker, this course provides a unique opportunity to strengthen your skills and expand your network in the global effort to address gender-based violence.

Learn more and apply now

The deadline for applications is 30 April 2025.

A powerful new documentary brings to life the findings of the HERA study - ‘Healthcare Responding to Violence and Abuse’ - exploring how health systems can better support women experiencing domestic violence in low-resource settings.

The film, produced by Rushmore Films in collaboration with local filmmakers, researchers and healthcare workers in Brazil, Nepal, the occupied Palestinian territories and Sri Lanka, showcases the challenges and opportunities for integrating survivor-centred care into health services. It features first-hand accounts and real-world stories of healthcare providers responding to violence against women, alongside the voices of women affected by domestic violence.

The documentary supports the wider aims of the HERA study, co-led by LSHTM and the University of Bristol, which tested context-specific interventions to strengthen health system responses to domestic violence. Findings in a recent evaluation paper show increases in the identification of domestic violence cases and improved heath provider readiness in most countries, while highlighting the need for tailored, culturally sensitive approaches.

Reflecting on this initiative, Loraine Bacchus, Professor of Global Public Health at LSHTM and Co-Director of HERA said: “We wanted to make this film to ensure the voices of women are at the centre of how we understand and improve the healthcare response to violence against women. It’s not just a film, but a tool for advocacy, education, and change.”

Dr Manuela Colombini, Co-Director of the Gender Violence and Health Centre at LSHTM and co-investigator on the HERA project said: "I hope this film drives action among policymakers, health managers, and healthcare providers to ensure every woman seeking support is met with empathy, compassion, and appropriate care."

Read the full article, and watch the film to learn more about how health systems can play a vital role in protecting and supporting women affected by violence.

If you’d like to learn more about methods for researching and evaluating gender-based violence, the GVHC is running a short course at LSHTM and online this June. Applications close 30 April. 

Find out more

This June, the Gender Violence and Health Centre at LSHTM will be running their short course: "Researching Gender-Based Violence: Methods and Meaning".

The course aims to enhance participants abilities to conduct or commission rigorous, ethical, and policy-relevant research on various forms of violence against women, children and adolescents. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from world-leading experts in gender and health, develop practical skills to implement evidence-based solutions, and expand your professional network with like-minded peers worldwide.

Hear from recent students about what they learnt, most enjoyed and how the course has benefitted their careers:

This course is of particular interest to those who want to strengthen their methodological skills and understanding of gender-based violence research, and those working on health-related topics such as sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, HIV, mental health, and substance abuse.

Participants can apply to attend online or in person in London. A limited number of fee waivers are available for offer holders from low- and middle-income countries to attend online.

The deadline for submission of fee waiver applications is Monday 31 March 2025, and applicants must hold an offer of a place before applying for the funding.

The deadline for final course applications is on 30 April 2025.

Don't miss this opportunity to advance your expertise in gender-based violence research, and join a community committed to making a difference.

Find out more about the course

Ahead of International Women’s Day, the Co-Directors of the Gender Violence & Health Centre (GVHC) and colleagues from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) reflect on the urgent need to accelerate action to protect women and girls from experiencing gender-based violence (GBV) in a world facing complex challenges, such as concurrent conflicts, climate disasters, pandemics and ongoing geopolitical, economic, and social shocks.

Recent evidence on the impact of conflict on women and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), presented to the UK Parliament by Dr Neha Singh and Dr Michelle Lokot from the Health in Humanitarian Crises Centre at LSHTM and co-authored by GVHC members, highlights that GBV - including intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation, and trafficking - is exacerbated during humanitarian crises, with women and girls disproportionately affected.

Dr Michelle Lokot, Assistant Professor and Co-Director of the Health in Humanitarian Crises Centre, said: “In our testimony to the parliamentary committee, we underscored the critical need for consistent, multi-year funding for GBV prevention and response within humanitarian crises. With recent US and UK aid cuts, prioritising national and grassroots organisations – those closest to the issues – is now more essential than ever.”

