What's New

Married at 11

hfreitag — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:24:37 +0000

We examine the phenomenon of child marriage

Mon, 06/03/2013

Al Jazeera The Stream

ICRW's Ann Warner weighs in on an Al Jazeera panel discussion of child marriage. Warner was joined by Lakshmi Sundaram of Girls Not Brides; Maria Al Masani of Madbakh Women's Intiative; and Naana Otoo-Oyortey of Forward UK.

WATCH: "Let's Raise Our Voices"

hfreitag — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:48:45 +0000

On June 3rd, ICRW co-hosted "Let's Raise Our Voices," an event held in London that brought together leading experts to discuss strategies for preventing violence against women and girls. Watch the video.

WATCH: "Let's Raise Our Voices"

webmaster — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:46:16 +0000

On June 3rd, ICRW co-hosted "Let's Raise Our Voices," an event held in London that brought together leading experts to discuss strategies for preventing violence against women. View video here.

WATCH: "Let's Raise Our Voices"

hfreitag — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:14:13 +0000

On June 3rd, ICRW co-hosted "Let's Raise Our Voices," an event held in London that brought together leading experts to discuss strategies for preventing violence against women and girls.

Panelists included Mabel van Oranje, advisory committee chair of Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage; Nata Duvvury, co-director of the global women’s studies program at the National University of Ireland Galway; and Ravi Verma, director of the ICRW Asia Regional Office.

Lynne Featherstone, Britain’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, delivered the keynote address, and Cherie Blair, former first lady of Britain and founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, provided welcoming remarks.

During the event, ICRW also shared new research findings on gender-based violence in India, which has been in the spotlight globally after the fatal rape of a young woman on a bus last December. ICRW President Sarah Degnan Kambou also gave recommendations for how the global community should invest resources to combat violence against women.

Illuminating Pathways to Reproductive Health, Rights and Empowerment for Girls

eweiss — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:17:11 +0000

Through our past research ICRW has identified the causes and harmful effects of child marriage. Additionally, we have identified key program approaches that show potential for delaying and reducing child marriage. While this general understanding has been established, there is a demonstrated need for more specific guidance on programs and policies that will allow adolescent girls in the world's poorest countries to know, understand, and claim their rights and improve their lives.

The primary objectives of this project are to: 1) illuminate potential "pathways to empowerment" for adolescent girls and women by conducting a deeper assessment of programs that have successfully delayed marriage and childbearing, and 2) mobilize funding, commitment, and action on girls' education, empowerment, and reproductive health through targeted research and advocacy. Currently ICRW is conducting case studies of several programs that are addressing child marriage in diverse settings, including India, Bangladesh and Egypt. We will release a major report in 2014 that will highlight the key findings from these case studies, providing guidance to donors, practitioners and policymakers on how best to address child marriage in the developing world.

Duration:

2012 - 2014

Funder:

Packard Foundation

Project Director:

Ann Warner

Location(s):

India

Location(s):

Bangladesh

Location(s):

Egypt

Related Publications:

Solutions to End Child Marriage

Reflections on Women Deliver

jabrahamson — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:12:10 +0000

Old questions in new 'fonts' in Kuala Lumpur

New agendas are critical to ensure sexual rights, safety and accountability, especially for young people. But let’s also live up to our old promises.

ICRW's Priya Nanda

Launched in 2007 in London, the Women Deliver conference started as a global advocacy platform for investing in maternal health and reducing maternal and neonatal mortality. This year in Kuala Lumpur – host to the world’s third Women Deliver conference – amidst conversations about the slow progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), new development agendas for a post-2015 world were also discussed.

Sitting through various plenaries I wondered: If Women Deliver was a word cloud, what would it be? Clearly, the bold faced words are: Invest, Women, Girls, Justice, Poverty,the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), MDGs, Family Planning 2020, and Development Agenda. In a smaller font we see:girls education, sex education, early marriage, men, rights, youth, midwives, safe abortion and contraceptives supply.

There was nothing new in assertions that investing in women is smart economics except that here the words were attached to high-level orators to elicit increased commitment to tackling problems; researchers and program implementers have been highlighting these issues for years.

But the global health community and conference organizers were asking seemingly new questions, which to me were old issues dressed up in new fonts: What about family planning? How do we delay marriage of young girls? What’s the role of men? Can we empower young people? How do we build women’s movements? What defines a just society? Will a just society achieve these goals?

