Christofides, N. J., Hatcher, A. M., Pino, A., Rebombo, D., McBride, R. S., Anderson, A., & Peacock, D. (2018). A cluster randomised controlled trial to determine the effect of community mobilisation and advocacy on men’s use of violence in periurban South Africa: study protocol. BMJ Open, 8(3), e017579.

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Gibbs A, Dunkle K, Jewkes R (2018) Emotional and economic intimate partner violence as key drivers of depression and suicidal ideation:A cross-sectional study among young women in informal settlements in South Africa. PLoS ONE 13 (4): e0194885. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194885

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This presentation, given by Professor Rachel Jewkes, Executive Scientist in the office of the President, South African Medical Research Council and Consortium Director, What Works Global Programme, examines different types of IPV, and assesses the relative importance of key driving factors, including poverty, food insecurity, social norms regarding both gender and the use of violence, and disability. The presentation outlines tasks to combat IPV and illustrates the beneficial effects of economic empowerment and gender empowerment, and of changing social norms.

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Project Empower and HEARD, Stepping Stones, Creating Futures Project, South Africa.

In 2012 *Nompu was one of the growing number of young women living in an urban informal settlement in South Africa. Nompu had moved from rural KwaZulu-Natal to Durban, a port city on the east coast of Africa, in the hope of finding a job and establishing a better life for herself. Yet, without completing her high school education, she struggled to find work. In the midst of high levels of unemployment, limited state support, dense living conditions and a struggle for survival, Nompu was often beaten by her boyfriend. Nompu’s boyfriend himself felt alienated from everyday life, without proper work and struggling to make a life for himself.

Stepping Stones Creating Futures, South Africa.

When *Amanda looks around the community she grew up in, she does not see progress; instead, she sees high unemployment, teenage pregnancy, crime and many young women living in social isolation. Amanda is a 25-year-old woman from an informal settlement in South Africa. There are little to no employment opportunities in the community she lives in, or resources that could help her progress in life, which makes her feel, discouraged. The average past month earnings in the community where she lives are R169 (approx. 12 USD). Amanda describes herself as a person who is quiet, without any confidence and with a fear of doing anything wrong. She says this has made her vulnerable to many things growing up such as, having abusive and controlling boyfriends who offered her financial support on condition that she never challenged them. For Amanda, she was taught, from an early age that men are to be respected and feared and that they were the head of the family. Even if there were aspects in her relationship that she was not happy with, she held on to the belief that the man is God to you and you should never disagree with him.

This report offers a comprehensive review of the annual What Works scientific meeting that took place over two days in July 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa. The meeting, and subsequent report, focused on the analysis of research from the previous year, and a study of how to use the research to influence VAWG policy and programming going forward. The meeting focused on four key thematic areas: Poverty and the Role of Economic Empowerment in VAWG Prevention; The Intersection Between Violence Against Women and Girls and Violence Against Children; Violence and Disabilities; and VAWG in Conflict and Humanitarian Settings. Other areas of interest included Emerging Findings in a Nutshell; Types and Prevalence of VAWG; and Synergies across projects.

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This report covers the third capacity development workshop under the What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) programme, held in Pretoria, South Africa from 3rd to 4th July 2017. It was an opportunity for implementers, researchers and technical staff to share learning and build skills across the programme. The workshop was structured around three broad themes: Building core skills on research uptake; relationship building and technical sharing between grantees and the What Works consortium members; and supporting south-to-south learning. This report summarises the highlights and key messages from each of the sessions.

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The What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls Global Programme has carried out research to better understand how to prevent violence against women and girls living with disabilities, who are at an increased risk of violence, abuse, neglect, maltreatment and exploitation. Women and girls with disabilities also face additional pressures because they are regarded as unable to meet the social roles and expectations on women and girls to attract men, marry, bear children, or care for families. This can result in further social exclusion, which may contribute to development of depression or other mental illness, in addition to increasing their physical and economic vulnerabilities. While the evidence base is limited, this evidence brief identifies promising strategies to prevent violence against women girls with disabilities.

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Poverty is a key driver of intimate partner violence (IPV). Women living in poorer places with lower socio-economic status, higher food insecurity, and less access to education and work opportunities are more likely to experience IPV. In addition, women without economic and social resources find it harder to leave abusive relationships. To date, women’s economic empowerment interventions have been central to IPV prevention approaches. This evidence review, however, suggests that women’s involvement in economic interventions has mixed effects on their vulnerability to IPV and can in fact increase the risks of their experiencing IPV, especially in situations where women’s participation in paid economic activity is the exception to the norm. Evidence suggests that interventions that aim to increase women’s access to work need to focus simultaneously on socially empowering women and transforming community gender norms to maximize the positive impact of women’s work on women’s empowerment and help prevent VAWG.

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Violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC) are violations of human rights and global public health priorities. Historically, work to address VAW and VAC have often occurred separately or in silos. This evidence note, however, draws attention to the growing body of evidence on the intersections of VAW and VAC, including risk factors, common social norms, co-occurrence, and the intergenerational cycle of abuse. It presents promising programmatic approaches to prevent and respond to both forms of violence; and policy recommendations, which include prioritising prevention efforts with adolescent girls that challenge gender norms and build girls’ agency.

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