Similar to research on GBV in the context of climate disasters, this evidence report shows that GBV in conflict settings is often rooted in pre-existing gender inequalities, and requires comprehensive responses that address both immediate needs and long-term support. Health services play a critical role, acting as entry points for medical, psychosocial, and legal support. However fragmented services and limited data collection can hinder effective interventions.

Researchers emphasise the need to prioritise GBV within humanitarian responses, ensuring the needs of women and girls are addressed across all phases of crisis recovery.

Dr Manuela Colombini, Associate Professor and Co-Director of the GVHC at LSHTM, said: "In humanitarian crises, GBV is not just a by-product of conflict, but it is an urgent, pervasive issue that demands multi-sectoral, survivor-centred responses, with accessible services that support women and girls before, during, and long after a crisis. Improving research on GBV is key to understanding its impact and enhancing responses to ensure no woman or girl is left without support.”

Reflecting on the importance of raising awareness of this issue, Dr Nambusi Kyegombe, Associate Professor and Co-Director of the GVHC at LSHTM said: "International Women's Day serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need to address gender-based violence. It is an opportunity to amplify the voices of women and girls affected by GBV and to work with communities to accelerate collective action towards ensuring their safety, dignity, and access to essential services."

The GVHC is running a short course this June on ‘Researching Gender-Based Violence: Methods and Meaning’ at LSHTM and online. The course aims to strengthen participants’ knowledge and skills to conduct or commission technically rigorous, ethical and policy- and service-relevant research on various forms of violence against women, children and adolescents. A number of fee waivers are available for offer holders from, and residing in, Low- and Middle-Income countries to attend the course online. Fee waiver deadline 31 March 2025; applications close 30 April 2025.

Dr Meghna Ranganathan, Associate Professor and Co-Director of the GVHC at LSHTM said: "Investing in rigorous research and knowledge exchange is essential to strengthen GBV interventions for prevention and response. Equipping practitioners with the latest evidence-based approaches through specialised training courses can help ensure that survivor-centred approaches are both effective and sustainable.” 

Find out more about the upcoming short course.

The Gender Violence and Health Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) will be running the "Researching Gender-Based Violence: Methods and Meaning" short course from 9 to 13 June 2025.

This course aims to strengthen participants’ knowledge and skills to conduct or commission technically rigorous, ethical, and policy-relevant research on various forms of violence against women and girls.

Participants will learn from world-leading experts in gender and health, develop practical skills to implement evidence-based solutions, and expand your professional network with like-minded peers worldwide.

The course will be held both in person in London, and online. The deadline for applications is 30 April 2025.

A small number of tuition fee waivers are available for offer holders from Low- and Middle-Income Countries to attend the course online. The deadline for submission of fee waiver applications is 31 March 2025, and applicants must hold an offer of a place before they can apply for any funding.

Find out more and apply now

Congratulations to PhD student and Research Fellow, Erin Hartman, who received an award at SVRI for her presentation titled, "You stop someone from using contraception, and then, blame them later when they get pregnant:” Reproductive Oppression of Girls and Young Women – Findings from Qualitative Research with Family Planning Service-Users.

Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) Forum 2024 in Cape Town. As a first-time attendee—and one of sixteen delegates from the Gender Violence and Health Centre (GVHC) at LSHTM—I was both excited and curious about what awaited me at one of the largest global conferences dedicated to ending violence against women and children (VAWC).

First impressions

With over 1,500 delegates, the scale of the event was awe-inspiring. From researchers and practitioners to funders and INGOs, it felt like the major stakeholders were represented. Meeting people from various career stages, including scholars whose work I admire, made it hard not to feel a bit starstruck!

The diversity of sessions was equally striking, spanning methodological advancements in violence measurement, understanding perpetration, reproductive justice, scaling up evidence-based interventions, and promoting safe and meaningful youth participation. To describe it as an intellectually stimulating environment would be an understatement.

Building connections

One of my highlights was connecting with others in the field. Delegates organised networking sessions based on niche research areas and geographical regions. Thematic workshops and presentations encouraged critical discussions around common research interests, while cozy dinners and lively group dances fostered connections on a personal level. It was also exciting to meet others working on completely different themes—only to find unexpected parallels in our work, leading to conversations that would carry forward post-forum.