Less audible at the conference were critical questions: What about sexuality in the sexual and reproductive health agenda? Where are resources most needed? How do we build governments’ accountability to the more contested terrains such as sex education, abortion or contraception? What is working well? What is not and why? Why do we need a new agenda? What failed before? What has been learned?

As new development agendas that might be created around commitments to youth , sexuality, rights and violence prevention are talked about, we must ensure that resistant governments do not pick and choose whose rights to support – because rights are indivisible and universal and apply not only to married women. New development agendas need to fairly and proportionately address social justice and rights for women and girls. They need to address the negotiated aspects of young people’s lives like sexuality and power.

At the closing plenary, Kavita Ramdas of the Ford Foundation reminded us that there are groups that are often sidelined based on sexual identity, race and religion and youth is a large demographic group that includes many of these vulnerabilities.

Concern was expressed that the MDGs for 2015 may not be achieved. The ICPD milestones that were assigned several decades ago still remain unfulfilled. While new goals are critical, we must ensure that governments are equally held accountable to the old ones.

Yes, new agendas are critical to ensure sexual rights, safety and accountability, especially for young people. They assign roles and actions to a global community of donors, researchers and program implementers for years to come. But let’s also live up to our old promises. The evidence and data that researchers generate should not only shape the new policy and program landscape, but also evoke serious discussions around realizing universal rights and ensuring accountability. Only then will we be successful at fulfilling new, more comprehensive milestones.

Economist and Evaluation Specialist

sroggeband — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:55:27 +0000

Job Location:

Washington, DC

The (Senior) Economist/Evaluation Specialist will work on research, technical assistance, and evaluation in Economic Development. The incumbent will develop and conduct research and evaluation in the team’s areas of interest, which include gender and asset rights, women’s and girls’ economic empowerment, and the impact of multilateral and national economic policies on gender equality. S/he will contribute to developing new ideas for analytic and program work and fundraising. The (Senior) Economist/Evaluation Specialist’s responsibilities will include managing projects; mentoring junior staff members; identifying and securing resources for team projects and producing high quality deliverables in a timely manner. Responsibilities may also include representing the team’s research through publishing, presentations, conferences, media briefings, speaking engagements, and professional networks; and, responsibility for financial planning and budgeting for projects.

Primary Duties:

Works simultaneously on a variety of projects, manages projects, and conducts technical assistance to partners and research.

Leads high-quality quantitative data management and analysis. Determines the nature and complexity of issues for study; develops and recommends research methodology for projects (e.g., database design for quantitative studies and coding design for qualitative studies); writes and disseminates research results in a number of formats, including donor reports, institutional publications, journal articles, conference presentations, and social media.

Plans and implements monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for projects.

Identifies collaborations with partners in and works to maintain such working relationships.

Compiles, analyzes, and disseminates a variety of economic information, including statistical data that can answer analytical and strategic questions on various development issues.

Undertakes research projects ranging from short-term data collection to long-term projects involving extensive analysis.

Takes the lead role or contributes significantly to the development of successful business development opportunities. Develops basic and complex proposals from inception to submittal under general direction. Maintains communication with donors.

Represents ICRW at selected external meetings.

Responsible for project budgeting and reporting.

Supervises staff and undertakes management responsibilities pertinent to the position.

Required Skills:

Education: Ph.D. in Economics or a related discipline. M.A. with additional experience acceptable.

Experience: Five (5) to Seven (7) or more years of post-doctoral experience in evaluation, research, program and/or policy in gender and development as it relates to economic development, poverty and rural development issues. Experience in land and property rights preferred. Demonstrated ability to translate research findings into policy and/or programming. Significant experience with project management and donor/partner relations is essential. Spanish, French, kiSwahili, Amharric or other foreign languages a plus.

Skills:

Strong quantitative analysis skills to include a sound base in econometrics and proficiency in STATA, SAS, or SPSS.

Experience in analysis of large datasets from a development context.

Strong Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) skills.

Ability to lead the development of successful business development opportunities.

Strong written and verbal communication skills for both technical and lay audiences required; to include proposal development and writing skills; strong presentation and training skills essential.

Proven ability to work collaboratively with professionals at different levels, including colleagues, partners, and donor organizations.

Must be a team player committed to building an innovative portfolio of research and program work that addresses gender and economic and social development issues.

Field experience organizing and supervising large survey data collection is a strong plus.

