Gender Equality
This helpdesk provides a rapid analysis on the existing evidence related to effective behaviour change interventions. It has a particular focus on where interventions are related to hygiene and sanitation, nutrition, gender based violence, indoor air pollution, family planning adoption, unsafe sex, motor vehicle driving. The geographic focus is Malawi, but where necessary it draws… Read more
In a group interview Sarah Ssali (Makerere University), Sally Theobald (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine), Rosemary Morgan (John Hopkins University) and Asha George (John Hopkins University) talk about essential gender issues in relation to health systems. They also promote the RinGs Initiative (Research in Gender and Ethics) and talk about how people can get involved…. Read more
The nature and scale of the problem Depression is a mental disorder characterised by low mood, loss of interest or enjoyment, and reduced energy, leading to increased fatigue, reduced activity, and marked functional impairment (WHO, 1990). Other common symptoms are reduced concentration, reduced self-esteem, ideas of guilt or unworthiness, pessimistic views of the future, ideas… Read more
It is increasingly recognised that in emergency programming efforts adolescents need to be viewed as a distinct group with distinct vulnerabilities and also great potential for contributing to the emergency response. Adolescents tend either to be ignored as a target group during times of emergencies or to be conceptualised as passive victims or active security threats…. Read more
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
Introduction The international evidence that high quality early childhood development (ECD) programmes benefit all children’s development, life experiences, and life chances, is overwhelming. The evidence comes from studies of all kinds, including well-known large quantitative longitudinal studies (e.g. High/Scope Perry studies in the USA and the work of Heckman, at http://heckmanequation.org/) to more localised qualitative… 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