As a member of the Early Career Research in Gender-Based Violence Community at the GVHC and globally (@ECRGBVglobal), I was reassured by the presence of friendly faces in the crowd—people who empathised with the joys and struggles of finding our feet in this field (not least battling imposter syndrome). Meeting colleagues I had only interacted with online, and strengthening existing connections with the GVHC, was equally rewarding. I know they will remain allies in this shared cause for many years to come.

Poster presentation

The poster hall was one of the many vibrant spaces at the forum—spacious, brightly lit, and buzzing with energy. Over three days, around 190 posters were exhibited, offering delegates the choice to either wander leisurely along the aisles or plan targeted visits using the programme booklet. I had the opportunity to share an aspect of my PhD research through my poster, titled “Participatory Research with Refugee Youths in Malaysia: Challenging Hierarchies, Maximising Benefits.”

My poster showcased how co-creating emancipatory workshops with refugee youths—integrating capacity-building with research consultation—and co-delivering these sessions to a Rohingya Youth Research Advisory Group were effective strategies for simultaneously challenging intersecting power hierarchies and maximising benefits of the research process. Engaging with delegates who stopped by to learn more was a rewarding experience, as was having friendly chats with poster neighbours and exploring the work of others in the hall. It was a great way to support new friends made at the forum and gain fresh insights from diverse research projects.

A standout topic

The topic of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) made a lasting impression. This concept reframes GBV as part of an offline-online continuum, delving into areas such as cyber-dating violence, the impact of the adult entertainment industry on children, and violence in extended reality. The breadth of research also posited the dual role of Artificial Intelligence as a tool for both violence perpetration and intervention, as well as the pressing issues of regulation and accountability. These insights expanded my perspective and introduced new dimensions to consider in my work.

Wrapping up with wellness and a bit of adventure

The forum’s emphasis on wellness did not go unnoticed—or unutilised. Programmes such as counselling and trauma release exercises reinforced the importance of collective care in sustaining our work in this emotionally demanding field. In that vein, I joined new friends for some sightseeing in Cape Town. Visiting Table Mountain, exploring local markets, and taking plenty of photos made for a memorable finale to an inspiring week.

Final thoughts

The SVRI Forum 2024 was a special experience in my PhD journey. It reminded me that, although our work may sometimes feel solitary, we are part of a larger, collective purpose. As one plenary speaker stated, “By signing up to the SVRI, you are signing up for a mission of ending violence against women and children in our lifetime.” This ambitious statement reinvigorated my commitment to tackling violence and promoting gender equality among migrant and displaced communities in Southeast Asia through meaningful youth participation. Here’s to the ideas sparked, the connections made, and the continued momentum to create a world free from violence.

Written by Zhen Ling Ong (Alyson), a 4th-year PhD student at the Gender Violence and Health Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. This work has been supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) [ES/P000592/1] and the Millby Foundation, with guidance from my supervisors, Prof Cathy Zimmerman, Dr Joelle Mak, and Associate Professor Dr Tharani Loganathan.

Join the Gender Violence and Health Centre (GVHC) and Centre for Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive, & Child Health (MARCH) for our programme of events during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

Webinar link (to use for all sessions except for the event on 27th November which requires separate registration).

Webinar ID: 993 6374 8053

No passcode

Join us to discuss the findings of HERA (Healthcare Responding to Violence and Abuse), a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Global Research Group that over the last five years has been developing and evaluating a domestic violence and abuse healthcare intervention in low and middle-income countries. Registration is free and there is an option to join in person or online.

Register now

This event is both a celebration of the completion of the Group’s work and an opportunity to reflect on its impact and implications.

HERA was co-led by the University of Bristol and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Specific country studies were led by the University of Sāo Paulo in Brazil, An Najah National University in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Kathmandu University in Nepal and the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka.

The World Health Organization provided additional methodological, technical and policy expertise on health systems interventions for violence against women.

There will be a launch screening of a short film about HERA during the event.