How To Apply:

ICRW offers a collegial and stimulating work environment, challenging innovative and meaningful development projects and an opportunity to work with development professionals who are well regarded in their fields of expertise.

Interested candidates are required to submit a cover letter stating why you are suitable for this position, a CV, two writing samples and salary history and requirements to jobs@icrw.orgwith subject line “Economist and Evaluation Specialist”.

Due to the large volume of responses we receive, ICRW is not able to provide candidacy status on an individual basis. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. ICRW is an equal opportunity employer, M/F/D/V. Screening of applicants will continue until the position is filled.

Information Technology (IT) Support Specialist

qpokolo-hassell — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:09:08 +0000

Job Location:

Washington, DC

The Information Technology (IT) Support Specialist is responsible for providing timely and accurate end user support to approximately 60+ users in Windows XP/Windows 7 environment. The incumbent is responsible for comprehensive help desk support including hardware and software maintenance (e.g., desktops, laptops/peripherals, including, but not limited to printers, scanners, Blackberries, etc.), installation of new/upgraded hardware and software as requested and responding to general help desk requests.

Primary Duties:

Installs, configures, and maintains the organization's workstations. Manages performance and maintains security of workstation and connections to the LAN. Works with multiple hardware and software platforms at an intermediate level.

Manages inventory tracking of computer equipment and other assets at the direction of the Supervisor.

May assist in maintenance of Active Directory including user account creation and maintenance, group account and permissions

Support Remote Access, Terminal Services and Virtual Network Computing (VNC) services.

Monitors LAN, WAN, and servers as needed or upon direction of the Supervisor.

Installs and modifies personal computer hardware and software, peripherals and Blackberries.

Responds to help desk requests from users with either resolution or update on progress within 24 hours of receipt of request. Responds to urgent requests as soon as possible when users’ productivity is affected.

Diagnoses hardware, software, and operator problems; takes remedial actions as needed.

Loads and configures software (e.g. operating systems, other commercial applications, etc.). Installs security patches, software updates and/or upgrades as directed on workstations.

Performs nightly back-ups of all ICRW servers and prepares material for off-site storage; may perform server restorations as needed; reviews event logs as directed.

Assists with the deployment/implementation of new software applications.

Provides IT assets for employee travel (laptops, blackberry, etc.) and supports ICRW permanent laptop assignments.

May assist with establishing user access (network, voice mail, e-mail), for all new employees at least one (1) business day prior to the arrival of the new employee.

Trains new employees on the use of computers and telephone equipment.

Manages the organization’s PC recycling plan at the direction of the Supervisor.

Updates and maintains department’s SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) with input from teammates.

Maintains a strong working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Access) in order to provide guidance to end-users of these software applications.

Develops and delivers ad hoc training on various desktop applications (e.g. Outlook, PowerPoint) to end-users in group sessions and one-on-one.

Supports staff telecom requests and manages software for moves, changes, additional numbers, and voicemail requests.

Performs other duties as required.

Required Skills:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field (MIS, IT, Computer Science) or equivalent formal computer training (i.e. certification).

Two (2) to three (3) years supporting end users to include hardware/software installation and configuration and technical troubleshooting.

Must possess a strong working knowledge of Windows XP and Windows 7 operating systems and the MS Office 2010 Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access); Windows Server; familiarity with Mac machines is desirable. Must possess strong working knowledge of Active Directory, Remote Access, Terminal Services and Virtual Network Computing (VNC). Must possess good oral and written communication skills, as well as strong interpersonal skills to deal with user population in a professional and tactful manner, sometimes in tense situations. Must be able to maintain confidential/sensitive information regarding user account content and user access. Awareness of or basic telecom software management skills to maintain telecom operations for staff. Knowledge of Citrix desktop environment maintenance is a plus. Knowledge of Backup Exec or general off-site storage procedures desirable.

How To Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, resume and salary history/requirements to jobs@icrw.org with “IT Support Spec” in the subject line. Due to the large volume of responses we receive, ICRW is not able to provide candidacy status on an individual basis. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. ICRW is an equal opportunity employer, M/F/D/V. Screening of applicants will continue until the position is filled.

