*INTER-PERSONAL ROUTES – Page 3

Engaging men and boys in sanitation and hygiene programmes (IDS Frontiers of CLTS: Innovations and Insights 11, 2018)

September 10, 2018

This issue of Frontiers of CLTS shares and builds on the learning from a desk study that explores examples of men’s and boys’ behaviours and
gender roles in sanitation and hygiene (S&H). Of particular interest is the extent to which the engagement of men and boys in S&H processes
is leading to sustainable and transformative change in households and communities and reducing gendered inequality.

The review focuses on men and boys: how to engage them (or not), how to mobilise them as allies in the transformation of S&H outcomes and the
problems they contribute to and experience.

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Who Can I Turn To? Mapping social connections, trust and problem-solving among conflict-affected populations (Tearfund Report, 2017)

August 12, 2018

‘Social connections are widely recognised as crucial to resilience and well-being in all populations. Families, friendships, community and business relationships are essential for support and protection both within and between communities. Yet these connections are often catastrophically disrupted when people flee from conflict. In addition to material destruction, families and communities are broken and scattered and identities challenged. Without the usual network of social relations people become insecure in multiple ways.’

This report aims to support the work of Tearfund and other agencies by providing improved baseline knowledge through the identification of social connections and levels of trust among displaced and settled communities in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It reports on research carried out by Tearfund and Queen Margaret University, supported by the University of Duhok and the American University of Kurdistan, in the Duhok Governorate, in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The research aimed to test a methodology which has been developed in other locations to enable the identification of social connections and levels of trust in settings of conflict and displacement (Strang and Quinn, 2014). The methodology was carried out by local researchers trained by the Queen Margaret University team. Participatory activities used three different scenarios: immediate basic needs such as cash for food, clothing or other essential items; resolving disputes; and gender based violence.

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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), 2018)

July 2, 2018

This paper describes the design and methods of a cluster randomised controlled trial (C-RCT) to determine the effectiveness of a community mobilisation intervention that is designed to reduce the perpetration of violence against women (VAW).

Methods and analysis: A C-RCT of nine intervention and nine control clusters is being carried out in a periurban, semiformal settlement near Johannesburg, South Africa, between 2016 and 2018. A community mobilisation and advocacy intervention, called Sonke CHANGE is being implemented over 18 months. It comprises local advocacy and group activities to engage community members to challenge harmful gender norms and reduce VAW. The intervention is hypothesised to improve equitable masculinities, reduce alcohol use and ultimately, to reduce VAW. Intervention effectiveness will be determined through an audio computer-assisted self-interview questionnaire with behavioural measures among 2600 men aged between 18 and 40 years at baseline, 12 months and 24 months. The primary trial outcome is men’s use of physical and/or sexual VAW. Secondary outcomes include harmful alcohol use, gender attitudes, controlling behaviours, transactional sex and social cohesion.

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Mainstreaming of Accountability to Communities: An Operational Case Study (IFRC, 2018)

June 26, 2018

This case study highlights the successes and challenges experienced by Kenya Red Cross and provides practical lessons for other National Societies and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) about factors that may enable a successful mainstreaming process.

The study shows that the integration of Accountability to Communities (AtC) has had a tremendous impact on the way the Kenya Red Cross works with the communities it serves, including:

Increased trust – AtC created an increased sense of mutual trust and engagement between KRCS staff and volunteers. Trust has strengthened lines of communication, making it possible for community members to engage in an honest dialogue about project implementation and outcomes.
Enhanced project sustainability and user-driven projects – The shift towards a consultative approach encouraged more community members to become involved in and lead their own development initiatives. This has enhanced project sustainability and community resiliency.
Improved access, security, and early warning systems – Increased and transparent communication and enhanced trust between KRCS and communities have allowed staff to operate more safely and appropriately in the context in which they are working.

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Girls’ clubs and empowerment programmes – Knowledge to action: Effective action on gender norms that affect adolescent girls (ODI Research Note, 2015)

March 18, 2018

This Research and practice note outlines the role girls’ club and empowerment programmes can play in promoting adolescent girls’ wellbeing and changing the gender norms that constrain their lives. It draws on fieldwork in Ethiopia, Nepal, Uganda and Viet Nam, an ODI systematic review of communications programmes, and secondary literature.

Girls’ clubs, which may be drop-in sessions or regular meetings, organised by community groups or girls themselves, are an increasingly popular approach to promoting adolescent girls’ wellbeing. They help girls cope with the physical and emotional changes they experience during adolescence, and equip them with knowledge and skills to help them challenge discriminatory norms within their home and wider community. Typically, they aim to empower girls by giving them access to information about their rights (including their sexual and reproductive health). They also equip them with life skills, which build their self-confidence and help them to negotiate for their rights and voice their concerns. The approach aims to broaden girls’ horizons and encourage them to envisage and realise a better future.

Click here for full note.