The Gender Violence and Health Centre (GVHC) is pleased to announce that Professor Karen Devries, a leading member of GVHC, head of the Child Protection Research Group, and Professor of Social Epidemiology at LSHTM, has been invited to speak at the First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children. This important gathering, held in Bogotá, Colombia, on November 7-8, 2024, will convene global leaders, policymakers, and researchers dedicated to strategies and solutions for ending violence against children.

Professor Devries will participate in the session on ‘Safe and Enabling School Environments’ scheduled for Friday, November 8, from 2-3pm. Her presentation will focus on the critical role of schools in creating safe, supportive environments for children and adolescents, contributing valuable insights from her extensive research in social epidemiology and child protection.

View the full event programme.

Professor Devries’s research is dedicated to using epidemiological methods to understand and address violence against children, adolescents, and women. We are proud of her contributions to GVHC’s mission and look forward to the impact of her insights on this global platform.

Professor Loraine J Bacchus and Centre Co-Director, Dr Manuela Colombini, presented key findings from a systematic review recently published in The Lancet Public Health, conducted in collaboration with UNICEF, and the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI). The recorded webinar can be found below, and on the SVRI website here: https://www.svri.org/webinar-recap-interventions-to-end-intimate-partner-violence-ipv-and-violence-against-children-vac/

Presenter: Dr Edmond Choi

Date/Time: Tuesday 18^th June 12:30pm to 2:00pm.

Location (Hybrid): Tavistock Place 2, Room 207
https://lshtm.zoom.us/j/97753215097?pwd=RWNoemEyWE9BazI4aGRrckNVUklodz09&from=addon

Abstract

Sexual violence among gay men remains a significantly under-addressed issue within both service provision and academia in Hong Kong. This presentation will focus on a qualitative inquiry into the experiences and perceptions of sexual violence among gay men in the region. Additionally, it will cover preliminary findings from an ongoing mixed-methods study on technology-facilitated sexual abuse among gay men in Hong Kong. The insights gained should pave the way for increased research, resource allocation, and proactive measures in this field.

Bio

Dr Edmond Choi, PhD, RN (Hong Kong), FRSPH, FHEA, FAAN, is a registered nurse and an Assistant Professor at the School of Nursing, University of Hong Kong. His research focuses on sexual health, with an emphasis on LGBTQ+, adolescents, and young adults. He has conducted studies investigaing different forms of sexual violence, both in-person and technology-facilitated, among various at-risk populations in Chinese contexts. Additionally, he has led studies testing the effectiveness of various sexual health promotion interventions among men who have sex with men (MSM). For example, he has developed an eHealth intervention to promote condom use among MSM dating app users and another intervention to reduce sexual harm related to chemsex. He has published 110+ articles and is Associate Editor for Sexual Health.

Related publications

Perceptions and experiences of sexual violence among Chinese men who have sex with men in Hong Kong.

The experience of using dating applications for sexual hook-ups: A qualitative exploration among HIV-negative men who have sex with men in Hong Kong.

A comprehensive systematic review, led by a team of by our Co-director, Manuela Colombini and Professor Loraine Bacchus , has shed light on effective interventions to prevent or respond to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) against Women and Violence against Children (VAC).

Read more: Study Identifies Key Strategies to Combat Intimate Partner Violence and Violence Against Children | LSHTM

Applications are now open for the 2023 GVHC Researching Gender-based Violence Short Course! Gain the skills to conduct or commission technically rigorous & ethical research on various forms of violence against women.

Running 6 - 10 Nov, in London & online.

Apply online at: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/courses/short-courses/gender-violence

A new podcast episode released on "How Can Social Protection Impact Gender-based Violence?"

This episode is part of the three-part series ‘’Social Protection for Prevention of and Response to Gender-based Violence’’ and features conversation between:

• Ana Maria Buller, Associate Professor in Social Sciences and Director of the Gender Violence and Health Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Lusajo Kajula, Principal Investigator, UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti
• Amber Peterman, Research Associate Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This episode presents a deep dive into what we know about the impacts of social protection on gender-based violence (GBV) and some of the remaining knowledge gaps. We look at economic empowerment programmes and how they can help reduce economic stress and challenge gender norms that often drive violence in community settings.