Technical Support to MAMTA in Improving Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in India

eweiss — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:56:52 +0000

ICRW is providing technical support to the Indian NGO MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child in the evaluation of its program to strengthen youth friendly health services in two districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. ICRW works closely with MAMTA’s evaluation team in designing the research tools (baseline and endline survey questionnaires), developing a sampling framework, analyzing the data and synthesizing the findings. ICRW also is providing technical support to the organization in conducting a Rapid Program Review of Government schemes implemented across both states and India as a whole in delaying the age at marriage. These efforts by MAMTA are part of a broader initiative funded by the European Union to prevent early marriage and early pregnancy among adolescent girls in India as well as in Nepal and Bangladesh.

Duration:

2012 - 2013

Funder:

MAMTA

Project Director:

Ravi Verma

Location(s):

India

VIDEO: ICRW Addresses Child Marriage on Al Jazeera International

amoustakis — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:08:54 +0000

Tue, 06/04/2013

ICRW's Ann Warner joins a panel discussing the causes and consequences of child marriage. Al Jazeera asks the four-person panel, should communities who practice child marriage be allowed to do so or should it be eliminated altogether?

ICRW's Ann Warner joins a panel discussing the causes and consequences of child marriage. Al Jazeera asks, should communities who practice child marriage be allowed to do so or should it be eliminated altogether?

Ann Warner is a senior Gender and Youth specialist at ICRW. Warner is joined by:

Lakshmi Sundaram

Global Coordinator, Girls Not Brides

Maria Al Masani @al_masani

Vice President, External Communications, Madbakh Women's Intiative

Naana Otoo-Oyortey

Executive Director, Forward UK

Ranajit Sengupta

qpokolo-hassell — Fri, 31 May 2013 17:37:20 +0000

Ranajit

Sengupta

Technical Specialist

Bio:

Ranajit Sengupta is Technical Specialist at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). In this role Sengupta closely works with ICRW researchers and partner organizations in the design and evaluation of research projects. Sengupta has particular expertise in maternal and child health, family planning and HIV/AIDS, having worked on more than 10 national and state level research studies in these areas.

Prior to joining ICRW Sengupta was the National Research Manager with India’s National AIDS Control Organization’s Technical Support Group. There he was responsible for conceptualizing and executing research studies and developing the Annual Research Plan and Budget. Sengupta also coordinated the hiring of research agencies for quantitative and qualitative data collection and the dissemination of research findings to stakeholders, including the government, donor and NGO communities.

Expertise:

Maternal and Child Health, Family Planning, HIV/AIDS

Languages Spoken:

English, Hindi and Bengali

Education:

Sengupta has a master’s degree in population studies from the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, and presently is pursuing a doctorate from the Gokhale Institute for Politics and Economics (GIPE), Pune.

Ranajit Sengupta

qpokolo-hassell — Fri, 31 May 2013 17:27:37 +0000

Ranajit

Sengupta

Technical Specialist

Bio:

Ranajit Senguptais Technical Specialist at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). In this role Sengupta closely works with ICRW researchers and partner organizations in the design and evaluation of research projects. Sengupta has particular expertise in maternal and child health, family planning and HIV/AIDS, having worked on more than 10 national and state level research studies in these areas.

Expertise:

Maternal and Child Health, Family Planning, HIV/AIDS

Languages Spoken:

English, Hindi and Bengali

Education:

A Community of Practice on Gender and Agriculture in Tanzania

eweiss — Thu, 30 May 2013 19:24:23 +0000

Women play a central role in agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. However their contributions to agricultural productivity at the household, community and national levels are limited by a diverse range of social and economic constraints that vary by crop and local context. Overcoming gender-related barriers requires innovative and practical solutions informed by a context-specific understanding of “how to” initiate and sustain gender transformative change in agriculture.

To help foster a deeper understanding and application of gender integration, ICRW, in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) is implementing a pilot program to develop a community of practice among agriculture practitioners in Tanzania. This forum provides a space for peers to share knowledge and experiences in addressing gender within their work, creating a sustainable platform for technical support, problem-solving and new ideas on gender and agriculture. Ultimately, this enhanced capacity will allow practitioners to increase the productivity and incomes of small-scale women and men farmers engaged in their projects.

The community of practice, named Tanzania Gender and Agriculture Forum (TaGAF) by its members, was launched in March 2012 and is comprised of interested BMGF grantees, as well as other agriculture and gender practitioners and resource persons currently working in Tanzania. With 45 members to date, TaGAF uses workshops, technical briefs and an online platform to facilitate interactions and peer learning and sharing.

