Gender
Maternal mental health is largely neglected in low- and middle-income countries. There is no routine screening or treatment of maternal mental disorders in primary care settings in South Africa. The Perinatal Mental Health Project (PMHP) developed an intervention to deliver mental health care to pregnant women in a collaborative, step-wise manner making use of existing… Read more
The perinatal mental health of women living in low- and lower-middle-income countries has only recently become the subject of research, in part because greater priority has been assigned to preventing pregnancy-related deaths. In addition, some have argued that in resource-constrained countries women are protected from experiencing perinatal mental problems through the influence of social and… Read more
Better early childhood nutrition improves schooling, adult health, skills, and wages, but there is little evidence regarding its effect on the next generation. This study assessed whether nutritional supplementation in children aged <7 to 15 y affected their children’s nutritional status 29–38 y later. The study concludes that nutritional supplementation in girls is associated with… Read more
This paper addresses strategies that can make a difference for women’s and child’s rights: girls’ education. The paper discusses multi-channel learning as an educational strategy that attempts to overcome the traditional boundaries of the daily responsibilities of girls in developing countries through the careful design and combination of channels for girls to engage in learning. Through… Read more
This newsletter presents brief summaries of several projects focusing on girls, gender sensitivity and early childhood development (ECD) from across Asian and Pacific nations. These projects include investigations of culture and gender in ECD, school transitions, access to ECD, and literacy. The gender sensitivity focus emphasises the benefits of quality ECD programmes for girls. The newsletter… Read more
This report examines an early childhood development (ECD) programme in Nepal and its impact, not only on young children, but also on their families and communities. It explores, in particular, the impact the programme has had on children’s transition to school, a significant issue in a country where many children never start school and where those… Read more
The world is becoming increasingly urbanised. Over one third of urban dwellers now reside in low-income urban settlements, where living conditions are often inadequate and there are multiple barriers to access to health services for women and girls. Based on six case studies and a thematic review examining women’s and girls’ access to health in low-income… Read more
The post-conflict or post-crisis period provides the opportunity for wide-ranging public sector reforms: donors fund rebuilding and reform efforts, social norms are in a state of flux, and the political climate may be conducive to change. This reform period presents favourable circumstances for the promotion of gender equity in multiple social arenas, including the health… Read more
Evidence indicates that in several countries in Africa, women’s earnings are a fraction of male’s earnings. It is argued in this book that the gap is not simply the result of discrimination in the labour markets, but rather the result of multiple factors, including access to education and credit, cultural values and household duties and… Read more
This paper considers evidence for the effects of policies on gender gaps in education, distinguishing between policies that are ostensibly gender neutral and those that explicitly target girls. The demand for girls’ schooling is often more responsive than boys’ to gender neutral changes in school distance, price, and quality, patterns which can be explained in… Read more
For women and girls in particular, their socially prescribed role as carers can undermine their rights and limit their opportunities, capabilities and choices – posing a fundamental obstacle to gender equality and well-being. This report seeks to move towards a world in which individuals and society ‘recognise and value the importance of different forms of… Read more