Drawing from the available evidence, our guests were also invited to reflect on both the positive pathways through which social protection can contribute to reducing intimate partner violence (IPV) and the possibility of it introducing risks of increased violence. Finally, as some food for thought, what would a feminist social protection policy look like?

socialprotection.org on Twitter: "1/3 ♀️The #SPpodcast is kicking off the 3-part series ‘Social Protection for Prevention of and Response to Gender-Based Violence’! The 1st episode presents a deep dive into the impacts of #SocialProtection on #gender-based #violence (GBV). ▶️Hit play: https://t.co/w6GnwLX1i8" / Twitter

Dr Loraine Bacchus and Dr Manuela Colombini of GVHC and Prof Dr Shanaaz Mathews are serving as guest editors along with Alessandra Guedes as co-guest editor for the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health special issue on "The Intersections between Intimate Partner Violence and Violence against Children: Impacts and Approaches to Interventions". 

Deadline for submission is: 1 September, 2023

Dr Meghna Ranganathan of GVHC and Dr Amber Peterman have co-authored a new blog:

How is economic security linked to violence against women and children? New insights from the Sexual Violence Research Initiative Forum 2022

In the blog they summarize new work across five categories:

• Cash transfers and "cash-plus" programming
• Gender-transformative livelihoods, agriculture, and skill-building interventions
• Integrating violence prevention strategies with livelihood and economic programming in humanitarian and displacement settings
• Costing and cost-effectiveness
• Financial abuse, violence in the workplace, and more

We are now accepting applications for the LSHTM/GVHC Researching Gender-Based Violence: Methods and Meaning short course: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/courses/short-courses/gender-violence 

Develop skills to conduct research on Gender-based Violence!

Learn how to:

• Measure violence
• Assess the relationship between violence and health
• Meet ethical & safety obligations

The course will run from 31 October - 11 November 2022.

Contact the short course organisers with any questions: Dr Meghna Ranganathan and Dr Ana Maria Buller

At the GVHC meeting in May co-authors:

• Dr Philipp Schulz from the University of Bremen
• Dr Anne-Kathrin Kreft from the University of Oslo
• Dr Heleen Touquet from the University of Leuven, and
• Independent Consultant Ms Sarah Martin

shared their experience with, and tips for self-care in gender-based violence research. 

More information can be found in their presentative available here.

And in their published article: "Self-care for gender-based violence researchers – Beyond bubble baths and chocolate pralines” presented their tips for self-care" 

A new commentary on global research into cash transfers to prevent intimate partner violence by Tia Palermo, Clare Barrington, Ana Maria Buller, Lori Heise, Melissa Hidrobo, Meghna Ranganathan and Shalini Roy was published today in The Lancet Global Health.

Read more here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214109X22000389

As part of the HERA academic writing workshop for early career researchers that took place this summer, Dr Sandi Dheensa (University of Bristol) interviewed three academic journal editors about publishing:

Prof Rebecca Macy, University of North Carolina, Journal of Family Violence Editor

Prof Caroline Bradbury Jones, University of Birmingham, Associate Editor of for Journal of Clinical Nursing and the International Journal of Social Research Methodology and former editor of Child Abuse Review

Dr Ṣẹ̀yẹ Abímbọ́lá, University of Sydney+Utrecht, BMJ Global Health Editor in chief

GVHC members Dr Manuela Colombini, Dr Loraine Bacchus, Isabelle Pearson and Heidi Stöckl presented their work on the UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti webinar on: Intersections between Violence Against Children and Women - Prevention and Response: Identifying Evidence Gaps and Opportunities for Collaboration

Marcella Vigneri of CEDIL - The Centre of Excellence for Development Impact and Learning - chairs a webinar on amplifying the voices of the Global South.