Duration:

2011 - 2013

Funder:

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Project Director:

Anjala Kanesathasan

Location(s):

Tanzania

ICRW Highlights Key Issues for the May 28-30 Women Deliver Conference

hfreitag — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:43:00 +0000

On May 28-30, leaders and advocates from 160 countries gathered in Kuala Lumpur for Women Deliver 2013, one of the decades’ largest and most influential conferences on girls’ and women’s health and rights. Three ICRW researchers took a deeper look at some of the key issues being discussed.

Adolescent Girls are Critical to post-2015 Agenda

hfreitag — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:58:12 +0000

UN Women staked an important claim this month in the turf war that is the post-2015 development agenda. Its contribution, a note titled, “Stand-Alone Goal on Achieving Gender Equality, Women’s Rights and Women’s Empowerment: Imperatives and Key Components in the context of the Post-2015 Framework and Sustainable Development Goals,” is a great start. But it doesn’t go far enough.

Those of us who advocated for a higher-profile and more consolidated UN agency to lead efforts related to gender equality and women’s empowerment hoped that UN Women would not only be taken seriously, but that it would also be a bold and envelope-pushing entity in the global development arena. With Michele Bachelet’s initial leadership, the agency was indeed taken seriously. And sometimes, under her leadership, it was bold. Now, as the international community sets the development agenda for the coming decades, and as it looks to UN Women to lead the discussion of where women and girls fit in that agenda, it’s time to push that envelope.

In the note that’s not yet publicly available but that has been making its way through various networks, UN Women argues for both a stand-alone goal to achieve gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment and for the integration of gender considerations throughout and across all other goals, as relevant. This is a smart strategy. On the one hand, because integration alone is not sufficient to provide the level of attention we need to ensure gender equality, we still need a specific goal with specific targets and indicators by which to measure progress. And on the other, we know that gender issues must be specifically identified and addressed across all development efforts if they are to be successful.

UN Women identifies freedom from violence, gender equality in capabilities and resources, and gender equality in decision-making power and voice as the three core areas of focus. They proceed to explain these targets in greater detail and even provide illustrative indicators which they indicate are “designed to measure progress towards transformative change in gender relations.” A good and aspirational first step. But as a community of women’s rights advocates, we need to not just step, but leap.

UN Women notes that the proposed indicators for the three target areas are based on internationally agreed standards, and for a UN agency, this is standard procedure – they’re not going to extend far beyond the boundaries of what their member states have agreed to (that’s why advocates are needed). But even within these self-imposed guidelines, there is room to demand more.

Adolescent girls, often highly vulnerable and overlooked in international development spheres, are only called out in relation to violence and education. There’s no mention of the needs of adolescent girls to access health information and services, no mention of their reproductive rights, and conspicuously absent is child marriage, a human rights violation which more than 14 million girls are newly subject to each year. Working towards ending the harmful practice should be indicated as a distinct target in this and other relevant development goals, as it profoundly impacts a community’s ability to transform gender roles and hobbles development progress.

Where UN Women does specify age groups, they mention only those “over 15 years old,” leaving out very young adolescent girls altogether. True, most data collected for national and international surveys, such as the Demographic and Health Surveys, start with girls aged 15 or even 18, but if we are looking at ways to truly “transform” international development and women’s lives for the next generation, we need to identify as a priority the need to collect data in order to better understand the reality of very young adolescents’ lives – and how that reality can impact the course of their adult lives.

Finally, sexual health and rights are left off the table altogether. Since its creation, UN Women has largely deferred to UNFPA on issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), though its conciliatory statements about these issues at the start of this year’s Commission on the Status of Women placed SRHR advocates, including many governments, on their heels.

We cannot achieve gender equality and women’s rights unless all individuals, regardless of age, gender, or where they live, have not only the right, but also the ability, to make informed decisions about their bodies, their sexual partners and their relationships, free from violence, discrimination and coercion.

As we proceed through the next phases of the post-2015 development agenda, all advocates of gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment, including UN Women, should stand boldly and press forward courageously to ensure that the full and comprehensive needs and rights of both women and girls around the world are taken seriously.

The Cost of a Woman’s Life

hfreitag — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:20:16 +0000

Even though Naimah* had sought care a couple of times during her pregnancy at a clinic near her village in western Kenya, she died during childbirth. Her baby lived for a short period afterward before eventually dying, too.

Naimah’s husband, Kareem,* was devastated. His wife had handled everything in their home, from taking care of the children and planting and harvesting crops, to managing all of the household purchases. Naimah also operated a small business outside of her home, which brought in extra money for her family.

The loss felt by Kareem, the surviving six children, and the rest of the family was widespread and overwhelming. Their experience in the aftermath of Naimah’s death, however, is not uncommon in developing countries; it is illustrative of the typical economic and social costs of maternal mortality, which will be a major topic of discussion today at the Women Deliver conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Maternal deaths have reduced by nearly half since Millennium Development Goal 5 – which aims to improve maternal mortality – was established, but there is still a ways to go to achieve this goal by 2015. It’s possible to prevent more deaths and eliminate their affiliated costs, but doing so requires well-coordinated approaches that straddle multiple sectors.

ICRW is working to better understand the ripple effect maternal death has on families through a groundbreaking study in Nyanza Province, Kenya that is examining the immediate and long-term economic, emotional and social costs and consequences of maternal mortality. Working in partnership with Family Care International (FCI) and Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the ICRW study is one of a few examining maternal mortality costs; most research efforts to date have focused on understanding the causes of maternal mortality and designing interventions to address it.

Preliminary findings from our research suggest that a family often will spend considerably more on a funeral – burial, food for visitors, etc. – than other non-food expenses such as rent and school fees for the entire year. Our early data also show that after a maternal death, families immediately reassign to other family members tasks that were handled by the deceased. It is a necessity, but also a disruption on relatives’ routines and children’s studies.

In the case of Naimah, her death resulted in a complete overhaul of how her home had operated. Kareem lamented the loss of companionship that followed his wife’s passing, especially her input on household-related decisions. Meanwhile, Naimah’s children had to focus more on household chores such as fetching water, caring for livestock and doing laundry, than on their schoolwork, potentially affecting their chances of completing their education. Other relatives in the home had less time to pursue income-generating activities, and instead became consumed with completing Naimah’s household tasks.

Developing nations like Kenya, where Naimah’s family lives, have not experienced the overall decrease in maternal mortality enjoyed across the globe. Although more Kenyan women are using skilled health workers to deliver their babies, the number of mothers who have died as a result of childbirth has increased since 1990. That year, Kenya reported a maternal mortality ratio of 360 per 100,000 live births, according to the World Health Organization; in 2010, this number jumped to 530 per 100,000 births.

Given the data, it is clear that more needs to be done to address the impact of maternal death on families and communities, and design effective approaches to help them navigate the aftermath. We believe that capturing data on the disruptions and the social and economic costs of maternal death will arm programmers and funders with crucial information to better direct investment in and development of solutions to address maternal mortality.

* Not their real names.

Zayid Douglas is a program associate at the International Center for Research on Women.

Charting a Path for Adolescent Reproductive Control

hfreitag — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:01:45 +0000

Consider this: Half of the world’s population – more than 3.5 billion people – is under 30 years old. In the next decade, approximately 142 million girls will be married before the age of 18 and many will likely be pressured to prove their fertility soon after their nuptials. Indeed, of the nearly 16 million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 who give birth each year, 90 percent are married.

Given this reality, it is critical that the women’s health and rights communities gathering May 28-30 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the Women Deliver conference commit to involve young people – especially young women – in ensuring universal access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health.

At last year’s London Family Planning Summit, governments and others promised to expand the availability of family planning services, information and supplies to enable 120 million more women in the world’s poorest countries to access contraception by 2020. Later in 2012, the International Conference on Population and Development Global Youth Forum, in Bali, Indonesia, brought together nearly 1,000 youth and experts on youth to chart a path toward ensuring that young people have access to the sexual and reproductive health information and services they need, and that societies respect young people’s sexuality and rights, while supporting youth to act as advocates for their own rights.

The international community attending Women Deliver must build on the advancements made in London and Bali. In particular, to bridge the tremendous gap that still exists between reproductive knowledge, desires and behaviors, we must better understand women’s and adolescent girls’ demand for reproductive control, the subject of a recent study by ICRW. In other words, we must optimize the ability of women and girls to effectively define their childbearing intentions and to use safe and effective contraception and abortion services in line with these intentions.

More often than not, societies’ expectations of young women derail them significantly from controlling their reproductive lives. In certain societies, cultural norms and gender inequities prevent young women from even recognizing that they have the right to do so. And even if they do, acting on the desire to delay their first pregnancy, have fewer children, or wait longer between pregnancies could prove impossible within the confines of their socially-derived personal circumstances.