Manuela Colombini, Assistant Professor at LSHTM and Avni Amin, Technical Officer, WHO co-facilitated the webinar on: Innovations in strengthening health systems preparedness to address violence against women: learnings from providing accessible, quality, and gender-responsive services

The five presentations are:  

1. Ana Flavia de Oliveira: "Is training primary health care providers enough? Findings from a pilot study in Brazil"

2. Ana Baptista: "Innovations on health systems response to violence against women – Experience of Mozambique using Quality Assurance Tool

3. Abdulsalam Alkaiyat: "Integrating violence against women in occupied Palestinian Territories: challenges and enablers"

4. Sanjida Arora and Sonali Deshpande: "Innovations in implementing research to strengthen health provider capacity and facility readiness in responding to violence against women in Maharashtra, India"

5. Sharifullah Haqmal: "Health systems response to gender-based violence in Afghanistan – lessons learned from scaling up the national protocol"

New blog posted on the SVRI website on “Applying feminist principles to GBV data collection: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic”, featuring Professor Heidi Stöckl

https://www.svri.org/blog/applying-feminist-principles-to-gbv-data-collection-lessons-during-covid-19-pandemic

Dr Heidi Stöckl has been promoted to Professor of Social Epidemiology.

Dr Stöckl researches violence against women and girls and adolescents. She is Director of the Gender Violence and Health Centre and Head of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre on researching gender based violence. She currently leads, with Dr Mshana from the Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, the first longitudinal study on predictors and consequences of intimate partner violence in Tanzania.  

Dr Ana Maria Buller has been promoted to Associate Professor in Social Science

Dr Buller researches gender based violence, sexual exploitation of children and adolescents and intervention development. She is Deputy Director of the Gender, Violence and Health Centre and heads the Learning Initiative on Norms, Exploitation and Abuse (LINEA) project, a global learning initiative on social norms and sexual exploitation of children and adolescents.

For the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, the Gender Violence Health Centre (GVHC) hosts an annual seminar series at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). This year’s series will highlight the research underway by the GVHC. 

The series will begin on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November) and will run until Human Rights Day (10 December).

2020 marks the 29^th year of the campaign.

Additional event details, and instructions on how to join, are available on the LSHTM webpage here: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/events/series/16-days-activism-against-gender-violence

A new Mixed-Methods Systematic Review on Infidelity, Romantic Jealousy, and Intimate Partner Violence Against Women was recently published as part of an output of the Romantic Jealousy (RJ) and IPV Collaboration; led by Dr. Ana Maria Buller and coordinated by Marjorie Pichon of GVHC, and including many partners around the globe. 

This review includes 51 papers from 28 countries around the world, and characterizes and synthesizes the existing literature on:

• the frequency with which infidelity and RJ are cited as triggers for IPV across different regions,
• how widespread the association between them is,
• and the mechanisms and pathways of infidelity and RJ leading to IPV. 

This review contributes to the field of VAW by expanding our understanding of the role of RJ—an understudied relational driver of IPV—and highlights the importance of using standardized measurement tools that make the distinction between RJ and suspected, confirmed and accusations of infidelity. Furthermore, the review highlights the need for policy and programming that aims to transform traditional gender roles, accounting for infidelity and RJ and improving couple’s communication and trust.

A full version of the publication is available for free here: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/16/5682/htm

Dr Gerry Mshana and Dr Heidi Stöckl presented “The Effect of COVID-19 on Women, Livelihood, and Violence in Mwanza, Tanzania” at the SI 2020 Gender in the Economy, National Bureau of Economic Research Conference.

Details can be found on the following page: http://conference.nber.org/sched/SI20GE

The Gender and COVID-19 working group launched their new website!

https://www.genderandcovid-19.org/

The Learning Initiative on Norms, Exploitation and Abuse (LINEA) has recently published a global systematic review of 49 studies from 37 countries around the world on social norms, attitudes, and factual beliefs linked to the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents.

An evidence brief of the review findings is also available.

Dr Amiya Bhatia of GVHC co-authors blog pieces published at the UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti.