Motherhood holds critical importance in many social contexts, and girls are keenly aware of the cultural expectations around childbearing even before they marry or become sexually active. Women are generally valued more, treated with more respect in their families and communities, and face less risk of being abandoned if they have a large number of children. Even better, if they give birth to sons. These types of expectations around womanhood and motherhood can prevent young women from acknowledging and expressing a desire to limit and space births.

Meanwhile, many young women who do not use modern forms of contraception say it is because they don’t know these methods exist, let alone understand the reproductive process. Girls often have very limited access to reproductive health information and thus cannot make educated decisions regarding their health needs. And even if young women are aware of the options for preventing or ending unintended pregnancies, they may not use these out of fear of side effects, social stigma, or disapproval from others, including those who may characterize them as shirking an imposed social responsibility to become mothers.

And finally, for young women who are not barred by these fears and who know what they want, the challenge is in accessing the right clinic or village health worker that distributes the appropriate family planning methods or, when needed, provides safe abortion services. Young women may face barriers such as lack of money or transportation, and providers or the law may require parental consent for services. Their in-laws or husbands may prevent their efforts to delay or avoid a pregnancy or seek an abortion. Their culture may demand that no man other than their husband sees them naked, but the only health care provider they can find is male.

As the young leaders in Bali noted, we must empower young women to be able to make - and act on - informed decisions about whether and when to get pregnant. Tearing down the physical barriers that prevent universal access to contraception and safe abortion is a critical first step. But unless the more insidious social barriers are also removed, the benefits of science and technology will go only so far.

Indeed, to effectively act on their reproductive demands, young women must first become aware that they have the right to control their childbearing. They must have knowledge of contraceptive methods and how to access them, and finally, they must have an enabling environment that allows them to effectively utilize contraception and abortion. Only through investing in efforts that target these multiple layers of demand for young women, will we be able to reduce unmet need, uphold the commitments of the London Family Planning Summit, and meet the recommendations of the Bali Declaration. Now is the time to deliver for the women of the next generation by ensuring that they are free to determine their reproductive paths and empowered to make these intentions a reality.

Jennifer McCleary-Sills is a senior social and behavioral scientist.

Post-Conflict Evaluation Consultant – Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

qpokolo-hassell — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:19:42 +0000

Job Location:

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) is a global research institute which works to empower women, advance gender equality, and fight poverty in the developing world. ICRW works with partners to conduct empirical research, build capacity, and advocate for evidence-based practical solutions to change policies and programs.

Primary Duties:

ICRW is seeking interested applicants for a Post-Conflict Evaluation Consultantposition to serve as part of a multi-disciplinary team that will evaluate restorative justice and social reintegration programming in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The consultancy will be for a duration of 25 days in July 2013, with three weeks of fieldwork in Bunia and Bukavu.

Required Skills:

The successful candidate would possess the following skills and experience:

Experience conducting program evaluations, preferably using participatory methods.
Strong critical thinking and analytical skills.
Experience with qualitative data collection, facilitating group discussions, and translating findings into policy recommendations.
Fluency in English or French and Swahili is required.
Fluency in additional local languages (e.g., Lingala) is highly desired.
Sound knowledge of post-conflict programming (e.g., restorative justice, social reintegration, DDR, livelihoods, sexual and gender-based violence) is required.
Additional global experience in research on sexual and gender-based violence is highly desired.
Masters degree in a relevant field preferred.

How To Apply:

Candidates interested in a consultancy should submit a letter of interest summarizing their background and interest, curriculum vitae, two writing samples and daily rate in USD to contractors@icrw.org with "Post Conflict Program Assessment Consultant - DRC" in the subject line. ICRW is an equal opportunity employer, M/F/D/V.

In India Courts, Sexist Marriage Attitudes Hinder Justice

hfreitag — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:27:40 +0000

Fri, 05/17/2013

Wall Street Journal Online

Tripti Lahiri

The Supreme Court of India overturned a lower court verdict in a spousal abuse case that lead to a woman's death, mentioning that the lower court's suggestion that wife-beating is "a normal facet" of marriage is a "mind-set which needs to change".

The article cites an ICRW study to demonstrate the prevalence of these attitudes, saying:

For instance, in a survey by the International Center for Research on Women published in 2011 of more than 1,500 men in two urban areas - the capital of Delhi, and the southern city of Vijayawada - some 65% of respondents agreed with the statement, "There are times when a woman deserves to be beaten".