The pieces are titled:

Remote data collection on violence against women during COVID-19: A conversation with experts on ethics, measurement & research priorities (Part 1)

Remote data collection on violence against children during COVID-19: A conversation with experts on research priorities, measurement and ethics (Part 2)

For mental health awareness week, Dr Tara Beattie is interviewed about her work on the Maisha Fiti study.  This study involves 1000 sex workers in Nairobi, evaluating whether social factors such as violence, mental health, and alcohol use, could be causing changes in women’s immune systems and leaving them more susceptible to HIV infection.

Today the World Health Organization released a document with information on COVID-19 and violence against women. This document outlines how violence against women remains a major threat during emergencies, how COVID-19 can exacerbate risks of violence for women, and how health systems have an important role to play in ensuring services for women who have experienced violence remain safe during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Their call to action outlines what government and policy makers, health facilities, health providers, humanitarian response organizations, community members, and women who are experiencing violence can do to address violence against women during this critical time. 

Professor Charlotte Watts and Dr Heidi Stoeckl deliver talk entitled ‘Violence Against Women & Girls and Health’

Violence against women and girls - in its multiple forms - is an important human rights abuse, and public health problem. There is a growing body of population based evidence on the prevalence of different forms of violence, with global estimates suggesting that at least one in three women has experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime, and that every third murdered woman is murdered by an intimate partner. Tackling violence therefore is a policy priority for many governments and international governmental and non-governmental organisations seeking to improve the lives and health of women, children, families and men. Drawing upon the work of the LSHTM Gender, Violence and Health Centre, and the Lancet Series on Violence against Women and Health, that the Centre led, this public health lecture will provide an overview of the conceptualisation and measurement of violence, the prevalence of different forms of violence and their health impacts, and summarise evidence and guidance on effective health sector and prevention strategies.

Their talk will soon appear on https://vimeo.com/channels/ghls

Dr Meghna Ranganathan writes for the International Food Policy Research Institute.

Manuela Balliet, a PhD student based in the GVHC, features on the SVRI website giving her perspective as a young researcher. 

Manuela won the Young Researcher Award at this years Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) Forum, for her presentation: Learn in peace, educate without violence: preliminary evidence for the effects of a brief, school-based violence prevention intervention in Cote d’Ivoire.

For the 16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women campaign, the Gender Violence and Health Centre hosts and annual seminar series at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. This year we are hosting together with King's College London.

The series will begin on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November) and will run until Human Rights Day (10 December). Admission is free and open to all. Entry is on a first come, first served basis. 

2019 marks the 28th year of the campaign.

25 November, 12:45 - 14:00
LSHTM,  Jerry Morris A+B, Tavistock Place
Dr Ana Maria Buller and Marjorie Pichon, 'A closer look at relational aspects of intimate partner violence: Household decision making, romantic jealousy and IPV ‘

28 November, 4pm (reception from 5pm onwards)
Kings College,  Robin Murray Lecture Theatre, Institute of Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience
Dr Sian Oram, ‘Modern Slavery and Mental Health‘

29 November, 12:45 – 14:00
LSHTM,  Jerry Morris A+B, Tavistock Place
Dr Tara Beattie, ‘Violence, HIV and Sex Work’

3 December, 12:30 – 13:30
Kings College, Anthony Mann Rm, David Goldberg centre, Institute of Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience
Dr Kylee Trevillion and Dr Jill Domoney, ‘For Baby’s Sake: Evaluating a whole-family perinatal intervention to break the cycle of domestic abuse.’

5 December, 12:45 – 14:00
LSHTM,  Jerry Morris A+B, Tavistock Place
Dr Manuela Colombini and Dr Loraine Bacchus, ‘Domestic violence and health sector responses: a case study from Palestine’

10 December, 12:45 - 14:00
LSHTM, LG80, Keppel St
Mark Marchant, ‘What is empowerment?’

Dr Karen Devries has been promoted to Professor of Social Epidemiology.

Dr Devries specialises in child protection and the prevention of violence against children and adolescents. Her work seeks to develop and test novel ways of reducing violence and improving child and adolescent health, while integrating methodological questions around ethics, safeguarding and the measurement of violence. Her work has been instrumental in raising the profile of violence against children from school staff, and its impact on health.